Turbo adapter plates

[Dan!]

Just looking into making up adapter plates for Jakes TD04L and I have a few questions to ask....

1. Is the turbo hotside/manifold/exhaust elbow all cast steel or cast iron?

2. Can you weld normal steel plate to either of the above?

3. People who have fitted non standard turbos - have you made your adapter plates so that they bolt to the turbo, then also bolt to the manifold? (My idea being, weld a steel plate to the manifold, then just bolt it up to the turbo, and weld a steel plate to exhaust elbow and just bolt that to the turbo.


Complete welding noob so be gentle :geek:

Cheers

[Ruan]

1. Cast Iron
2. Yes - but it's not quite like welding normal steel - it also has a tendancy to crack as it cools, any "pro" welder will tell you you need to keep a blowtorch on it as it cools... But tbh, it's fine...
3. Easiest way IMO is to get some *fairly* thick plate, sorta 6mm or so, make the holes required for the exhaust manifold, but then countersink them, so the boltheads actually sit in the countersink, if they're still a bit high, you can always just take a grinder to the bolt heads to make them flush with the surface, then you can either tap threads into the plate for the turbo to bolt to, or then put a bolt all the way through and nut it on the other side, but you might find you can only do that on one of them as the mating face is in the way, so you might just need to tap a thread and then cut down a bolt so it doesn't foul when you bolt it down... This means there's no welding involved, at least on the mani>turbo side.

If you catch me on that? I'm on whatsapp/phone all day, so give me a shout if you need owt.

[Dan!]

Thanks Ruan, I think I understand most of that

When you say 'not quite like welding normal steel', what welder do you need (mig/tig etc?) And is the welding itself just trickier?

Also, would 6mm be enough? I was thinking 10mm, maybe 8mm minimum, but thats just me guessing! Obviously if its too thin it'l risk warping.

Cheers mate, il probably need to give you a call at somepoint

[Ruan]

Well, I've only ever used Arc, as has Darren...

It's not so much harder to weld, it's just different and tends to crack whilst cooling, that's the main problem, you can probably use MIG on it if you give it enough amps to penetrate... Don't be fooled by a MIG giving out a lovely clean bead, but laying it on top, rather than penetrating, or the turbo will fall off...

6mm is more than enough tbh, that's what my plates are made out of, they're a little warped, nothing a quick bit of action with a grinder couldn't fix mind... When welding them just make sure you don't get TOO much heat into it, that's what usually warps them...

If I were you, I'd stay away from welding cast... It can go really well or be a complete fail... IMO it's easier to make it bolt on (Then nothing is permanent, also...) once it's welded, that's it...

[Dan!]

Okay. So i guess welding might be out of the question - the last thing you want is a cracked exhaust housing....

I think the countersunk bolt malarky might be best option!

Few questions now about the bolts.... Do they have to be certain high tensile/special bolts? I assume run-o-the-mill B&Q jobbies wont be up to scratch?!

Thank you Ruan, love you

[Ruan]

Pft, I've just used boggo bolts I found in a pot...

Just with the slimmest head I could find... Never had any issues lol.

Just lamper the faces with Exhaust Paste and she'll seal a beauty, that's all I've done and it doesn't leak TOO bad...

[mark_airey]

Welding cast can be a fecking nightmare, I just wouldn't bother unless you know what your doing and even then you could easilly crack something, that or the turbo will fall off 50 yards down the road!

As far as the bolts go, they need to be bolty bolts, how tight do you plan on doing them up FFS?!

[darrenjlobb]

If it was me, id just blast the plate onto the manifold with the arc, and then bolt it to the new turbo so it can be removed easily, when you have a single plate adapter, two sets of bolts can be a bit of a faff, but obviously possibly, and would avoid having to weld it.... Anyone with any welding experience would be able to weld it fairly easily... I did mine / Ruans and it worked just fine, both still going to this day, altho mine is now on someone elses car. Any old bolts will do tbh, just make sure you use some paste on the flanges as itl blow otherwise unless you get plates lapped, especially if you weld them as they will twist like a sunt.

[Dan!]

Thanks to all of you

Ruan/Mark - I thought I had heard previously that turbo bolts need to be of a special grade to cope with heat etc, not sure where I heard that though! And I was planning on doing them up fairly tight Mark, considering what a twunt the old bolts were to remove hock:

Exhaust paste - gun gum/similar?

And thanks Darren. I think we will probably go with the bolt on method, dont think my dad has an arc welder :think:

im sure we'l work out, we-ve got a whole weekend

Thanks again.

[mark_airey]

No problems here! tensile strength is just the breaking strength of the bolt IIRC, the old ones tend to be tight from years of hot, cold, hot, cold, hot, cold etc and corrosion, they just need to be "tight" not "f*ck me thats tight"

Just ask in parts supplier for exhaust sealing paste, it costs naff all. I have some Bosal stuff that I used and it worked perfectly

[Ruan]

Yeah, Halfords do some paste in a white tube, it's made by Holts... Might be called GunGum I can't remember, but it's in a white, red and yellow tube, works perfect.

Stainless bolts would be a luxury, but don't worry if not, normal bolts will tend to corrode as they go hot/cold all the time, so seem to rust out quicker.

[Dan!]

Okay, no problems there then

One last question which is off topic-ish, but I wont start another thread


How do you clock a TD04?

From what I can see the compressor is done by nipping in the internal circlip then tapping the compressor housing round? And the exhaust side has a clamp on it, which I removed, then soaked in WD40, then tried twist/hitting but to no avail? Do I just need more force or is there some magical trick I am missing?!

[mark_airey]

Okay, no problems there then

One last question which is off topic-ish, but I wont start another thread


How do you clock a TD04?

From what I can see the compressor is done by nipping in the internal circlip then tapping the compressor housing round? And the exhaust side has a clamp on it, which I removed, then soaked in WD40, then tried twist/hitting but to no avail? Do I just need more force or is there some magical trick I am missing?!

You need to take the circlip out and then take the comp housing off, (should knock off fairly easily just make sure it comes off straight) you can't just knock it round as it has a locating pin if you just smash it round you will ruin the cartridge and the housing. remove the pin once you get the housing off.

The exhaust side, if you have removed the clamp and WD40 soaked it you just need to bash the hell out of it, just keep working your way round with a big hitting stick but it will be a nightmare, also once it's moving make sure it doesn't go to far to on side as you will bend the blades on the turbo

[Dan!]

Ah okay, I get you. So theres a locating pin on the cold and the hot side? Pull/hit the housings off, remove locating pin, then is it a case of just putting the housing back on where you want them, or do you have to put the locating pin back in in a different position?

Oh and I think I know this one, but just checking - its fairly important that the oil in is at the top isnt it?

[mark_airey]

Ah okay, I get you. So theres a locating pin on the cold and the hot side? Pull/hit the housings off, remove locating pin, then is it a case of just putting the housing back on where you want them, or do you have to put the locating pin back in in a different position?

Oh and I think I know this one, but just checking - its fairly important that the oil in is at the top isnt it?

IIRC there is only a pin on the compressor side but may be wrong (it has happened before ) just remove it (pulls out with a pair of pliers no bother) and then re assemble in the correct position.

oil in is irrelevant (although it does end up at the top) the important one is that the oil return on the cartridge is at the bottom and as close to vertical when mounted as possible

[Dan!]

Okay, so re-assemble in the correct position, and the circlip will just hold it in place?

And goodo, I thought it was something like that

Just called up about some mild steel plate, £20 for 200mm x 300mm x 8mm hock: Probably dont need that much but thats just a guess because I dont have the turbo infront of me to measure up

[mark_airey]

Okay, so re-assemble in the correct position, and the circlip will just hold it in place?

And goodo, I thought it was something like that

Just called up about some mild steel plate, £20 for 200mm x 300mm x 8mm hock: Probably dont need that much but thats just a guess because I dont have the turbo infront of me to measure up

Yeah, it will be fine, once you get the boost hose on it can't really go anywhere anyway, mine has been fine anyhoo!

I could prob get you some plate for nothing the size you need (my uncle is a fabricator) but it will probably cost more than £20 to post it to you due to the weight!

[Dan!]

Yeah, it will be fine, once you get the boost hose on it can't really go anywhere anyway, mine has been fine anyhoo!

I could prob get you some plate for nothing the size you need (my uncle is a fabricator) but it will probably cost more than £20 to post it to you due to the weight!

Good stuff!

And yeah iv looked at it on ebay aswel, most of it is like £10 for the metal then £15 postage Just gotta keep looking around the local places I guess....

[mark_airey]

Good stuff!

And yeah iv looked at it on ebay aswel, most of it is like £10 for the metal then £15 postage Just gotta keep looking around the local places I guess....

Find a local steel fabricators and go on the scrounge for off cuts in exchange for beer money

[Dan!]

Good stuff!

And yeah iv looked at it on ebay aswel, most of it is like £10 for the metal then £15 postage Just gotta keep looking around the local places I guess....

Find a local steel fabricators and go on the scrounge for off cuts in exchange for beer money

I refuse, that will just make me look like a pikey.



Il get Jake to do it :geek:

[mark_airey]

If you explain what your doing they will be more likely to help out rather than sounding like you are collecting scrap

[Dave]

Also remember your only holding a turbo and its vibrations, so welding anything to anything as long as you put enough weld on, it'll hold. It'll only be a fraction of the strength of a steel counterpart but its not holding any silly tension. Ive yet to hear of anyone doing a home brew like this and it falling apart anyway....

[ash23]

this is just what ive done but shoud work lol

6mm plate bolted to the mani then ran some weld around it (not gona need a gasket there now ) then welded some studs in to the plate to bolt the turbo to so if/when the turbo pops its easy to remove

[Pompey306mark]

Plates I had made for the t25

[Dave]

Thats tidy that is!