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Help with T04E Turbo Leaks at Manifold

rb92673

racecar
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Location
San Clemente
I have been having a hard time keeping my T04E turbo attached to my 90+ b230 exhaust manifold. This is on an endurance race 745. I run for 8-24 hours at a time.

I have used good copper coated locking exhaust nuts and hardened studs. Exhaust studs have backed several times, once resulting in broken studs in the manifold. I then attempted to safety wire the studs so they did not back out. After two days of racing I can see a gap between the turbo and the manifold. I am running about 13 psi if that makes a difference, at the end of the last race we were down to about 6 psi at the end.

I had the same problem with the studs from turbo to wastegate and wastegate to downpipe. Locking nuts and safety wired studs has stopped the studs from backing out.

Should I just weld the studs to the manifold, is there better locking hardware I can get?
 
Nordlock washers and a MLS Nissan t3 turbo gasket might help.
But for sure on the nordlocks. The t3 turbo on the rally car was constantly coming loose before those were installed.
 
Nordlock washers and a MLS Nissan t3 turbo gasket might help.
But for sure on the nordlocks. The t3 turbo on the rally car was constantly coming loose before those were installed.

Was the turbo coming loose because the studs were backing out?

What kind of nuts are you using with the nordlocks?

I have no gasket currently.
 
So... I have been reading a bunch on some turbo Miata sites about the same problem. Turbo street cars were fine with normal hardware, but the fast track cars were stretching the studs. Safety wire, nord-locks, Stage 8, all were having problems. The studs would stretch and loosen from long amounts of time at WOT. Thier solution after much testing was inconel studs with locking nuts

Mine are safety wired and have lock nuts. Both of which are still intact, but I can see light through the manifold to turbo. I suspect my studs stretched as they are just hardened steel.
 
Hi temp loctite on the studs? What about staking the nuts with a punch or chisel?

After two hours on track the intake manifold and turbo are glowing. There are some very high temp threadlockers available, but the safety wire between two studs should have kept it from turning.
 
Was the turbo coming loose because the studs were backing out?

What kind of nuts are you using with the nordlocks?

I have no gasket currently.

Not sure in the cause. The studs didn't appear to be coming loose.
The nuts are (and were) m10 shouldered flange nuts with a crimped top.

We ran a gasket until the turbo got loose and blew it out. Now we're on no gasket island. We will know how it works after our next race in November.
 
After two hours on track the intake manifold and turbo are glowing. There are some very high temp threadlockers available, but the safety wire between two studs should have kept it from turning.

Do you have added venting in the hood over the turbo?
 
Well I ordered an 'Inconel' studs set with A286 studs (which really isn't Inconel), Nord-Lock style washers and special nuts. We will see how it does at keeping the turbo attached in a 24 hour race on September 12.
 
I found my turbo loose yesterday, let us know how that setup works for you.

When I disassembled the exhaust this weekend, the studs were tight in the manifold and the crimped nuts were firmly attached. The safety wire was also intact. I am guessing the studs stretched very slightly. I cannot tell with the naked eye compared to another stud. There was enough room to see light between the turbo and manifold, maybe a paper sheet's worth of room.

I bought these studs:
https://www.full-race.com/store/pre...ll-race-m10-inconel-t3-t4-turbo-hardware-kit/

The nuts were non-locking, so I also bought some stage 8 locking nuts:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/stg-3951

I haven't decided if I will use the nord-lock type washers that came with the studs. I should have it all back on by the end of the week, but my race isn't until Sept 12th.
 
This might help. The single layer gaskets just blow out when there's a slight leak.

https://www.enjukuracing.com/products/oem-nissan-t3-turbo-inlet-gasket-rb25det.html

Yep.

9jiISOlh.jpg


PS I take credit for the Nord lock solution :-P Such a ****ing headache without them. Coated 14mm hex lock nuts. M10x1.25 pitch for extra clamping action.

apgMgYrh.jpg
 
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Thanks for the gasket link. I was not running any gasket.

I don't know if the studs stretched, but I have to tear it down and rebuild the turbo anyways. In fact the entire bottom end ran it's last race, it's is leaking Exxon Valdez levels of oil. Between blowing the seals on the turbo and leaking out of the engine we went through 5 gallons of oil in a 24 hour race.
 
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