Build Spyduh's LX450 Build (Motor Rebuild + Wits End Turbo Kit)

[spyduh]

Added USB switches with digital volt meter. While the dual batt monitor already displays the volt for both batts. It can't hurt to have an additional digital display. Left one is hooked up to my aux batt and the right one is hooked up to the main batt.

Delta console cut out was just a bit too small. OEM Toyota switches drop in perfectly but the Chinese switches are just 2mm to wide. I had to take a file and widen the sides to fit the switches. I did not have to file the top/bottom. The OEM switch still fits nice and tight if I ever want to pop in something else.

 

[spyduh]

Last weekend I finally got to putting on the Dp blanket. Only took me a couple months.

It is not possible to put the blanket on with DP attached. I tried and fought it for 15mins.


So I had to take it off and was dreading it cause everytime I take off the DP I have major exhaust leaks.

And what do you know. Major exhaust leak after reinstall.

 

[spyduh]

Every time i try and install the vband myself. I can never hold it just right and attach the vband. I always get it just slightly off and it leaks. When you try and take it off to readjust, the clamp already lost its tension and the nut strips. I'm treating these vbands as 2x use before they go in the trash can. This will be my 3rd vband on the truck.

I got some special turbo tape from Joey that I will be applying to help stop the leak with my brand new clampco vbands I just ordered online.

I bought 2 more spares to have on hand. It doesn't leak if you installed it right with a brand new vband. However I'm worried with my luck that I'll dick with it for some reason and I'll need a new clamp again. It's a big enough leak that it will cause your hood paint to fry. There's no trail fix for a bad vclamp.

There's got to be a better vband than Clampco.

Otherwise the turbo has been driving terrific

.

 

[Ronny Grady]

Is that turbo tape on the pen?

 

[Wompom]

Every time i try and install the vband myself. I can never hold it just right and attach the vband. I always get it just slightly off and it leaks. When you try and take it off to readjust, the clamp already lost its tension and the nut strips. I'm treating these vbands as 2x use before they go in the trash can. This will be my 3rd vband on the truck.

I got some special turbo tape from Joey that I will be applying to help stop the leak with my brand new clampco vbands I just ordered online.

I bought 2 more spares to have on hand. It doesn't leak if you installed it right with a brand new vband. However I'm worried with my luck that I'll dick with it for some reason and I'll need a new clamp again. It's a big enough leak that it will cause your hood paint to fry. There's no trail fix for a bad vclamp.

There's got to be a better vband than Clampco.

Otherwise the turbo has been driving terrific
View attachment 2305709View attachment 2305711
.

Is it a bad enough leak you can feel it by hand with the engine idling? How are you connecting your vband? I first followed the instructions of wastegate first, but found out it was waaaaaaay easier to connect the turbo vband loosely/slightly snug, get the WG in, slowly tighten v band and smack with a mallet gently a few times to make sure it centers itself.

Now i'm paranoid about leaks..

 

[spyduh]

Is that turbo tape on the pen?

Yes that is the Turbo tape Joey sent me (on the pen).

 

[spyduh]

Is it a bad enough leak you can feel it by hand with the engine idling? How are you connecting your vband? I first followed the instructions of wastegate first, but found out it was waaaaaaay easier to connect the turbo vband loosely/slightly snug, get the WG in, slowly tighten v band and smack with a mallet gently a few times to make sure it centers itself.

Now i'm paranoid about leaks..

Depends how off alignment it is. Few times it was way off and when you start it up you can audibly hear a slightly leak from the V and feel a slight leak. A couple times I had to loosen, readjust and re-tightened. It no longer had an audible leak and I put my hand over/under and couldnt really feel a leak either. I thought it was good, but it wasn't and it started to burn my hood insulation after a 10-15min drive.

If you haven't seen a charred hood or burnt insulation right above the V then you're probably good. with no leak You can also smell the unburnt gas too coming out of the hood if it isn't 100% leak free.

I've installed the V every time by myself and I really think it's a 4 handed job. 1 guy to hold it in place and the 2nd guy to clamp and snug it down.

I found it easier to connect the WG first and then connect the V. I couldn't get the WG to line up if I did the V first. In a couple hours I have a friend coming over to help me install the tape and new vband. This should get rid of my leak. Once it's on and leak free it'll be good to go unless you have to take it off again.

 

[spyduh]

one thing to note. Wrapping the DP blanket was not that bad. I did it solo and it wrapped pretty tight. Would have been 100% neat if I had an extra pair of hands. Really hard to get help normally and having Covid makes it even harder to get help.


I started at the Vband end and held tight and used needle nose pliers to grab the wire and yank the crap out of it then loop around the button. rinse and repeat!

 

[spyduh]

Installed vband with Joey big pipe tape and put a brand new Clampco on. Had help this time to get it all lined up perfectly. 2 dead clamps going into the garbage.

Test drive for 20mins = no more leaks.

Notice the massive misalignment of the dp to the turbo housing. It naturally wants to be at the bottom passenger corner in stead of dead on straight. I had to take off the trans bracket, bottom down pipe vband and both WG clamps. Then align the down pipe straight onto flange and hold, apply tape, vband and snug the nut (4 hands required for this step). Next, attach bottom vband loosely then move to attach WG clamps. WG was a pain in the ass and needed 4 hands. 2 hands to bend the pipes in position and hold down. 2nd set of hands apply the clamps and snug down the nut. Final step, snug all clamps and brackets to final tightness. Dont overdo the vband nut. Just a tiny bit is needed


Edit.... @Wompom I followed your post and tried top vband first, then bottom vband and then WG last. I couldn't do it alone as my pipes don't naturally sit where it should. 4 hands to bend, pull and hold in order to clamp it down. It was way easier then doing it solo. I couldn't have attached the WG last w/o extra hands.

 

[Dirty Koala]

Did you take any pics of how you wrapped the tape?

 

[spyduh]

Did you take any pics of how you wrapped the tape?

No sorry

 

[fjbj40]

I think I see a problem with the downpipe. It is flared at the end where it engages the turbo. It should be stepped. All v-band installs I have worked with on aircraft have a stepped connection. What I mean is the downpipe has a step or lip that engages in the turbo, this physically holds the pipe in alignment so v-band can sit evenly over the joint. The v-band should not be used to pull the joint together it is meant to hold them together. By using it to pull the joints together there is undue stress placed upon it to cause failure.

Have a look at section 3.0 Installation

https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/small_airplanes/cos/aging_aircraft/media/maintaining_exhaust_system_best_practices.pdf

There also appears to be a slight misalignment which is requiring you to use the clamp to pull the joint together. Maybe another flex joint in the DP would help?

The Turbo kit is one of the nicest kits I have ever seen, hats off to the man! When more and more people start using them there will be issues that arise that need rectification. I’m sure Joey will address the issue you are experiencing by modifying the parts to prevent it from happening to future customers.

Out of curiosity, is the v-band failure stripping of the threads?

Awesome build by the way

Cheers

 

[spyduh]

I think I see a problem with the downpipe. It is flared at the end where it engages the turbo. It should be stepped. All v-band installs I have worked with on aircraft have a stepped connection. What I mean is the downpipe has a step or lip that engages in the turbo, this physically holds the pipe in alignment so v-band can sit evenly over the joint. The v-band should not be used to pull the joint together it is meant to hold them together. By using it to pull the joints together there is undue stress placed upon it to cause failure.

Have a look at section 3.0 Installation

https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/small_airplanes/cos/aging_aircraft/media/maintaining_exhaust_system_best_practices.pdf

There also appears to be a slight misalignment which is requiring you to use the clamp to pull the joint together. Maybe another flex joint in the DP would help?

The Turbo kit is one of the nicest kits I have ever seen, hats off to the man! When more and more people start using them there will be issues that arise that need rectification. I’m sure Joey will address the issue you are experiencing by modifying the parts to prevent it from happening to future customers.

Out of curiosity, is the v-band failure stripping of the threads?

Awesome build by the way

Cheers

Yup the 2 used vbands threads and nuts are stripped.

Also the clamp metal wings in the V groove has stretched out because of the misalignment. This causes the clamp to loose tension and not clamp with the same force.

Interesting that you mention the lip. The bottom DP and WG is lipped. The turbo hot side has no lip that locks it in perfect alignment. This is where I fight it to get it to hold in alignment while trying to attach the vband because it doesn't self align. Hence the need for 4 hands.

 

[fjbj40]

The nut and stud failed because you were trying to pull the joint together with the v-band I bet.

I would recommend lockwireing the v-band after installation. There are examples in the FAA link. Lockwire will prevent the joint from separating if the nut or stud fails.

A failed v-band on the trail would be no fun to fix and it’s not like you could drive it as a fire will surely happen

 

[fjbj40]

I have to add that I think this kit is a work of art. It is by far the nicest kit I have ever seen. I long for one but my hands are tied in several ways. I have an OBD1 truck so while it will bolt up there are obstacles. I have looked at ways of making it work and I know I can, it’s just not in the cards right now.

Is very understanding and supportive of my motorized hobby. She knows where I am, in the shop, and knows I am not up to no good! But this kit is not in budget right now, I hope it still available in 2 years, the wounds of a 80 purchase and base lining will be healed by then.

 

[spyduh]

The nut and stud failed because you were trying to pull the joint together with the v-band I bet.

I would recommend lockwireing the v-band after installation. There are examples in the FAA link. Lockwire will prevent the joint from separating if the nut or stud fails.

A failed v-band on the trail would be no fun to fix and it’s not like you could drive it as a fire will surely happen

The nut strips on removal. I have spare vbands in my essential trail parts in my truck. Thats a good tip with the lock wire. I might use a stainless steel zip tie.

 

[fjbj40]

Is the nut ss? The threads deform or stretch to the tightening side of the nut. When you disassemble it destroys the threads.

If so ss on ss has a habit of galling when disassembled. I would try a quality steel nut instead. Or use applicable anti-seize. In turbine hot sections we use a Nickel anti-seize.

 

[spyduh]

Is the nut ss? The threads deform or stretch to the tightening side of the nut. When you disassemble it destroys the threads.

If so ss on ss has a habit of galling when disassembled. I would try a quality steel nut instead. Or use applicable anti-seize. In turbine hot sections we use a Nicole anti-seize.

Joey uses Clampco (usa) branded clamps with the kit. I believe the clamps are SS and I would assume the nut is too. I just installed it and forgot to put anti-seize on it during install. I'm not messing with it now that I have no leaks. I'll put some anti on it when I try and remove it next time. Hopefully not for a very very very long time.

I would think the nut is made in the USA too. The nut is pretty crappy hardware imho. I need to find a better nut. Some of my clamps might be salvageable if I can get new nuts.

 

[NLXTACY]

The nut does suck and even the diesel mechanics I’ve spoken with all change it out.

As to the discuss of the downpipe’s flare fitting to turbo connection, there is no choice on that given how the turbine is cast. In fact BW ships me those flares to be welded. I could of course spend the extra couple hundred to have it machined to a step and then machine mating step rings for the downpipe but that would just be an increase to the cost and time frame that folks were and are losing patience on.

 

[spyduh]

The nut does suck and even the diesel mechanics I’ve spoken with all change it out.

As to the discuss of the downpipe’s flare fitting to turbo connection, there is no choice on that given how the turbine is cast. In fact BW ships me those flares to be welded. I could of course spend the extra couple hundred to have it machined to a step and then machine mating step rings for the downpipe but that would just be an increase to the cost and time frame that folks were and are losing patience on.

I would love an upgrade option for existing owners!!!! This is how much I hate that f*****g flange. I really wish it was lipped like the bottom and WG connection points. If you can design something with a new stepped flange. I can cut off the existing and weld that on myself!


Note taken. Buy new nuts for vband as spares!