Manifold Drilling

[ColoradoBoz]

Just installed my gauges to the point of drilling the actual manifold. Got the gauges in, powered, wires ran thru the firewall, etc. OK, I'm really going to show my ignorance here..this is my first turbo powered vehicle, so I don't understand everything about them. I read everything about drilling while the motor is running to blow out the chips. Some are going to have to go into the manifold, especially when you break thru the other side. People are worrying about the turbo blades being damaged. The way I understand a turbo, and I could be way off, is that it blows air back into the engine...kinda like a "blower". Is there anyway these chips can make it back into the engine?? Again, if I'm way off I apologize...learn something new everyday. Thanks.

[jamman65]

hey dude, do not dril into the intake system. engine will not like that! as said here before install a tee at waste gate hose for your boost gauge. yes the turbo is like a blower & not. you dril the exhaust manifold w/engine running you can coat your tap with greese to hold chips & use saffty glasses or remove exhaust manifold to dril & tap. do a search on boost & pyro install & you will get all the info you need. hope this helps. Juan :cool:

[ColoradoBoz]

I know not to drill the intake system...my quesion is basically are the small chips that happen to go inside the manifold, going to go out the exhaust pipe, or can the Turbo blow them bakc into the engine. I'm guessing not, otherwise everyone would be doing it...I just don't understand all of what goes on in the "turbo". Thanks for the help.

[jamman65]

Thats why you drill with engine running and all the chips will blown out of hole you are drilling. At idle turbo is free wheeling. hot exhaust turn turbo turbine wheel in exhust side of turbo. Turbo has a turbine wheel on intake side too bulid boost, turbine wheels are on same shaft. but two seprate housings. Exhaust & intake do not mix. the more rpm's the more boost.

[cmtndmax]

Start with small drill bit (small chips) and work up in size. A shop vac hose held as close as possible might help. Backup the tap more often than you normally do. (about every 1/4 turn small chips small chips)

[SoMnDMAX]

The chips will pass thru the turbo without any issues.

They cannot get back into the engine.

[DmaxMaverick]

ColoradoBoz

To answer your question, NO. The exhaust side and intake side of the turbo do not intersect. If you follow the instruction for drilling/tapping with engine running, the filings that do make it to the turbo are of no consequence. They will just make their way out the tail pipe, or get stuck in the muffler. They will NOT end up in the intake.

The turbo has two chambers. One contains the turbine wheel (exhaust side) and a compressor wheel (intake side). They are connected by a sealed shaft. No exchange of gases.

The EGR does allow exaust gases to enter the intake, but that is built into the head. Yours probably doesn't have EGR. Check the emmissions sticker under the hood, or look at your exhaust pipe. If it has a cat, it has EGR. No cat, no EGR.

[D/A]

I say take the passenger side exhaust manifold off its real easy and you can reuse the gasket take it off lay it on the floor drill,tap the hole. Shake out chips or blow out with an air compressor put back on its the way I did mine took about 2 hours total and no problems with chips or exhaust blowing in your face etc. Thats the only way to do it if you ask me easy and no worries.

[Amianthus]

Be careful with the mentality that chips in the exhaust manifold will pass through the turbo with no consequence. It is true that I haven't seen a turbo fail first-hand due to chips in the manifold, but it can happen. The tolerances in the turbine are so tight that a filing can wedge in between the blade and the housing causing failure of the whole works.

Drilling while the engine is running will work. What I do isn't that much different. I tape a blow gun to my exhaust pipe and pressurize it to about 10 psi. Then commence to drill. Not better or worse, just different. Keep the air flowing while tapping too. And use grease on the tap to catch the filings (a magnet helps too). Although, the hot exhuast may not allow the grease to stick. Or you can just remove the turbo altogether and not worry about it.

Whatever way you chose, be sure to wear your safety glasses. A damaged turbo can be replaced. A damaged eye, cannot.

[Phil B.]

I don't know, the way things work for me, if I was to take the exhaust manifold off, I'd strip at least two bolts and loose something important. Drilling the manifold was a breeze and its hard to go wrong if you do it right (go slow and allow all the shavings to hit you in the face and not go downstream...). Took me longer to route the pyro wire up through the dash than to drill the manifold.


I hadn't thought about pressurizing the exhaust from downstream (tail pipe). I wonder if a chip did slip through if it could get into the cylinder chamber. I think it would have to hit the specific cyclinder that had its exh. valve open to make it through. Well, with my luck, that's what would happen. Someone once told me that they could "pop" a 50 gallon drum with something like 10 psi. ;)

[ColoradoBoz]

Thanks for all the info guys. Just got finished drilling/taping and installing. Everything went good....I guess I should know by now if some big chips hurt the turbo? Also, thanks for explaining the turbo, makes total sense to me. After my initial test drive, I am amazed at how the EGT quickly change. I was idling in the driveway at about 250, as soon as I started to drive, the needle went up to 500-600. When I floored it, the needle immediatly climbed to 900-1000...let off the gas, then back to 600. Incredible! If anything, these things are cool to watch, especially at night. Next up, the JUICE!! Again, thanks for all the help.

[Minn-kota]

What type of gauges and pods did you buy?

Looking at adding boost and EGT gauges soon as well.

[ColoradoBoz]

I bought Autometer Sport Comp gauges, and an A pillar pod from Kennedy.

[Amianthus]

Originally posted by ColoradoBoz:
...Next up, the JUICE!!And you thought your temps changed quickly before. :D