New Turbo Install = Car Fumes??
 

Just installed a turbo and the gas fumes (perhaps exhaust fumes?) are pretty damn strong inside the cabin. Given the catalytic converter is now deleted that's somewhat understandable but is this normal for new turbo installs?

Now when I turn on the heat or AC I put the car on re-circulate. The problem is the windshield defogger turns off re-circulate and lets the smells back in (prefer not to drive with a fogged up windshield).

Btw, the fumes aren't the thermal wrap on my downpipe because that smells a bit different (I've smelled some of that as well but mostly when i open up the hood after a spirited drive).

I think the canned tune I'm running might be a bit rich, after I get my car custom tuned, hopefully that will fix it at least a little bit.

I'm interested in what the experiences of other turbo users have been as far as new turbo installs and car fumes.

If you're smelling it in the cabin, I would guess that you have an exhaust flange leak somewhere between the header and overpipe/midpipe connection. Seen as how everything between those two points was just replaced, it seems like a good place to check.

Which kit?

Yeah, that's probably the case. But with the install, it didn't fit perfectly, I actually installed the Downpipe and Testpipe probably 4-5 different times (had to remove them to fix other problems). At no time were all the flanges completely flush with one another. One end of the TP would be flush with the DP but the other end of the TP would be a little off, with a slight gap.

I think there's always going to be a small gap. I tried putting another gasket in there but it wouldn't fit. I also wrapped that area with thermal wrap to slow/minimize the escape of gases but I don't think that's helping much.

Fitment issues like this are common in aftermarket turbo installs correct?

If I bring my car to a muffler/exhaust shop, is there anything they can do to make the fitment better? Can they fabricate anything?

SBD (Greddy Replica/Knock Off)

Did you talk to Chris yet? I imagine you are a member on the owner's facebook group?

Let the shit fest begin.....

Why would a gasket not fit?

You can have the 2 mating flanges refinished/cut and resurfaced to flat. Any machineshop should be able to do it... though it will easily add up in expenses.

No but I don't think there's much he can do. Every car is a little different so its not realistic to think fitment is going to be 100% perfect for each car.

I don't think there's much he can do besides sending me another testpipe which will probably be the exact same dimensions and thus have the same type fitment issues.

Besides, the gap isn't big at all.... actually you can't even see it from underneath the car. But its big enough for fumes to go through. At least I think that's the case, because I think that's where the fumes are coming from.

How much would it cost to have 2 mating flanges refinished/cut and resurfaced to flat?

Also, the kit didn't come with any extra gaskets so I had to order some from Amazon. But they diameter was too small so I had to basically cut a whole bunch of gasket out to make them the proper size. As a result, the gaskets got kind of mashed up, and these wouldn't fit.

Kind of hard to describe. The flanges between the Testpipe and the back end of the exhaust (overpipe? I don't know what its called) wasn't flush. A 2nd gasket would fit on one side of the flange but not on the other side.

http://i.imgur.com/TbGCOfY.jpg

Weird that the kit didn't have the proper gaskets, they are supposed to be included in the kit. I haven't had an issue with flanges being warped or anything on the 10 or so kits Ive installed. Its not the highest quality kit on the market, but I haven't really had fitment issues minus a tricky downpipe install.

Make sure you have the overpipe completely loose when trying to install the o2 sensor section of the downpipe. Obviously tighten each bolt a little at a time to get even torque and to make sure the gaskets stay in place.

If non of that works, invest in some higher quality graphite crush gaskets and they should take care of your exhaust leaks.

Thanks.

You mean something like this?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Remflex-RF8024-Graphite-Flange-Gasket/dp/B000TLPC4O/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1426044528&sr= 1-2&keywords=graphite+crush+gaskets"]http://www.amazon.com/Remflex-RF8024-Graphite-Flange-Gasket/dp/B000TLPC4O/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1426044528&sr= 1-2&keywords=graphite+crush+gaskets[/ame]



Btw, the kit came with gaskets. I just mean the kit didn't come with an extra set of gaskets so I couldn't fit 2 gaskets instead of 1. I had to go to Amazon to buy the 2nd set of gaskets.

Yes! Remflex are excellent gaskets, we stock them here at the shop.

Thanks again. I will try them out.

Did you make any modifications to the PCV system? Are you sure you aren't smelling oiley fumes?