AVO "Stage 2" Build

[gdrider77]

Originally Posted by ahaghshenas

Have you got the EBC working yet?

Not yet. I need to get it back to my tuner, but holding off until i get my new clutch installed. No sense getting that all working if my clutch is slipping all crazy.

Right now i got a new exedy clutch and short shifter sitting in my garage, hope to install in a week or so.

Trying to figure out the weird spool on this turbo also, as it seems to not make full boost in gears 1-3 until around 5-6k, then in 4-6 its closer to 3500-4500k. Not sure if this is right, but feels off to me. Hopefully something my tuner can work out.

[AVOturboworld]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

Not yet. I need to get it back to my tuner, but holding off until i get my new clutch installed. No sense getting that all working if my clutch is slipping all crazy.

Right now i got a new exedy clutch and short shifter sitting in my garage, hope to install in a week or so.

Trying to figure out the weird spool on this turbo also, as it seems to not make full boost in gears 1-3 until around 5-6k, then in 4-6 its closer to 3500-4500k. Not sure if this is right, but feels off to me. Hopefully something my tuner can work out.

Check for air leaks - it shouldn't take that long to spool up, so sounds like it has a minor leak somewhere. Not large enough to be obvious, but enough to delay spool and/or bleed off boost till it's hit the max on the actuator.

[gdrider77]

Originally Posted by AVOturboworld

Check for air leaks - it shouldn't take that long to spool up, so sounds like it has a minor leak somewhere. Not large enough to be obvious, but enough to delay spool and/or bleed off boost till it's hit the max on the actuator.

Yeah, i was kind of thinking that as well. I will look into all the connections and double check. One spot that i notice that seems suspicious is the airbox connection to the avo tubing, its just ...barely on. Going to try to pull that all off and go for a better, tighter fit.

Possibly it happened when i pulled all the top stuff off to tighten that oil connection. Have you been able to get those torque specs back yet? Its still leaking slightly. It is not the oil connection to the fitting, it is the fitting to the chra. Really want to get that oil leak fixed. I am going to pull it back out and then add some thread sealant. But want to wait till you get me the torque specs so i can be sure i tighten it just the right amount.

Thanks Paul!

[AVOturboworld]

I'll dig up those torque specs, I just don't know of anybody that's tightened it down to anything but "very tight". The bolt and the CHRA are of hardened steel, very unlikely to strip out.

[gdrider77]

Originally Posted by AVOturboworld

I'll dig up those torque specs, I just don't know of anybody that's tightened it down to anything but "very tight". The bolt and the CHRA are of hardened steel, very unlikely to strip out.

Yeah, i understand, i just feel with my luck, i will tighten it too much and strip/break the bolt head. And then i am in a much more serious spot. I have already done the "very tight" and still a slight leak. I can put a breaker bar on the wrench for more leverage, but i am afraid i then risk breaking the head or stripping. Maybe just pulling it out and putting some thread seal will do the trick.

Thanks!

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

Yeah, i understand, i just feel with my luck, i will tighten it too much and strip/break the bolt head. And then i am in a much more serious spot. I have already done the "very tight" and still a slight leak. I can put a breaker bar on the wrench for more leverage, but i am afraid i then risk breaking the head or stripping. Maybe just pulling it out and putting some thread seal will do the trick.

Thanks!

I had a leak there too. I put thread sealant and tighten it GOOD, and it stopped the leak. It was a B*tch to tighten too, as I didn't want to take anything off. A crowfoot wrench set did the trick!

[gdrider77]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

I had a leak there too. I put thread sealant and tighten it GOOD, and it stopped the leak. It was a B*tch to tighten too, as I didn't want to take anything off. A crowfoot wrench set did the trick!

What kind of sealant did you use?

[charged86]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

What kind of sealant did you use?

Probably copper sealant

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

What kind of sealant did you use?

IF I recal correctly, it was "liquid" teflon

[gdrider77]

UPS just dropped off some parts........Here we go.



So, running some leak tests, and just not happy with the supplied worm clamps, so bought new t-bar style clamps to replace all the hose/pipe connections.

And a few new parts to add....

• Perrin Intake
• Whiteline camber bolts
• Subaru oil filters & Penzoil Synthetic 0w20
• Greddy mag drain
• Exedy race clutch
• Kartboy shortshifter
• Stoptech brake pads
• Turbosmart vacuum hoses

[gdrider77]

So worked through the weekend on upgrades....Everything went well. clutch was smooth as butter, till time to reinstall the tranny. Probably played with it for an hour, but just could not get in in. Pulled it off, put the slightest bit of lube on the shaft..and bam, slid right in first try

When i say slight amount of lube, I really mean slight, like you would even be able to see it, just barely put it on. I also like to use KY jelly for things like this. Reason being, its water based, and dries really fast. So put the slightest bit on and put together fast, the amount I use dries in like 3 minutes or so. This works well for the pipes too, as it allows the slide to connect, but dries fast and leaves little residue. Pretty much just evaporates and flakes off. You need the lubrication putting on, but once on, you dont want grease/vaseline, etc. to stick around.

Now I just have to drive like a grandma for 500 miles (which is hard, as i dont really drive this car much) or so to break the clutch in. Heading back tot the tuner on the 6th of Sept to get the Grimmspeed EBCS tuned, as well as map switching and more boost now that i have the new clutch.






All together for testing......doh!

[gdrider77]

LEAKS
I have had 3 major leaks with this kit. I have been able to solve all 3 so far, from what i can tell. Here they are, as well as what i did to fix.

Pressure Leak

So had really been noticing spool lag, an suspected it was the awful turbo inlet connection. Sure enough....it was. I ran a leak test and had major leaks at the Turbo inlet. Like gushin. No big surprise as most anyone that owns this kit, knows that the inlet pipe does not secure all that well. No rolled flange on the inlet, and the pipe is loose fitting. The clamp is all that holds and seals on this connection. The actuator mounting plate on the turbo housing is right in the way, and so it restricts a larger t-bar style clamp that i would like to have put on there. The other kit connections seemed to be leak free, although the connection to the stock airbox is not that great, as what i found is that the silicone hose is so strong, that it has deformed my airbox inlet pipe slightly, and the hose kept sliding off. That was an easy fix, throw it out....new Perrin Intake mounted. I did have to make custom mounts for the Perrin intake under the front bumper, as the angle and line up to the AVO kit is slightly different.

Back to the turbo inlet. I did solve the issue, and this is how.

As I said I pulled the majority of the kit piping and connection off/out. once I had the pipe off the car i lightly sanded the interior of the silicone with 600 grit sand paper. I also did the same on the turbo inlet. I then sprayed the inside of the silicone hose with hairspray, wiped it around and then sprayed the same paper towel with hairspray and wiped around the inlet.

Reinstalled the hose and used a new worm drive clamp. I really wanted to use a t-bar style clamp here, but it was just too big with the actuator mounting plate in the way. If this does not hold in the future I will probably grind down a t-bar clamp and make it work. Good news is, this new connection is tight! And I mean real tight, I can pull on it and wiggle the engine slightly but its not budging. The hairspray acts as a mild lubricant while installing, but more importantly, when it dries, it works as a mild adhesive to help hold the two objects together.

New leak test run....no leaks.

Big things to stress here, the worm drive clamp i used were new. I purchased new clamps (Made in America) for the turbo inlet, as well as the coolant lines, they were also leaking slightly.

Coolant Lines on turbo housing
the 2 that connect into the top of the turbohousing via 2 banjo connections. These were leaking slightly, and i do mean slightly. I blamed it on the clamps, nothing i could do would get them tight, and they just broke if torqued too much. I noticed the hose even with clamp on as tight as possible without breaking them, it would freely rotate on the nipple if i turned the hose, no good.

So purchased new clamps, installed 2 per coolant line, and all seems good.

Oil line
So the oil line on the turbo, between the 2 coolant lines was leaking. From the factory this connection was already preinstalled, and i made the mistake of assuming it was torqued down properly. It was not. I contacted Paul numerous times about the torque specs, but never got them. He did respond to me, but never with the torque spec. My concern was stripping/breaking the bolt/housing.

I got in there and tightened it pretty damn tight, but still minor leak.

After still trying to get torque specs and never getting them, i decided to completely remove the oil connection from the housing. I cleaned it off, dropped a couple drops of liquid threadsealer on it and then re-installed it. Never got the torque specs, but i did torque it down to 70lbs and it now seems leak free.

Summary

To be clear, the oil and coolant leaks i spoke of, were minor, but i am anal. Under hard driving after a day or so there would be maybe 2-3 drops of oil/coolant. So not like it was immediately visible. Very minor.

No leaks as of right now, time will tell. If installing this kit, and any other kit/parts really, always double check all connections. Even the ones from factory, it would have saved me alot of time had i just checked all the connections prior to installing. I found a few other bolts/connections that were barely hand tight, so i tightened them down more as well. I specifically asked Paul prior if all parts were torqued down correctly, and he assured me they were...and i am sure he thought they were, not his fault. Just a QC issue. Do it yourself, then there is no doubt.

Would have been real nice to have torque specs on the install instructions. Cant believe they dont exist?

Purchase new clamps. It will cost you maybe $50 total for better quality, made in america clamps. Totally worth it.

[SubaSteve]

Love the perrin intake it definitely cleans up the engine bay. I love how clean this looks keep up the good work.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

LEAKS
I have had 3 major leaks with this kit. I have been able to solve all 3 so far, from what i can tell. Here they are, as well as what i did to fix.

What did you do to the Perrin intake bracket? I added some washers to try and make it straighter... But its a pain in the ass and I always recheck that it hasn't slip as the connection is not the best.