Has anyone changed the dumps on an R32 GTR before?

[Ronin 09]

I have recently acquired some Trust R32 GTR dump pipes (see thread http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/sh...ead.php?t=43326), and I have been told that it is a real bitch to get:

1. the old dumps off the turbos, particularly the bolts close to the block

2. the new pipes on, and tight, when the turbos are on the car.

The boys at Ice Performance in melb are happy to have a look to see what the best way is without removing the turbos (thanks Gerald ), but so we don't waste their time and effort, has anyone tackled a dump pipe change on an R32 GTR, and has any tips as to the best and easiest / cheapest way?

/looks at Sydneykid/

Thanks in advance

[Ronin 09]

Anyone? I'm sure it would be the same for 33 or 34...

[GTR32]

Anyone? I'm sure it would be the same for 33 or 34...

I've made some enquiries about this and seen a couple of jobs done; there seems to be a general recognition that yes it's a bitch of a job, but division on whether to remove the turbos or just the dumps as it appears to be a 'swings and merri - go - rounds' situation. I think the issue that usually sways people is whether the turbos need attention to the point that if you have any plans at all to do them it's worth waiting to do both at the same time.

[Ronin 09]

I've made some enquiries about this and seen a couple of jobs done; there seems to be a general recognition that yes it's a bitch of a job, but division on whether to remove the turbos or just the dumps as it appears to be a 'swings and merri - go - rounds' situation. I think the issue that usually sways people is whether the turbos need attention to the point that if you have any plans at all to do them it's worth waiting to do both at the same time.

Thanks GTR32

Yeah that seems to be the opinion that I have been told. I might tackle it with a mechanic mate of mine (he seems to think it will take at least a day), in anycase we want to take off all the intake stuff and check the condition of the turbos out because there seems to be an oil leak we can't locate from around there... hopefully it is a just an oil line leaking.

Anyone had else had first hand experience?

[GTR032]

After taking the turbo's off my car just recently i'd say it'd be pretty impossible to replace dump pipes without having the turbo's off the engine..

Jono

[Ronin 09]

Jono [GTR032], how long did it take you to take the turbos off? We have access to a hoist...

Thanks

-marcus

[GTR032]

ok total was about 6-8 hours, but this was just in my garage with a socket set and a few spanners. Didn't do much research before starting job but it was all fairly straight forward. first remove all intake/air filter piping, then intercooler/BOV blowback piping. Drain oil and coolant out of car. Undo oil and coolant lines on front turbo. Un plug oxygen sensors (wires that come off dump pipe). Now the hardest part, undoing the 6 manifold stud nuts. There's two that really suck but you just gotta be patient. Get under the car and remove front pipes. Un bolt the power steering reservoir to get a little more room to move (dont undo lines or drain fluid). When all undone pull out turbo/manifold and dump pipe all as one. You'll then know how hard/impossible it'd be to replace dump while on car. Pretty well exactly the same to get rear turbo out too. Just be careful with moving water/coolant lines around, don't wanna bend or crush them. While you got the turbo's off it'd be a good idea to get all new gaskets too. I found most of mine where all pretty worn, especially dump pipe to turbo and manifold to turbo. Total cost of gaskets was just over $400. The manifold to turbo and turbo to dump gaskets are both about $40 each from Nissan. Exh manifold gasket I got was TOMEI bought from greenline. Ummm I think thats about it really..

Jono

[Ronin 09]

Thanks for that Jono, will give it a shot.

I have gasket between dump and turbo, hopefully won't have to take turbo off the manifolds so might only have to get my hands on the exhaust maifold gasket. Thanks again, will let you know how we go.

[GTR32]

Thanks for that Jono, will give it a shot.

I have gasket between dump and turbo, hopefully won't have to take turbo off the manifolds so might only have to get my hands on the exhaust maifold gasket.  Thanks again, will let you know how we go.

Hi Ronin;

was wondering how you went? on the thread you previously started (when the dumps arrived) I said I was considering using these myself. would really like to hear how it's going. and if you changed your mind i'd consider buying them off you!

[Scooby]

Ronin;

Any feedback on this? I'm interested in these dumps too.

[Ronin 09]

Hi guys, sorry about the delay on replies - I'm interstate and have limited access...

Anyway, feedback on the dumps.

In the end I ordered the exhaust mainfold gasket from Greenline, and 2 new turbo gaskets and dump-to-back-of-turbo gaskets from Nissan, as I wasn't convinced the gaskets that come with the pipes were that great.

I have a friend who is a mechanic who decided to tackle the task. In the end it took him two weeks of buggering around - it is a turbo off job.

I'm assuming this is how he did it: Remove all intake stuff. Unbolt front pipe from cat end. Remove oil and water feeds to turbos (we had to do this, i'll get to why shortly). Remove the exhaust manifold assembly from block, take out whole assembly of turbos, exh. manifold, dumps from top end (if you can get to the front pipe from the underside, remove that first).

Remove turbos from manifold - now will have two turbos with dumps on them. There is an impossible bolt to remove from the dumps (really close to the block) so forget about trying to loosen or tighten this with the exhaust manifold on the car. Mark which is the front and back turbo, and which exhaust manifold is front and back (yes they are different!!!). Unbolt and remove dumps. Here comes the fun...

Replace the studs that are in the turbo with the supplied studs. The problem here is that a couple of the studs had to be ground back, as the wastegate pipe did not clear the studs when the new dump was on the turbo. Also, some allen bolts was sourced for where a stud could not be used due to wastegate pipe fouling the nut that would go onto the stud… Hope that is clear, as we didn’t have pics of it sorry.

After this, reverse the process, assemble turbos to manifolds, manifolds to the block, and bolt on the front pipe from underneath. Replace the oil / water feeds etc. We had an issue of one of the oxy sensors (now sitting higher due to the fatter pipe) fouling a water or oil line (I forget). We needed to source a shorter oxy sensor. Replace all the intake stuff (I have a factory airbox so there is a lot of it).

Feedback on the performance:

I had the car for one day, then it went to the panel repairer (a family member backed into my car…). I can say that for the day I drove it, the car seemed much more responsive to come onto boost, and there is now no perceived loss in the top end. In effect, it seems to have pushed the power curve to the left, and has increased the top end very slightly. I believe it is much more pleasant to drive, and there is now less ‘lag’. The car makes the most awesome howl between 6 and 8K, I could listen to it all day. It truly sounds like a touring car, or a VTEC coming on cam – changes sound entirely, it’s addictive.

After all that work, I would recommend them, but will reserve final judgement for a few weeks. I would highly recommend doing it at the same time as new turbos, unless your mate will do it gratis – I will give him some bucks because it wasn’t an awfully fun job.

If I have missed anything, just drop a post here

[Ronin 09]

oh yeah, and be aware, the dump section is much longer than the original pipes (eg HKS direct replacements), so you can't just use the front pipe to your original cast dumps. The wastegate pipe plumbs back into the main exhaust about 30cm downstream of the turbo.

Hope that helps

[lazza]

Thanks Ronin, just the information I am after. I posted another thread asking whether dumps are worth the money. As I am doing a turbo replacement it sounds like they are.

Lawrence

oh yeah, and be aware, the dump section is much longer than the original pipes (eg HKS direct replacements), so you can't just use the front pipe to your original cast dumps.  The wastegate pipe plumbs back into the main exhaust about 30cm downstream of the turbo.

Hope that helps