turboluvr

I tore down the back end of the Turbo in order to replace the exhaust valve cover gaskets and fix a turbo/heat exchanger exhaust leak, and now that I'm putting everything back together the drivers' side muffler and the Cat have about a 1/2 inch gap and I can find no play anywhere in the system to get them closer. Before anyone suggests it, yes the exhaust donut is in there. All of the Cat heat connections line up perfectly. The muffler seems to be hitting on the tin turbo shroud that bolts over the end of the Cat but I can't get that out of the way. Has anyone run into this before? I just spent a couple of hours loosening and adjusting everything and am about ready to order a set of Fabspeed muffler bypass pipes and be done with it.

993MAN

I have had mine of loads of times and never had that issue. It just sounds bizarre. There's probably something really obvious right in front of you.
The Bypass pipes are great but you might still have the same issue.
Back to square one!

turboluvr

993MAN, I agree its got to be something right in front of me but I just can't see it. The turbos are located in place by the connection to the heat exchangers w/ almost no play. The 4 bolt connection to the Cats has very little play. The muffler brackets are fixed in place by their connection to the side of the head. The metal straps that hold the Cats line up w/ their previous wear marks and all the heat hose connections line up. Here are some pics, I was hoping that someone had run into a situation like this and could provide some insight.

CincyScott

I just did this myself, I'd take it down and start over. Something is amiss. Usually, when I get stuck on something like this, I tend to start taking things apart until I get to a point that I'm confident in.

(Sorry, I know that's not all that helpful)

993MAN

Mate I'm stumped on this one. Like Cincyscott says, start again. It's about all you can do.
Let us know what I was when you find it.

Felix

The mufflers do move a bit when hung on the brackets so that may account for some of the gap. Also, the cat to turbo mounting can rotate by a degree or so because of the clearance in the holes on the flange of the cat; that translates into much more on the output ends of the cats. Best to install the cats so that they're not at maximum droop or maximum lift but somewhere near the middle, if that makes any sense. I think there's enough adjustment in the mounting of the various components to solve your issue; right now you've just got those adjustments combined in the wrong way.

BTW what's the source for the braided scavenge lines?

turboluvr

Thanks all, I'll play with it some more tonight. After several hours of adjusting and reassembling I had to walk away and do something else.

Felix, I made the braided scavenge lines as a way to address the oil backflow to turbos. They are Aeroquip teflon/stainless steel high pressure/high temp racing hose w/ a 6AN straight end at the block and 6AN 45 deg end at the turbo. Each end has a 6AN to M16 adapter and M16 aluminum crush washer to connect to the car. I also did the 996 check valve conversion and used braided lines, made by Turbo Kraft, to connect them.

Basal Skull

Can't quite tell from the pics but the driver side turbo heat shield doesn't quite look right. On the driver's side, the part of the shield that is nearest to the muffer should be flat. On the passenger side, this same area is exposed (ie the heat shield doesn't come between the muffler and turbo on the passenger side). Not quite sure why I can't see the bolts on the turbo that mounts the cat/heat shield in your pic. Could they be on the wrong side?

turboluvr

Basal, you may be right. I was going off the exploded parts view from the manual, like the one in Kevin's turbo installation sticky, and it shows the passenger side turbo with the flat sided heat shield. This may be a misprint because there is contact between the muffler and heat shield on the drivers side that I thought was excessive. I'll swap them and try again. Thanks.

Basal Skull

The heat shields are not orientated symmetrically side to side. I think there's a pic in my old diy thread. Just search my user name and diy it should come up.

turboluvr

Basal, great DIY. I somehow missed it in all my searches. I can see from the pics that the flat sided shield is on the driver's side. Shame on me for not taking pictures during disassembly. I'll swap them and see how that works. One thing I did differently is the orentation of the turbo and Cat sealing rings. In the notes for the parts it says to install the smooth surface toward the heat exchanger and the cat. To me that would put the lip side backwards from how you did it, did I screw that up? #17 in PDF below.

Basal Skull

Well, with respect to the sealing rings, not sure/don't understand if it makes much difference which way it's orientated, but, Kevin (UMW) was very specific in his recommendation on which way the rings should be orientated when he gave them to me - so I did what I was told... it's possible mine are backward but I think they are working okay as far as I know! I don't remember which way the old ring was orientated when I took it off but I'm usually pretty **** about those kind of things and probably would have noted it if different.

turboluvr

Basal, great eyes! You were right, I had the heat shields on the wrong sides. This caused the mufflers to seat in the brackets at a slight angle and not meet up with the Cats. I relied on the picture, which incorrectly shows the flatened drivers side shield on the passenger side turbo. The passenger side shield is the completely round one. Thanks to everyone for the help, I'd pour you a pint or dram if you were around here.

turboluvr

BTW Basal, congrats on your 911th post!

Felix

Thanks for the info - looks like an alternative to the hard lines sold by Andial some time ago.