Issue with product from racing inovations, and new car

CMS-GT4 · Post by **CMS-GT4** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:25 pm

Well, here is the situation. I went to RI last week to purchase a 3" silcone hose for my intake. I told them what I needed, and that it was for a "boosted" car. They gave me a standard silicone hose, and claimed since that is was going on an intake, that it will not be in issue. It was the type that was not reinforced. So I am driving to the dragon. We are taking way through Maryville. We stop for a break before we get into the dragon, and as we are leaving, I hear a loud pop, then a sound that is simular to a kazoo when the turbo spools. I also can not build any boost. I check the hoses to see if somethign came loose, and everything seems tight. So we continue driving, and still no boost, and the check engine light comes on. We could not figure out what was wrong with the car, so I tell my friends to go on to the dragon, and I try to figure out what is wrong. Well I take the car home, and the engine sounds fine, and I can hear the turbo is spooling, even though mainfold pressure shows no boost. Every now and then I think I hear a grind from the turbo, and another weird noise. So I get home, and take everything apart. I find that the turbo sucked a chunk out of the hose from RI. This hose was about 10" from the turbo, and there was still enough pressure to rip a chunk out of the hose, and busted the hell out of my turbo. I took pics of everything for evidence. I think the engine is fine, but the check engine light is still on, and I still can not build any boost. I think most of what broke off the turbo, came off into the intercooler, and got stuck there. I shook out what was in the IC, and tok pictures of that as well; peices of broken turbo, and charded silcone hose. Even after replacing the hose, which would prevent vacume leak. I plan on calling RI, about the issue, but I doubt they will be of any assistance. They will most likely refer me to the manf., but I think since they recomended the item, and their advise lead me to purchase and use this product puts them at fault.

Any suggestions on how to go about this? I do not want ot get lawyers involved, but I may have to.

This issue has brought me to the point of having to purchase another car. I decided to get some sort of decent daily driver that is still fun, while I trying to build up the gt4 for racing and weekend fun. I am going to test drive an Mr2 spyder, and maybe a few other cars in that price range. I was so angry at firt I almost sold the gt4, but now I am aiming to keep it as a race car. Any sugestions of other cars to concider?

Post by **disneyd** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:38 pm

So, where exactly was the hose installed? On the turbo inet (no pressure and shouldn't have much vacuum), between the turbo and the intercooler, or between the intercooler and the throttle body?

CMS-GT4 · Post by **CMS-GT4** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:47 pm

Before the turbo and between the intake pipe and afm.

See pic.
BTW: this is not a pick of my car. This is pre-turbo, where the afm connects to the straight pipe. It is pre turbo.

Post by **disneyd** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:55 pm

Got any pics of the hose that failed? Did it just come apart internally (stuff came loose from the inside of it) or did it rip all the way through?

I don't see how that hose could have much negative pressure on it unless the AFM or the air filter are extremely restrictive. I'd track the manufacturer down and see what they say. Could be that the hose just failed (junk) or could be it was intended for some other purpose.

CMS-GT4 · Post by **CMS-GT4** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:15 pm

Yeah,

just trying to find a place to host them, so I can post them.

scottgib · Post by **scottgib** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:23 pm

Some hose is not made for any negative pressure. If it did collapse, then the negative pressure would have gone way way up, possibly causing a tear. Were there any starts of kinks (depressions at a curve) after you installed it? If so, the hose won't stand much negative pressure at all then. Was it a fairly soft hose? How long was it? If it was soft at all, this was a bad application; but you really can't expect a store clerk to know. I have run into some incredibly ignorant (not stupid, just auto/mechanical ignorant) store clerks in auto supply places. Never, never trust their advice on anything unless you know them personally to be experienced in such things. They don't know they are ignorant, and still offer advice.

Most oem intake hose on turboed cars is molded and so stiff that you could about stand on it without completely collapsing it (ok maybe not me, but one of you flat bellies). As a filter gets dirty, there is some negative pressure, and you have to design around a very dirty filter as if you drove on a gravel road behind a truck all day.

CMS-GT4 · Post by **CMS-GT4** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 2:52 pm

The hose was very soft.

Intake pipe w/ afm removed

Inside turbo. Now there is oil everywhere on it. Must of busted a seal too, or cracked the housing.

The hose removed.

What I removed from the IC. (Metal bits, and chared silicone.

MyRx-7Sucked · Post by **MyRx-7Sucked** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:52 pm

Looks like you had some wheel to housing contact. I would not be surprised if the shaft has snapped which would explain your boost sound but no boost.

CMS-GT4 · Post by **CMS-GT4** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:00 pm

MyRx-7Sucked wrote:Looks like you had some wheel to housing contact. I would not be surprised if the shaft has snapped which would explain your boost sound but no boost.

You mean as if the exhaust side is spinning but the intake side is stuck?

MyRx-7Sucked · Post by **MyRx-7Sucked** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:01 pm

scottgib · Post by **scottgib** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:14 pm

Wonder if you have any small metal particles that made it through the intercooler bouncing around in your combustion chambers? How hard is it to get the head off and clean it out. I suppose most of the particles would have blown on through, but a few can cause some damage. Maybe a real live mechanic will chime in here.

Post by **disneyd** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:17 pm

Yeah, I agree with MyRx-7Sucked... snapped shaft. That hose looks really cheap. I don't know what it would be good for.... definitley not pressure if it can't take the small amount of vacuum that was thrown at it.

Is that turbo very common? Can you find a used one at a decent price?

Hey MyRx-7Sucked, good to see you over here!

Post by **disneyd** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:25 pm

Eh, anything that could make it through the intercooler (we, most IC designs) would have already gone through the engine and out the exhaust.... and probably not caused and serious damage. The intercooler tubes are pretty small and some even have little fins on the inside of the tubes, which would catch all but the smallest bits. I would be sure to clean the IC well though... maybe blow some compressed air through from the other side and shake it well.

MyRx-7Sucked · Post by **MyRx-7Sucked** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:20 pm

disneyd wrote: Is that turbo very common? Can you find a used one at a decent price?

Hey MyRx-7Sucked, good to see you over here!

I think that the AllTracs use a version of the CT-26 turbo, but I could be mistaken.
Thanks for the welcome.

CMS-GT4 · Post by **CMS-GT4** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:29 pm

MyRx-7Sucked wrote:I think that the AllTracs use a version of the CT-26 turbo, but I could be mistaken.

Correct. Same as the mk2 mr2.
The supra uses a different single entry version of the turbo.