Any online resources for learning to build a turbo kit?
#1
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northwest side of Chicago
Posts: 3,677
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Any online resources for learning to build a turbo kit?
Im very interested in starting to build my own custom exhaust and turbo kits for my own projects and for fun, not a business.
My background is auto mechanics,10 years at Mercedes and now i work on heavy duty diesel. I built my own garage with a lift and a complete set of tools. Im very well versed in cars.
My lack of knowledge is in custom fabrication. I took a welding course about 12 years ago. Id like to buy both mig and tig, along with a nice table saw to cut the pipes.
Im looking for anything i can learn from primarily in cutting specific angles needed to make a custom exhaust or cold side. Any videos or books that some one knows of?
Thanks
Alex
My background is auto mechanics,10 years at Mercedes and now i work on heavy duty diesel. I built my own garage with a lift and a complete set of tools. Im very well versed in cars.
My lack of knowledge is in custom fabrication. I took a welding course about 12 years ago. Id like to buy both mig and tig, along with a nice table saw to cut the pipes.
Im looking for anything i can learn from primarily in cutting specific angles needed to make a custom exhaust or cold side. Any videos or books that some one knows of?
Thanks
Alex
#4
Your going to be dropping allot of coin into welding equipment just to do this. espically if you buy a decent tig but plan on dropping 2k to get setup with both welders by the time you buy a bottle of C25 and argon for the tig... with that kindo of coin you can buy the hurron speed kit in the classified and have money left over for the beer to do the install...
#5
Im very interested in starting to build my own custom exhaust and turbo kits for my own projects and for fun, not a business.
My background is auto mechanics,10 years at Mercedes and now i work on heavy duty diesel. I built my own garage with a lift and a complete set of tools. Im very well versed in cars.
My lack of knowledge is in custom fabrication. I took a welding course about 12 years ago. Id like to buy both mig and tig, along with a nice table saw to cut the pipes.
Im looking for anything i can learn from primarily in cutting specific angles needed to make a custom exhaust or cold side. Any videos or books that some one knows of?
Thanks
Alex
My background is auto mechanics,10 years at Mercedes and now i work on heavy duty diesel. I built my own garage with a lift and a complete set of tools. Im very well versed in cars.
My lack of knowledge is in custom fabrication. I took a welding course about 12 years ago. Id like to buy both mig and tig, along with a nice table saw to cut the pipes.
Im looking for anything i can learn from primarily in cutting specific angles needed to make a custom exhaust or cold side. Any videos or books that some one knows of?
Thanks
Alex
#6
TECH Addict
iTrader: (28)
Like mentioned, a lot of skills come from experience. I learned how to tig and mig when I was around 12, now 30. My dad taught me what I know. I built my turbo kit using a mig and recently picked up a tig. I have a hobart handler 140 and a miller dial arc hf 250. The tig was $800 and the mig was around $550. A good chop saw like said and you are building away. I have done some chassis work and roll cages a few years back. Find some small little projects that you are comfortable with and go up from there. Build a bbq pit or something so you can get a feel for it.
#7
TECH Addict
iTrader: (12)
Id recommend a bandsaw over a chop saw and to just get going with a Mig until you have done a few projects. Stainless tubing and Tig is much more tedious and time consuming. It also required a second argon regulator and tank to backpurge. Start simple and move up.
The tools I use making a turbo kit:
Milwaukee portaband on a chop saw style base.
Miller 211 Mig, but any 125-140amp gas style Mig is fine
Miller Diversion 165 Tig if its stainless
Air angle gringer with a 36 grit grinding wheel for pipe fitment after cutting and removing aluminized coating prior to welding
Air die grinder with a carbide bit for cleaning out minor cutting flashing inside the pipes
Drill and stepbit for 02 holes etc
Hammer and a vise for shaping tubing to fit in square holes
The tools I use making a turbo kit:
Milwaukee portaband on a chop saw style base.
Miller 211 Mig, but any 125-140amp gas style Mig is fine
Miller Diversion 165 Tig if its stainless
Air angle gringer with a 36 grit grinding wheel for pipe fitment after cutting and removing aluminized coating prior to welding
Air die grinder with a carbide bit for cleaning out minor cutting flashing inside the pipes
Drill and stepbit for 02 holes etc
Hammer and a vise for shaping tubing to fit in square holes
Trending Topics
#8
On The Tree
iTrader: (4)
The tools I use making a turbo kit:
Milwaukee portaband on a chop saw style base.
Miller 211 Mig, but any 125-140amp gas style Mig is fine
Miller Diversion 165 Tig if its stainless
Air angle gringer with a 36 grit grinding wheel for pipe fitment after cutting and removing aluminized coating prior to welding
Air die grinder with a carbide bit for cleaning out minor cutting flashing inside the pipes
Drill and stepbit for 02 holes etc
Hammer and a vise for shaping tubing to fit in square holes
Milwaukee portaband on a chop saw style base.
Miller 211 Mig, but any 125-140amp gas style Mig is fine
Miller Diversion 165 Tig if its stainless
Air angle gringer with a 36 grit grinding wheel for pipe fitment after cutting and removing aluminized coating prior to welding
Air die grinder with a carbide bit for cleaning out minor cutting flashing inside the pipes
Drill and stepbit for 02 holes etc
Hammer and a vise for shaping tubing to fit in square holes
#9
10 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (22)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northwest side of Chicago
Posts: 3,677
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Kcash, let me clarify. I'm not looking to save money over buying a kit. My car has a turbo on it and is fully built. Im looking to further my hobby. I built a new garage and i do alot of work in there. For example i just put a larger 88mm turbo on my ta. Id like to build my own 4 inch dp and connect to the rest of my exhaust. Id like to learn to do this my self.
Thanks alot for listing all the choices of tools, that helps. I was even just looking for a video of anyone building exhaust, making cuts, measuring angles,tips of the trade. Anything would help.
Alex
Thanks alot for listing all the choices of tools, that helps. I was even just looking for a video of anyone building exhaust, making cuts, measuring angles,tips of the trade. Anything would help.
Alex
#10
TECH Addict
iTrader: (12)
Just keep the cuts 90 degrees to the pipe and you'll be fine. There are some instances where you may need to pie cut but for the most part cutting 90 to the pipe keep the diameter consistent and gaps tight. Its also easier to use 45's and 90's to make the bends and do the cutting and welding on a straight section. It costs more to do it that way but its easier welding them for a newb due to the pipe thickness being consistent thickness.
Areas with vbands you need to be carefull too. Stick the pipe barely through one flange so it locates the vband assembly for easier assembly. Do all welding on vbands and wastegate flanges with the flange bolted together or wastegate attached. It will warp most times if you dont.
Areas with vbands you need to be carefull too. Stick the pipe barely through one flange so it locates the vband assembly for easier assembly. Do all welding on vbands and wastegate flanges with the flange bolted together or wastegate attached. It will warp most times if you dont.
#11
TECH Addict
iTrader: (6)
Also check out weldingtipsandtricks.com for tig help and instruction. Lots of good information there! It has helped me a lot to pick it up. I use a cheap chop saw and then just gring out any slag from the inside before welding.
If you are doing tig, clean, clean clean the metal before welding. Never use brake cleaner or anything like that on ANYTHING before welding it. Water and acetone only. I about killed myself (literally) by welding on something that apparently got sprayed down with brake cleaner. It turns into a very poisonous gas when welded!
I use 16g stainless mandrel bends and sometimes sch 10 stainless pipe to make the exhaust. Works pretty well, but if you have to cut the sch 10 you better have a very good saw. It is thick and tough!
If you are doing tig, clean, clean clean the metal before welding. Never use brake cleaner or anything like that on ANYTHING before welding it. Water and acetone only. I about killed myself (literally) by welding on something that apparently got sprayed down with brake cleaner. It turns into a very poisonous gas when welded!
I use 16g stainless mandrel bends and sometimes sch 10 stainless pipe to make the exhaust. Works pretty well, but if you have to cut the sch 10 you better have a very good saw. It is thick and tough!
#13
9 Second Club
I wouldnt worry about using TIG...just MIG it all. It's faster , cheaper and no need to backpurge.
IMO TIG'ing offers no real benefit at all, other than looking pretty
As for cutting pipes, grinder is fine. Stick a hose clamp around the pipe, whether t-bolt or other, but a wide band can be better. And use this as a cutting guide. If it's a snug fit around the metal pipe, you can ensure a good straight even cut around it's diameter, especially on bends.
IMO TIG'ing offers no real benefit at all, other than looking pretty
As for cutting pipes, grinder is fine. Stick a hose clamp around the pipe, whether t-bolt or other, but a wide band can be better. And use this as a cutting guide. If it's a snug fit around the metal pipe, you can ensure a good straight even cut around it's diameter, especially on bends.
#14
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Alabama
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Check the stickies in the forced induction section, there are some stickies on building turbo kits and stuff of that nature.
Good luck.
#15
TECH Addict
iTrader: (6)
If you work with stainless, mig or tig, you need to purge if it is pre turbo. If you do not it leaves weak little chunks of crystalized looking metal on the inside that can break off and take out the turbo. If it is mild or aluminized you do not have to purge with mig or tig. Tri-mix gas for migging stainless is kinda expensive and hard to get in small bottles. Argon for tig is pretty cheap but you will use more of it with tig.
One thing I do agree with is just get the materials and practice. No replacement for hood time. But videos do help to show what you are supposed to do. I got a $550 brand new china tig that has served me well so far. The only downside is it is dc only, so n aluminum
One thing I do agree with is just get the materials and practice. No replacement for hood time. But videos do help to show what you are supposed to do. I got a $550 brand new china tig that has served me well so far. The only downside is it is dc only, so n aluminum
#16
TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 581
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is the best. You got some nice kits being built on here and some junky ones like what I build. I learned from just doing and made mistakes but its not rocket science.
#19
TECH Addict
iTrader: (28)
Thanks. I was went from a procharger to turbo because of seeing what others had done. Mig welding is easier and will get pretty much everything you need to do done. Tig is just another tool that expands your shop. Most of the cutting and fitting process is eyeballing and trimming with a little measuring. Practice practice and you will pick it up.
#20
My apologies. Yes trial and error your best friend, I have put together 3 turbo kits for fbodys all tigged with good results. Take your time and measure twice cut once and gring to make perfect. the more time you take to make it perfect the better it will be when you go to put if all together for a final time.