Exhaust flex coupler for turbo build
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,711
Likes: 999
From: Evansville,IN
Exhaust flex coupler for turbo build I'm wanting to add a flex coupler on each side of my y pipe for my twin turbo setup. I remember reading a while back that there are particular ones you should use with turbos. I remember seeing a thread where a cheap coupler collapsed internally and basically stopped up the exhaust.
I've been on Summit's website and have seen several Vibrant's that say not to use with turbos but haven't found any that will.
Thanks for any help.
I've been on Summit's website and have seen several Vibrant's that say not to use with turbos but haven't found any that will.
Thanks for any help.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,711
Likes: 999
From: Evansville,IN
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,711
Likes: 999
From: Evansville,IN
Is it the heat this kills them?
I am wanting to put it about a foot down stream of the turbo. In the y pipe. I don't like how ridge the exhaust is not and honestly it's a PITA for remove/install it after some heat cycles.
I would like just a little bit of flex. The engine isn't going to move that much due to the BMR low mount turbo k member which is basically solid mounts with some small poly bushings.
I am wanting to put it about a foot down stream of the turbo. In the y pipe. I don't like how ridge the exhaust is not and honestly it's a PITA for remove/install it after some heat cycles.
I would like just a little bit of flex. The engine isn't going to move that much due to the BMR low mount turbo k member which is basically solid mounts with some small poly bushings.
It's probably a combination of things, heat cycling, exhaust pressure, vibration, torsional/lateral movement.
With the coupler SS provided, when it fails, it cracks and you'll hear it and lose boost maybe.
When the braided ones fail, not sure if that includes the Vibrant ones, they look fine on the outside but will literally close up on the inside choking the engine.
I've seen them on a 2 1/4" pipe shrink down to less than a 1" opening but again, not sure if the Vibrant ones are the same.
It happens over time too, so the engine will start performing less and less until you realize there's a problem or something gets damaged or fails.
Are you talking pre-turbo or post turbo?
I've only seen them fail pre-turbo, never heard of one post turbo.
With the coupler SS provided, when it fails, it cracks and you'll hear it and lose boost maybe.
When the braided ones fail, not sure if that includes the Vibrant ones, they look fine on the outside but will literally close up on the inside choking the engine.
I've seen them on a 2 1/4" pipe shrink down to less than a 1" opening but again, not sure if the Vibrant ones are the same.
It happens over time too, so the engine will start performing less and less until you realize there's a problem or something gets damaged or fails.
Are you talking pre-turbo or post turbo?
I've only seen them fail pre-turbo, never heard of one post turbo.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo 
TECH Addict
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,513
Likes: 480
From: PDX-OR-USA
Don't know the brand,, but I've seen a bellows style flex joint that was OD inside diameter so you slide it on one side of the joint, put the ends together and slip it over the other half of the joint, It uses T-bolts to clamp down, that way the pipe protects the joint, IIRC it had a insulator layer inside as well They were $$ ,, 75 bucks I htink but they were pretty. Saw them at the Swap meet a couple years ago here in Portland.
Don't know the brand,, but I've seen a bellows style flex joint that was OD inside diameter so you slide it on one side of the joint, put the ends together and slip it over the other half of the joint, It uses T-bolts to clamp down, that way the pipe protects the joint, IIRC it had a insulator layer inside as well They were $$ ,, 75 bucks I htink but they were pretty. Saw them at the Swap meet a couple years ago here in Portland.
The HS V2 T6 kit mounts the turbo to the engine, none of the hot side is mounted to the chassis anywhere so I'm thinking a piece of pipe is the way to go.
Thats why I said if you have to use one, I don't use any flex's with a motor plate and a maven mounted turbo, works great. Everything fails eventually, including double slips wear and leak. Double slips are ok on race cars, for a true street car they arent that great.
Perhaps, but even some race car guys are replacing double slips with straight pipe because they failed in competition, here's a recent example: After a day or so discussing... - Rock Solid Motorsports | Facebook
The HS V3 T6 doesn't utilize a flex joint at all in that same location compared to the V2 kit so I'm thinking they found the flex pipe was unnecessary.
The entire kit mounts to the engine so there is no need really to accommodate flex in the system from movement, maybe thermal expansion but again HS removed it.
It would be the same amount of work to do a piece of pipe or a slip fit, just don't want to have to mess with it again which ever way I go.
The entire kit mounts to the engine so there is no need really to accommodate flex in the system from movement, maybe thermal expansion but again HS removed it.
It would be the same amount of work to do a piece of pipe or a slip fit, just don't want to have to mess with it again which ever way I go.
Perhaps, but even some race car guys are replacing double slips with straight pipe because they failed in competition, here's a recent example: After a day or so discussing... - Rock Solid Motorsports | Facebook
Those pipes are long too when compared to the HS T6 kit which makes my concern about the need for thermal expansion seem unnecessary.
Also look at the Holley turbo manifolds, lots of guys are using those cast manifolds with a solid crossover without issue. I had a kit like that for awhile that use a stock drivers side manifold and solid crossover worked fine.