sagres, I'm not sure if I boiled my fluid or not, but it wasn't a happy setup after the turbo kit went on. Melted the sh*t out of the knuckle area and also experienced difficult steering with increased play. Fluid leaks conveniently landed on the header, so I got to put out a couple of little fires, too. The kit piping was re-adjusted for clearance, and I went with a Turn One pump (since my stocker had 80k+ miles) with a little cooler on the air dam. Knock on wood, all is well.

 

I have that same steering shaft play in mine Looked like the play was actually in my rack to me... Which part or knuckle did you have to swap/replace, and what kept it from doing it again?

Country Boy had power steering boiling problems from day 1.

I sure hope the rest of you guys do the solid mounts while you have the chance.

 

the play is NOT from the rack. Its from the steering shaft that goes from the column to the rack. Since the DP runs right next to it, Theres plastic inside it and it melts out and the hotter it gets, the worse the play. Youll HAVE to replace the shaft. You can pick one up from a barely used parts yard. There is no fixing it. When you have the new one, wrap it with heat wrap from where it bolts to the column to the bolt that holds it to the rack.... even over the u-joint. It took me FOREVER to find this problem.

 

I have pics I can post when I find them of the melted one vs a stocker unmelted. The play in mine got so bad, I could drive down the road and turn the wheel a 1/2 turn both directions.


Yes, I also had the boiling PS fluid problem. I had to add an external tranny cooler.

 

Actually, there is an aftermarket all metal replacement to that plastic joint in the steering shaft. They're a nonsponsor though. PM me for info. I'll be getting one for my TTI install.

edit: I was in error. The kit I was referring to is for 93-97 4th gen f-bodies only. I appologize to anyone I mislead.

 

jRaskell, thanks.


This thread is and is becoming a look into the real issues involved with this kit. I can't bitch too much though; I suppose it's what we go through to get a nice front-mounted turbo, keep the A/C, and have no pipes under the K-member. Up until recently, this was the only kit that allowed all of the above that wasn't a custom.

 

CountryBoy, does this rag-joint eliminator look like it would be a solution?

 

That loooks too big. The stock one hits the DP right there. I had to pry mine over and tighten it doown. I talked to Dalton about the problem and he said hes never heard of it and wont change the kit.

Heres picks of that melted little bastard:




The shaft should be centered and filled with black plastic as a viberation dampner. I had to wrap that whole dude with heat wrap and didnt have a problem again.

 

Thanks for providing the pics, Country Boy. I don't have any of my f'ed up unit.

Downpipe clearance is something that needs to be checked from time to time, I think... especially if your use of exhaust hangers was sparse.

Since we've opened up/hijacked this thread, anyone care to comment on how they've kept their plug wires (especially driver's side) from frying? Anyone ever use the Accel Extreme 9000 set? Man, I wish I'd wrapped those primaries.

 

LOL.. had that problem too. I had to use the heat sleeves from Jegs ( http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...53641_-1_10401 ) and the wrap them in heat reflective wrap (the tube stuff). I also bent the hell out of them to get them away AND zip tied the wires to the coil bracket...LOL Number 5 is the WORST with the bent *** primary. It took me literally over 1.5 hrs to get the wire on the plug and I still dont think I ever got it to "click".

 

This is why I will always say that putting a turbo on a LS1 car is 50lbs of **** in a 5lb bag. There just isnt enough room without cutting or losing stuff.

 

I did the same.... I got the sleeves and used some nice flexible MSD wires. After they were sleeved and installed I pulled them back and zip-tied them to the coil brackets.

 

F--- the vibration; if you keep power steering it *CAN'T* be that bad.... Why not just drill through the whole thing and pin it together?