Hey guys-

Was wondering if there is a solid method for holding a wastegate flapper shut so you can go external with the option to go back to internal down the road......maybe you sell the turbo to someone who wants internal later on, or just dont need external on a different setup down the road, etc.

Maybe it could be held shut with bailing wire as a really crude very temporary setup, or even better, is anyone making some kind of clamp or device to hold it shut?

Ive never really cared in the past, either welded it shut if I needed it that way or used it internal.

Any input is appreciated!

Jason

Heres an interesting way of doing it that is indeed easily reversible:

I've seen tubular O2 sensor housings that have a block off at the waste gate. That seems to be the least intrusive as I assume you would just leave the flapper alone. Can't find an image atm

Ive decided its best to just have different exhaust housings for different setups. Easy enough to swap...... so thats that for me. Have one welded shut, one swinging freely, and one wide open......at least if its a TDO5 its easy enough to have a few around.

I assume you got this resolved by now but if not you could build a bracket that bolts up where the stock waste gate went and run a rod to the flapper that will hold it shut and if you want to go back you just swap them out.

Yeah that was the kind of thing I was thinking. Surprised none of these machine shops making DSM knick knacks havent made a package to do this, maybe its too simple, but Ive seen simpler sell.

But yes, the above photo is what I did. You have to be patient and remove material accurately, so the welding wouldnt be for everybody, but it worked well for me and Ive gone back and forth this way with zero issues. Beats welding the flapper shut down in the pocket where its hard to work.

Two very easy options:

1. Attach the waste gate to the intake pipe so it always sees vacuum.
2. Buy an adjustable waste gate and replace the top part with a plate and a bolt.

You could also drill and tap the O2 flange and run a bolt and a jam nut to keep constant pressure on the flapper. I've never done it, but it should work just fine.

tstkl said:

1. Attach the waste gate to the intake pipe so it always sees vacuum.

Click to expand...

The amount of vacuum that exists in an intake pipe does not negate the amount of positive pressure between the exhaust valve and turbine wheel in any turbocharged application.

tstkl said:

2. Buy an adjustable waste gate and replace the top part with a plate and a bolt.

Click to expand...

Internal wastegate actuators load inward, toward the "top part"...so I'm not sure what you're doing here.

have a stock hot side and your welded hot side

JusMX141 said:

The amount of vacuum that exists in an intake pipe does not negate the amount of positive pressure between the exhaust valve and turbine wheel in any turbocharged application.

Internal wastegate actuators load inward, toward the "top part"...so I'm not sure what you're doing here.

Click to expand...

The vacuum would be added to the spring pressure of the factory wastegate. In either case, you would need to look at the exposed surface area of the wastegate flapper and the lever arm it has to the wastegate flapper bushing. You would then compare that to the area of the diaphragm and the lever arm it has. If you're running a large amount of boost obviously it won't work but the op didn't say what boost he is running.

https://gcg.com.au/images/stories/virtuemart/product/Tsmart_ford_xr6-bdown7.jpg

Use a clevis like the above photo with the actual actuator replaced with a bolt. You may or may not need a plate to go over the mounting bracket depending on the size of the hole.