Hi guys, wouldnt normally post on here but sometimes you need to look far and wide for the answers..

On my car i run a T3 60 trim, and it uses the standard turbo to manifold gasket (i think it is ally)

Just recently i noticed a loss of power which i assumed was my actually exhaust manifold gasket but something clicked the other day when i heard a 'chuffing' noise coming from the turbo area..

Last year i noticed a metallic like dust around the turbo area (the bulkhead, rubber pipes etc) and at the time i didnt think anything of it. Now i am suspecting it was actually the turbo to manifold gasket slowly destroying itself.

So the question is pretty straightforward. Have you guys noticed the gasket breaking up in a similar way, and noticed this dust? I wont find out for sure until the turbo and manifold come off but i suspect that it is at fault (slow boost build up and lack of response, boost dropped, high EGT's and high MPG)

Any thoughts and comments please!

Gareth

I never noticed any dust when my gasket went, but we're talking about completely different gaskets and I didn't pay that much attention to it. My sign was abnormally slow spool and extra exhaust noise. My problem was an unsupported, very heavy stainless downpipe and old turbo bolts/washers that just didn't hold their torque. I replaced them with new OEM bolts and new double cup washers and they've been fine since. My future plans include safety wiring the bolts now that I have a drill press to drill through them with.

Another thing to consider is having your gasket surfaces decked by a machine shop and simply running with no gasket. That way minor leaks won't melt the gasket out and create major leaks, and pieces of your gasket won't go through the turbine wheel and bang it up like mine did. Road race guys are starting to do this.

Caithness said:

I never noticed any dust when my gasket went, but we're talking about completely different gaskets and I didn't pay that much attention to it. My sign was abnormally slow spool and extra exhaust noise. My problem was an unsupported, very heavy stainless downpipe and old turbo bolts/washers that just didn't hold their torque. I replaced them with new OEM bolts and new double cup washers and they've been fine since. My future plans include safety wiring the bolts now that I have a drill press to drill through them with.

Another thing to consider is having your gasket surfaces decked by a machine shop and simply running with no gasket. That way minor leaks won't melt the gasket out and create major leaks, and pieces of your gasket won't go through the turbine wheel and bang it up like mine did. Road race guys are starting to do this.

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Hi there, thanks for your reply.

I think its worth mentioning that my downpipe, a custom made made in stainless by a reputable company, knocks on the front subframe and has done for some time, its this vibration i feel has made the nuts loosen off the studs slightly (despite lock tab washers) and EG has leaked past a small gap, effectively vapourising part of the ally gasket. The earlier versions of my car used steel gaskets which corroded and an ally replacement was supplied for all later ones like my own, this alone wont have stopped the gasket leaking but would have been more resiliant to any gaps.

When the turbo comes off i will be flat blocking the manifold and turbo to make sure they are as flat as can be without skimming, new lock tab washers and sorting out the exhaust knocking also, which should eliminate it from happening again.

I notice on eBay people are selling stainless gaskets, as these any better? There was also another type which looked thicker than stainless, like it was half composite and half stainless which would be ideal if the mating surfaces are uneven but would it withstand the heat?

Gareth

Here is one of the gaskets i've seen.

http://www.treadstoneperformance.co...t_key=53&prodname=T3+Turbine+Inlet+Gasket+kit



And also the normal stainless gasket -

I've gone ahead and ordered the stainless steel gasket (cant seem to get stainless over here for some reason?) I may try and get the special nuts that dig into the metal, the name of which escapes me, instead of normal nuts and lock washers.

I reckon its been leaking for some time. For a while now when i restarted the car from hot after about 5-10 minutes cool down a high pitched noise like a Kettle boiling was emitted until after a few minutes of running, it seems the turbo/manifold was cooling down enough to create a small gap between the two and EG was being pushed out of the gap, making that noise.

It will be interesting to see what the gasket looks like when it comes out.

The turbo on my car which was also fitted to Ford Sierra Cosworths was fitted without a gasket, probably wont risk it on mine as the mating surfaces wont be flat enough and it was most likely Ford being cheap as usual!

Gareth