[matthewo]

Well I was checking my wastegate actuator and I felt something loose. I fished out a broken down-pipe to turbo V-band clamp, not sure if someone over tightened it or how long it had even been off for.

So I bought new one from the dealer, I have kittyless dpipes. wondering if anyone has any tips on just replacing the clamp that will offer the least amount of cursing. shop wanted $390 to do it, I laughed, now it know its not going to be easy, but no way man.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Just the clamp needs to be replaced?

Just jack up the car and swap it. You may need to move the powersteering rack which is only a few bolts.

Unless the other dp is prohibiting you from reaching it, then you'd have to remove that pipe first.

Which downpipe?

[matthewo]

It's the rear turbo, so that is good, I think that one is easier to do.

Yes it's just the 1 vband camp turbo to dpipe

I will look into the steering rack thing.

[Paradigm]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

Just the clamp needs to be replaced?

Just jack up the car and swap it. You may need to move the powersteering rack which is only a few bolts.

Unless the other dp is prohibiting you from reaching it, then you'd have to remove that pipe first.

Which downpipe?

Was doing my O2 sensor over the weekend and noticed that one (or two?) of these clamps were there but wide open (looks like the bolt part is completely gone and the clamp is just hanging). Figured out the source of my metallic rattling sound. Is there any way to just replace the bolt or does the entire clamp need to be replaced? Would this cause an exhaust leak?

Also, do they look like this?



Sorry to piggyback on the thread but it seems like the same issues as the OP's.

[3000GT MR]

Originally Posted by matthewo

Well I was checking my wastegate actuator and I felt something loose. I fished out a broken down-pipe to turbo V-band clamp, not sure if someone over tightened it or how long it had even been off for.

So I bought new one from the dealer, I have kittyless dpipes. wondering if anyone has any tips on just replacing the clamp that will offer the least amount of cursing. shop wanted $390 to do it, I laughed, now it know its not going to be easy, but no way man.

If you need a clamp i have about 8 extras, Im sure i could let 1 go. Your pretty local so it may not take long for the shipping

[jtswole]

The rear turbo would be harder to do with downpipes still in. But just remove the steering rack and see if you can get to it.

[matthewo]

I tried for 5 hours last night on jack stands, I managed to get a new v-clamp stuck in there, so I broke it in half and got half of it out, other half is still stuck somewhere in there.

the downpipe placement on these cars leaves very little room to do much of anything. it sure is crammed in there.

I may give it another shot when I got time and remove the downpipes, I have a lift at work, just have to come in on a Saturday or something and try to use it. or pay someone a to do it, cause I am pretty fed up with it at this point.

also I have route 66 warranty - main street, but they will not cover it.

[shadow191]

You shouldn't have to pull the downpipes to reinstall a V-band. If you move the power steering rack an inch like they do for installing DP's, that should give you enough room to get the clamp in there. How did you break it on the install? They are delicate if you open them too far, I broke one installing DP's while opening it to get it over the flange.

I think if you put it over the pipe and then slide it up over the flange, you're less likely to break it. The rear one is harder to get on due to the angle so a lift might help. I did the install on jackstands so I had to go under the car feet first to get the right angle to get the rear clamp on.

I don't think you'll need to pull a DP to get just the clamp on. I broke mine while aligning it and both pipes were in. I didn't pull the other one. But it may be faster if you really can't get the angle.

[matthewo]

the new ones seem to be pretty good, it was really hard to break, I was bending it and trying to remove it must have bent it back and forth 50 times before it would break, but I was trying to remove it as it got stuck.

I did move the steering rack, it was just not enough room to slide the clamp up the downpipe with both in, I must admit I probably got frustrated as it started raining and was at a terrible angle, on a lift with enough time I don't think it will be as much of an issue, but I still think I will need too loosen both down pipes enough to move them about an inch or so.

[jtswole]

You can't remove a clamp, without removing the downpipe. The v band has to slide off the turbo.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by jtswole

You can't remove a clamp, without removing the downpipe. The v band has to slide off the turbo.

I think you might be right. Now that I think about it. The V band clamps are usually loosely put on the pipe before installing IIRC

[jtswole]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

I think you might be right. Now that I think about it. The V band clamps are usually loosely put on the pipe before installing IIRC

Trust me, I've tried getting the clamp off with the downpipe on lol. Not enough T room to open the clamp.

[Tiago@VRSF]

You can slide the clamp off and wiggle it down and then expand it over the downpipe but this will cause the end of the clamp to flex/weaken which will cause the same problem you're having now. Anytime the clamps fail it's usually because they were stretched too far.

[jtswole]

Originally Posted by Tiago@VRSF

You can slide the clamp off and wiggle it down and then expand it over the downpipe but this will cause the end of the clamp to flex/weaken which will cause the same problem you're having now. Anytime the clamps fail it's usually because they were stretched too far.

And they get really warped like that.

[Banana Clipper]

Bringing back an old thread... I 'SEARCHED' damn it!!!!

Curious, would a broken or lose v band cause a metallic air leaking sound from passenger side wheel?

[shadow191]

I would say yes. I had an exhaust leak at the rear v band because I didn't tighten it enough and it sounded sort of like what you're describing. Tightened it and the sound went away - and my cabin stopped smelling like raw fuel.

[Banana Clipper]

Yeah, I left that part out, I get a little bit of it but I figured it was normal with CL DP. Thank you!

[shadow191]

I thought it was normal as well. Only way I realized something was wrong was that I had to deal with emissions so I turned off autoclear and after a couple of days, it threw a P0174 for bank 2 lean. I went under the car and realized that the rear was looser than the front. Front v band was new and the rear was original so it stretched a little more which meant I had to tighten it. I could see the soot from the leak. As soon as I tightened it, the smell got much better. You still smell it, but it's much less and smells a little different since I have my secondaries on (it doesn't smell like raw gas).

[007_e350]

do you have flex on the DP ?

Originally Posted by matthewo

Well I was checking my wastegate actuator and I felt something loose. I fished out a broken down-pipe to turbo V-band clamp, not sure if someone over tightened it or how long it had even been off for.

So I bought new one from the dealer, I have kittyless dpipes. wondering if anyone has any tips on just replacing the clamp that will offer the least amount of cursing. shop wanted $390 to do it, I laughed, now it know its not going to be easy, but no way man.