That and they blow. I dont run any on either side of the turbo, no point unless you dont have smooth surfaces.

 

... I hate that question.

 

hahahahahaha awesome.

But no, it's the first week of classes and I've been busy. Last class gets out tomorrow at 230 so I should have all afternoon to get it done.

 

Update -

To make a long story short, I did a lot of work today but it's still not totally finished.

I swapped the fittings and oil return line from the k03 to the k04. Easiest part of the job.

I figured then (since I didn't have a helping hand at this point) I'd put the manifold back on, since you shouldn't have to take it off in the first place... you should be able to put it back on first. [bad choice.]

I cleaned the surfaces really well with carb cleaner and degreaser, and put the manifold on. No biggie. I torqued the 13 nuts down in a sorta in-to-out pattern, where I started in the middle top, and then crisscrossed and swapped and flipped my way down to the outside bottom. Whatever, I don't think it matters too much... just that I didn't do it in one big circle.

My dad got home at that point, so he volunteered to lay on the ground and steer the oil return line around all the clutter while I fit the turbo in on the topside. This was tougher than I thought it would be. It was getting stuck between the bracket (have I mentioned I hate that thing?) and the manifold... So we loosened the other side of the bracket (towards the drivers side) to help the process. After a lot of twisting, pushing, and pulling, I got it in the right position.

I figured I'd do the "hard" points first. [bad choice again]. I put the studs through the cat and put the new locking nuts on the cat, I put the three new manifold bolts through the manifold and into the turbo, and those went... ok. It took a little effort to get the gaskets lined up right and get the threads started, but once they started it wasn't too bad.

THEN I remembered the damned bracket. I figure no big deal, its already loose on the inboard side, it'll be a breeze to bolt to the turbo. Wrong. It wouldnt quite reach to the right hole on the turbo! So... after a lot of deliberation and cursing, I took the inboard side completely out, started the bolt on the turbo, and then somehow started the bolt on the inboard side. (pretty hard to get to, also required undoing the oil return line from the oil pan to make room for my ape hands. Tightened them both down, ah, hardware is good.

Ok, I figure, I've got the hard part done! Just hook up the oil and coolant lines and lets roll! ...ugh.

So turns out that the coolant feed line (I think it's feed... the one with the banjo bolt on the driver's side of the turbo, not the one right next to the oil feed line) absolutely cannot be tightened with any sort of human wrench (with the turbo in the proper position) with the manifold in place. Lots of cursing later, I realized that I'm going to have to take off the manifold to get the banjo bolt tight, put the manifold back on, THEN do the other lines (oil feed, coolant return), THEN do all the hosing (TIP), then put the airbox back in.

But I can't take my manifold off with my O2 sensor where it was... Don't know if this is all cars or just me, though. Managed to get the O2 sensor out and start loosening all the manifold bolts when I realized that I'm covered in leaked coolant and grease, I smell like a frat party floor, and my arms are aching. Before I ended up getting too frustrated I decided it was a good idea to quit while I was on a slight up-part. (getting the 02 sensor out).

Whoever said this was a 4 hour job is a huge liar. The only way this whole thing would take 4 hours is if you had done it at least once or twice before, and had absolutely no snags, no mistakes, and a legion of helpers.

/progress report.

I just gotta tell myself this is gonna be worth it.... right? .... ....right?


The old K03's compressor wheel. Not too bad for 110k miles, I'd say.


The old oil return line on the new turbo.


The old oil feed and coolant return fittings on the new turbo.


Some of the new hardware.


The new gasket next to the old gasket. gross.


The overview after I got the O2 sensor out. At least it'll be clean for a couple miles.


Another overview picture.


Showing the bolt I should have tightened before securing all the big pieces in place. Live and learn, right?

So that's it, maybe tomorrow I'll actually finish this damn thing.

 

you live and you learn man. Gets easier everytime you have to do it

 

Except for that damn support bracket. [:@]

 

Yeah, screw that bracket.

I'm assuming you spill less blood as you go along too.

 

You would think, but i still find ways to make myself bleed

 

yeah, first time took me 10 hours total over the course of a weekend, which included "making" a few tools which make the process easer (like a hex key i cut and fit into a socket then attached to a long flexible extension to reach the BRACKET!!). yes the bracket does suck. I've pulled the turbo twice since the original install and can do it in about 4 hours easily now, so yes, 4 hours with experience for a swap.

sorry for the not so great luck, take your time and plan your next couple moves before you start connecting everything back up, it'll save you some time.

good luck bro!

 

Thanks for the update. Turbo install threads are the best kind of thread. The fact that you got a blood shot makes it so much better too.