Turbo -> Intercooler pipe split - quick fix

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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On my journey coming back from Cheltenham, it now transpires that the main pipe between the intercooler and Tubro has split. The Turbo can't build up any pressure to give any power.

I've taken it into a Ford garage and they've confirmed this but they can't fix it this weekend. Its covered under warrenty, but, two questions for you.

1) Is there any quick, temporary fix for this? The split feels about 3/4 of an inch long (20mm or so). I.e. is there some special tape for fixing such pipes, just for the mean time. So long as i take it easy will it be ok?!

2) If I don't fix it, is it ok to still use the car GENTLY, for a day or two? I.e. Will it damange the engine and the Turbo if i still use it, even if I take it gently?!

Many thanks

Greg

PS. Car is a Ford Mondeo ST TDCi
 
Hi

Duct tape might do it aslong as they are clean on the outside and it can stick properly.

Dont bother with ford replacements, get some uprated pipes from forge motorsport they are much better quality.

 
Well thats what i was thinking, I can take my time to clean the pipe properly and see how it goes. I'll pop into halfrauds tomorrow and have a look to see what they've got. Failing that, its going to be next door into staples for some qucak quack tape!

thanks guys! :)

Greg
 
give AG Performance an email, their website is shoddy but they get good stuff like Samco piping cheaper than the rest, my mates just bought from them for his Evo 5, great service.
 
If its pipe and not samcose, then liquid metal, but be careful to check that no debre will fall off the insides later.

Samcose, then if its near the edge and if you have play, then cut it down if it will still fit after?

Never had any luck myself with duct tape sealing turbo pressure myself, but its worth a try on a temporary basis.
 
Got to be careful no bits go into the intake or back into the turbo. Not sure how 'solid' tyre sealant is after setting?
 
I've tried both insulating tape and duct tape... duct tape heats up incredibly quickly and breaks the seal. Get a wedge of insulating tape on there.
 
I've tried both insulating tape and duct tape... duct tape heats up incredibly quickly and breaks the seal. Get a wedge of insulating tape on there.

Do you mean Electrical Insulation tape? Surely this will just melt off, or do I need to just put loads on evenly?

Greg
 
You wont fix an intercooler pipe with tape, the pressure will be too great. You will need to sleeve the hole with something and strap the sleve to the pipe without constricting it.

I recall fashioning such a repair on a tractor years ago with a rubber pipe joining thing I got from the plumbers merchants next door and the webbed strapping they use on parcels to hold it around the pipe as we didn't have a jubilee clip big enough. It held up for a couple of weeks whilst the pipe was on back order though!
 
We used to knock out the ends of a coke can and wedge it into the pipe to keep it from collapsing when i worked on taxis. Not forgetting a crapload of gaffertape.
 
Well, as I suspected, the ducktape/electrical tape, temorary fix till monday is useless! It sounds terrible because of the high pressure air coming out making the tape vibrate, its rather comical!

Car is booked in for Monday morning first thing for it to be done under warrenty. Just hope that its alright to use gently till then! :confused:
 
Well, as I suspected, the ducktape/electrical tape, temorary fix till monday is useless! It sounds terrible because of the high pressure air coming out making the tape vibrate, its rather comical!

Car is booked in for Monday morning first thing for it to be done under warrenty. Just hope that its alright to use gently till then! :confused:

What you want to do is use the duct tape not to seal the leak as such but to hold the pipe as tight together as possible so that the split doesn't open causing a leak (hope that makes sense) A few total wrapes of the pipe should be enough I manged to hold in almost 1.6 bar of boost this way which I recon must be about double what the ST runs.
 
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