Typical turboback install. How long does it take?

Discussion in 'Modifications & DIY how-to' started by seeingred, May 18, 2009.

  1. seeingred

    seeingred Member

    Hey guys - newbie question here. So I finally took the plunge and purchased a turboback for my 2006 WRX. I am going to have the shop install it and have been quoted 3 hours of work by the larger shops and a smaller shop on here quoted me 1 hour. How long does it typically take a shop to install a turboback? Do you guys know? Are there typically any challenges when installing it? Please advise.
     
  2. nicad

    nicad Yes I am a troll

    I'm sure some members on here would be willing to help you for some beer and food

    ibvendorspam
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2009
  3. ZenMotors

    ZenMotors Member

    We charge 3 Hours for turboback exhaust. Our Regular labor rate is $80.00 an hour. If you purchased products thru us you will receive 10% off labor. If you buy the heatwrap we will not charge for the time for install. In the 3 hour installation that also includes modification of the Headshield.

    If you are in need of an install please let us know. We will get you taken care of right away!
     
  4. FACE

    FACE Active Member

    With some help you should be able to have it in in about an hour. Like Nicad said there are several of us that would be glad to help ;)
     
  5. Bug-Rex

    Bug-Rex Active Member

    Ask some of us on here to help. Muuuch cheaper that way. Its not that hard to do either besides the DP. Make a get together and see what you get.
     
  6. wagunz_pwn

    wagunz_pwn Active Member

    Maybe you could get lucky and plan this for the same day as Bug-Rex's uppipe install.

    DON'T FORGET NEW GASKETS!!!
     
  7. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

    when you realize how much of a pain that stock heat shield is, let me know - i've got a cobb heatshield i can throw your way, too :wiggle:

    btw, 1 hour of install time is pretty good...almost worth it, imo
     
  8. Bug-Rex

    Bug-Rex Active Member

    Yep. Just went to SoK and got them. I'll have a new "bigger" hoodscoop on too! Hopefully it doesn't rain...
     
  9. OutaFocus

    OutaFocus New Member

    I'm new on here and I haven't met anyone yet, other than Matt Ball. If you are near Acworth (Wade Green Rd.) I have a scissor lift and air tools if you want some help.Maybe you can rope in some other bodies as I'm old and fat.

    Contrary to some comments i've gotten, it actually has good access to the center of the car.

    [​IMG]

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    I also have some sway bars and springs to install, if anyone wants to trade labor. Yes, I have a strut spring compressor. Fender opening roller too, btw.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2009
  10. seeingred

    seeingred Member

    Installation question


    This is the first I hav heard of the heat wrap when installing the tbe. How much does it cost and is it necessary for the install?
     
  11. integroid

    integroid Supporting Member

    You would only need the heat wrap on the top portion of the downpipe. It would be completely optional and you can get the wrap for about $20-$40 depending on how much you buy and what company wrap you buy. Seriously, it is not hard at all to put on a turbo back exhaust.
     
  12. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

    umm...not exactly.

    You want to heat wrap anything that needs to be hot, such as the headers, the uppipe and the downpipe. Heat wrap helps to keep the heat inside the pipes. As the pipes heat, the air inside becomes less dense. Less dense --> faster flow --> faster spool....in theory...

    Heat wrap is also $52 for 50' (I just bought some last week), unless you find a good deal online. One package can probably get your uppipe and most of the downpipe done.

    Finally, you can have your pipes ceramic coated, which does the same thing as heat wrap, but does it much more efficiently. I'm actually coating and wrapping my uppipe and headers, just coating my downpipe, along with both the hot and cold side of the turbo.

    Btw, do the install yourself...you'll learn a lot more about your car when you get pissed at those two bolts that are a pain in the ass to get off the hotside of the turbo than you realize
     
  13. Bug-Rex

    Bug-Rex Active Member

    Say Whaaaaaa? Your not saying that hotter air is better are you? It may give you faster flow and spool, but the air has less mass to it. Cold Air > Hot Air in every aspect.
     
  14. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

    lol, study up, son, not even close to right

    for intake temperatures, colder air is better (though not too cold, there is a magic number). Everything i just talked about was on the exhaust side. Since that faster flow --> faster spool doesn't see the combustion chamber again (unless you're driving in really fast circles), you want those exhaust temps to stay heated. Remember, you're just turning the hotside wheel w/ those hot temps, which then turns the compressor wheel, which then uses the intercooler to help lower the intake temps...
     
  15. nicad

    nicad Yes I am a troll


    you are correct up until you said downpipe. at that point, the exhaust has already expended it's energy turning the turbine side of the turbo. wrapping the downpipe is done to combat heatsoak with TMICs.

    wrapping the cold side of the turbo won't do much. it is impossible to cool the air below ambient with an air-air intercooler, so leaving it unwrapped might be beneficial, as the intake charge will ALWAYS be hotter than ambient air temperature. you would actually have a small rate of heat transfer across the intercooler piping walls (losses to ambient essentially)

    also, the distinction between which is better between 'hot' air and 'cold' air entirely depends on which side of the engine you're referring to. intake side, colder is better. exhaust side, you want the exhaust gasses as hot as possible (within reason for obvious reason) to transfer as much energy to the turbine as possible.
     
  16. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

    ^^^

    wow...essentially we agree. Good point on the heatsoak, I overlooked that one.
     
  17. Bug-Rex

    Bug-Rex Active Member

    Got ya. I was confused.
     
  18. b reel

    b reel Active Member

    Time to pitch in, it's best to wrap the down pipe till the transition at the fire wall for two purposes, heat off the firewall and second to keep the heat in to fire off any unspent gases at the first cat for better emissions. This helps those of us who have gutted up pipes and live in the clean air zone and as Nicad stated, heat soak for the top mount.
     
  19. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

    pft...GO FRONT MOUNT :fawk:

    /rant

    Install the TBE yourself :wiggle:
     
  20. b reel

    b reel Active Member

    Don't cheat yourself, buy the stainless zip ties for the heat wrap, most kits don't come with them and half the places that carry the wrap don't carry the correct ties for the job. Summit and Barnett will have what you need in one place.
     
  21. b reel

    b reel Active Member

    well you know what I'm fabbing up but don't say anything about it till it's done. Well the hint could be; Shaker Scuby or Scuby Shaker
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2009
  22. wagunz_pwn

    wagunz_pwn Active Member

    Keep going and it will be known as Frankenscoob.
     
  23. nicad

    nicad Yes I am a troll

    those, or lockwire/safety wire works well provided you have the requisite pliers
     
  24. b reel

    b reel Active Member

    fabbing up a 2" lift kit and throwing some 29's on next

    that would be BFGoodrich Mud terrains, got to keep company with the Ranger
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2009
  25. Ben@TTR

    Ben@TTR Member

    *facepalm*
     
  26. Davidwrx

    Davidwrx Member

    I wanted to throw out a heat wrap negative. It can trap moisture and cause the DP to rust.

    Ceramic coating avoids that.


    BTW, to do a DP, 3 hours would be about right if you had never done it before. Someone who has could do it much shorter than that! In the world of book time I could believe the 3 hours.
     
  27. seeingred

    seeingred Member

    Wow..

    All this discussion but not much about the time. Most have said about 3 hours. So the quote that I got from a shop for 1 hour since they have done it a bunch is not true then?
     
  28. calmnothing

    calmnothing Shlimp Flied Lice Supporting Member

    If they'll agree to 1 hour, I say pay them and go for it
     
  29. 07Ltd#767

    07Ltd#767 The Neighborhood Drunk

    lol, seriously?

    Your question has been answered plenty of times.

    Not to mention, since you didn't even know what heat wrap was you probably learned a thing or two in this thread...
     
  30. FACE

    FACE Active Member


    When I did my first TBE install it took me 4 hours and that was by myself. :)
     
  31. wagunz_pwn

    wagunz_pwn Active Member

    Do It Yourself! Should take you no more than 2 hours.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2009
  32. integroid

    integroid Supporting Member

    I was only talking about the Turboback exhaust that he said he was changing out. If this thread said manifold back exhaust I would have advised him to wrap everything. Also, You can get good wrap from Pro Sport for like $25 for 50 foot roll.
     
  33. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    Don't forget a turbo blanket ;)
     
  34. seeingred

    seeingred Member

    ok.

    zen said 3 hours which is what I had mentioned
    Face was refering to DIY which wasn't my question
    You had said 1 hour was pretty good almost worth it
    Davidwrx was refering to another DIY

    All of this points to the fact that besides Zen and I am going to ignore your estimates because you do not have data to back your statements up.

    However, you are right about the heat wrap - I did learn something.
     
  35. Doug@DBW Motorsports

    Doug@DBW Motorsports Active Member

    We charge 3hrs to do a full turbo back install. Thing to remember is that the stock downpipe can sometimes be pita to remove... studs can break, some bolts don't want to come loose etc. Nice thing though is our techs have probably replaced more downpipes than anyone around. We also carry replacement studs to swap out your broken one in the event one were to break.

    Also when installing the turbo back we use all new factory gaskets so you have the same gasket reliability as it came from the dealership, and not some cheap composite gasket.

    Lastly if you buy the parts from us we offer a 10% discount on labor and can even strap your car on the dyno afterwards for a discounted price to show the amount of power the car makes.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2009
  36. wagunz_pwn

    wagunz_pwn Active Member


    Estimates/Data...everyone that has posted in this thread has removed and installed many TB's in their times. It's just not that hard and doesn't really warrant the need for a shop (Sorry Tray and Doug!). Get under your car and learn something. Honestly, you are looking at like 8 bolts and 4 hangers. 3 hours tops alone...1 hour with guys that know what they are doing and if you have NO STUCK BOLTS!

    We are here to help!
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2009
  37. Bug-Rex

    Bug-Rex Active Member

    +1. Its so much better to do it yourself. You will learn way more about your car than any shop can tell you because you will have a first hand account of the goings on under your feet. Get some of the guys on here to help you and spend about $40 on food and drinks, or spend a good chunk of money have a shop do it. Choose wisely. Never know when you are going to want more money for other mods. ;)
     
  38. b reel

    b reel Active Member

    You know what Drew, just let him pay somebody the three hours labor to do his swap, and be done with it. We've offered the help and pointers along the way and just doesn't seem worth the effort to offer any other help.
     
  39. Batlground

    Batlground Active Member

    We charge 2 hours to do it.

    We charge $89 per hour in addition to that if we have to deal with seized or broken bolts.

    If you do it yourself be sure to have the tools to deal with the seized or broken bolts if they do occur.

    Dan
    Batlground.com
    770-319-9605
     
  40. wagunz_pwn

    wagunz_pwn Active Member

    I'll do it for $100 and an Iced Coffee.
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2009

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