Replacing the up pipe gasket at turbo. Questions

I have a 2007 LGT wagon. I found that there was a strange ticking type noise coming from under the hood during acceleration. I’ll look on muffler shop traced it to the gasket at the up pipe turbo connection. They’re quoting me $475 to do the replacement gasket. Obviously I need to get this fixed. Since the entire exhaust system must be removed from the car I was thinking about replacing with Grimmspeed metal gaskets, is it worth it?

Do you guys think this is the best approach? Is it easier to replace the gasket from the top instead by removing the downpipe and turbo?

Also, did replacing the pipe with a Grimmspeed up pipe make sense?

Would a exhaust leak like this cause an overboost issue?

Thanks in advance!

The entire exhaust system does NOT have to be removed to replace that gasket. There are several ways to go about it, if your car has the catted up-pipe (not sure what years did or didn’t have this), now would be a good opportunity to to a catless.

Im sure others will chime in, but I’ve had good luck with the factory gaskets.

How many miles are on the car?

You can replace this gasket without removing the up pipe.

But if this is the first time taking it off it may take some time. You will want to replace both sides and the DP gasket. They are charging what looks like a job price from a book. Really should not take a pro 4 hours.

Uh, not sure if kzr750 is confused with the turbo-DP gasket but you will need to remove the up pipe and the down pipe to replace the UP-turbo gasket... There is no way to get to the nuts that hold the up pipe to the turbo without removing the down pipe first.

First time I did this, it took me about 2 hours and most of that was waiting for PB blaster to soak and I plus also didn't use an impact. Grimmspeed gaskets are well worth it but you'll want the whole shebang of exhaust gaskets.

Header gaskets (if you choose to remove the headers for more clearance to remove the up-pipe, much more difficult if you skip this step)

Up-pipe to turbo

Down-pipe to turbo

Down-pipe to mid-pipe

I use Grimmspeed gaskets every time I have to do this but you don't necessarily have to.

Like I said earlier, took me two hours and I was fairly inexperienced at the time. It was back when I wanted to replace the catted up-pipe when I bought the car for precautionary reasons.

I’ve done it by dropping the downpipe, disconnecting the inlet hose off the turbo and also disconnecting the oil feed and drain off the turbo and the coolant return banjo off the back of the head and with the turbo unbolted from the up pipe just lifting it enough to replace the gasket.

If it was me, I’d drop the downpipe (required no matter what you do), drop the exhaust manifolds and do a catless up pipe and replace all exhaust gaskets along the way. It’s almost more preventative maintenance than anything to ditch the catted up pipe. Spray plenty of pb blaster, 9/10 when these bolts break lose it feels like they snap off. Once they are lose they usually seem to just thread on and off nicely

140k on the car. I’ve been contemplating upgrading the turbo so this might be the best time for that as well. Hmmm.

I need to look into turbos for a DD car and what it takes to do it right.

If you bolt the turbo to the up pipe, it's much easier. after the turbo is out of the way, remove the studs from the up pipe.

OEM gaskets will be fine.

Uh, not sure if kzr750 is confused with the turbo-DP gasket but you will need to remove the up pipe and the down pipe to replace the UP-turbo gasket... There is no way to get to the nuts that hold the up pipe to the turbo without removing the down pipe first.

 

First time I did this, it took me about 2 hours and most of that was waiting for PB blaster to soak and I plus also didn't use an impact. Grimmspeed gaskets are well worth it but you'll want the whole shebang of exhaust gaskets.

 

Header gaskets (if you choose to remove the headers for more clearance to remove the up-pipe, much more difficult if you skip this step)

Up-pipe to turbo

Down-pipe to turbo

Down-pipe to mid-pipe

 

I use Grimmspeed gaskets every time I have to do this but you don't necessarily have to.

 

Like I said earlier, took me two hours and I was fairly inexperienced at the time. It was back when I wanted to replace the catted up-pipe when I bought the car for precautionary reasons.

Thanks... I assumed DP off was a given.

i will make sure the short block is healthy before i upgrade the turbo .

Great point. I have been meaning to do a compression leak down test.

You'll need a protune as well when you replace the turbo. Consider supporting mods and preventative maintenance that comes along with that as well.

Thanks Notorius!

I have a ProTune now. So it would just be an updated tune. I need to look at the mods list to make sure I want to go that route anyway. I do have a Downpipe, and TBE, Crawford AOS, and bulletproofed TMIC.