Well... I've been doing alot to my 98 RST the past couple months, both cosmetic and performance. After searching for 3 hrs this morning and finding out what disc/ring and idle fuel pressure to set the SFMU, I finally decided to install the 330cc injectors I've had for going on 6 months now.

The exciting part: This thing pulls rediculously hard. I never knew that 330s would have made that much of a difference. It's really insane. Not only that but by lowering my static fuel pressure I solved my annoying (yet asthetically pleasing) "cam idle" problem that I've had since I got the new motor in.

The disappointing part: I cannot get my intercooler pipes to stay on no matter what I do. After my first and only pull, pipe shot out of the coupler... AGAIN!

I've searched google, here, tuners, everywhere I can think to search and read almost every single article I can find and I've tried everything I've come across only to be let down on my 1st pull with the new injectors. I've done hairspray, brake clean, electrical and friction tape on the ends of the pipes, re-routed the pipes, changed out couplers, clamps, everything except getting them bead welded.

I was wondering if there was ANYTHING other than getting them bead welded that might work. I'm trying to build this car with as little shop work as possible, but it looks like I might have to go that route to get this thing to hold boost. Originally I was running 12lbs and figured it was just too much for the couplers to handle. Now I'm only running 8lbs and it's the exact same story. I fix one pipe, another pops off. Fix that one, another pops off.

I only have two problems left with this car, no output from the speed sensor, and those f*****g I/C pipes.

Are you using T Bolt clamps?

You have to bead the pipes. If your pipes arent beaded at all, you never going to keep the pipes on.

Yes to the t-bolt clamps.

And I know. I was frustrated and looking for an easy way out. The piping that I have on there now are all cut, which is why I'm trying to avoid getting a new set of pipes that already have beads made in them. I'd just end up cutting the bead off anyway.

And thanks for the fast responses guys.

you don't have to run a bead all the way around, you can just tack it at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o' clock. that's enough for a hold.

this is assuming your paying someone to tack it for you which i'm also assuming that you're trying to save money. Usually shops'll charge for anything/everything they can.

Muffler shops have machines that can flare pipe ends, just have to be careful though not to go to crazy on them. Just a thought...

Yup, roll a bead or weld a bead. Hell, you won't even need T-bolts if you get a bead on there.

Cheap hairspray works wonders as well....

a cheap and easy way ive done, is sand to bear metal on the end of the pipe, and get some jb weld and make a lip on the end of the pipe. its worked for me in the past, and easy enough for you to do.

Originally posted by grain
a cheap and easy way ive done, is sand to bear metal on the end of the pipe, and get some jb weld and make a lip on the end of the pipe. its worked for me in the past, and easy enough for you to do.

that might work, but it prolly wont permanently hold

Originally posted by 420agreenvilleSC

Originally posted by grain a cheap and easy way ive done, is sand to bear metal on the end of the pipe, and get some jb weld and make a lip on the end of the pipe. its worked for me in the past, and easy enough for you to do.

that might work, but it prolly wont permanently hold

I fixed a missing chunk in a head between the #3 and #4 combustion chambers on my AE86 with JB weld. It ran for 50k more miles before the oil pump died and shat the bearings. If JB weld can hold up to that I'd bet that it could hold a few lbs. of boost.

What I did was use brake clean around the end of every pipe. Dried it off with microfiber cloths. Hit it with some hairspray, dollar store brand, and put it back together. Didn't work.

Then I took them apart again and used a few layers of electrical tape on the ends. Also didn't work.

Then... same thing with friction tape. Still... didn't work.

I've been weighing my options and the exhaust shop seems to be my best route. I'm not so much trying to save money (been down that road and 2 yrs later here I am) as I am trying to do everything myself. I've gotten to the point where everything I used to be scared to mess with is something easy to tackle now. I'm trying to make everything like that so I don't have to rely on a shop that's going to look at my car like "... Uh oh... that's not stock. Your problem lies in the custom work done.".

In the past I have just simply used a pair of vice grips to flair out the end of the pipe slightly, all the way around the circumference of the pipe. It doesn't take very long to do, and it has worked well for me. Been running 16psi for a long time now and never popped a coupler.

Just make sure you don't flare it out too much that you will encounter difficulty when slipping the couplers back on.

By the way, I like the JB Weld bead idea proposed above. Never did it myself, but I cant see why it wouldn't work.

Originally posted by Ebster1085
I like the JB Weld bead idea proposed above. Never did it myself,

I have (out of curiousity) and it does work, BUT maybe a year and a half later I was pulling off the coupler for some reason and a small chunk of the JB Weld came off. Now it was firmly stuck in the coupler material and the clamp was on it so it wasn't "falling" into the intercooler tract, but just that thought alone was enough to keep me from doing that again.

I've done the JB weld beads on intercooler pipes in the past. Just scuff the end of the tube where you want the bead, clean it good with solvent to remove grease and oil, then use masking tape to outline both edges of the bead and apply the JB weld. Pull the tape off before the JB weld hardens. Make sure you use the quick setting JB weld and keep an eye out for running. The long cure JB will run and you will have to keep turning the tube for over an hour to get a nice even bead. Also, don't put the bead right on the edge of the tube, leave an 1/8" or whatever, so you can get your couplers starting on the tubes. This method is easy, cheap, looks good and is very durable. Sounds perfect for your situation.

I like it. I think I'm going to end up doing the JB Weld about 1/8in from the end of the pipe, and clamp both sides of the bead. Maybe the bead and extra clamps will keep it on no matter what. I was on the lookout for a flaring tool like the exhaust shops have to flare exhaust pipe and maybe do the same thing with that, but the huge price tag kind of strayed me away from that.

When I get the time I'm going to give it a shot and let you guys know how it works.

You will need much more than 1/8" between the JB Weld bead and the end of the pipe if you expect to get a clamp there.

Yeah, that's true. Don't even bother trying to put a clamp on both sides of the bead, you'll just stress out the coupler and it won't actually hold any better... just use one on each tube.

The other option is that you can ship the tubing to my shop and we will roll true formed beads on each of the joints. No welds or JB or anything like that, just real beads rolled right onto your tubing.

We had this same problem at my local dyno shop with a honda. Turns out the guy was using CAI piping instead of Intercooler piping, which is smooth all the way instead of having a bead at the end. If you want the couplers to stay on the pipes you need a bead rolled at the end.