need help with boost leaks asap
 

ok I am very frustrated right now it doesn't seem to matter what I do I can't get rid of my boost leaks. I know how to prep gasket surfaces and install gaskets and torque bolts properly but no matter how well I do it my bov and throttle body just keep leaking. as well as a couple other little places. should I try rtv? I'm completely lost right now so any help would be great and or if any of you who have more experience with fixing boost leaks would be willing to help me sometime (at my place or yours) would be absolutely wonderfull as well. sorry for rambling on any help is greatly appreciated

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

use RTV, but sparingly. Use as little as possible to get the pieces to seal. A VERY very thin amount on both sides of a gasket will do wonders. Give it some time to set up.

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

^^^ +1

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

from past experiences using rtv on gaskets more often than not makes them squish out. I'll just try making the gaskets with rtv and see how that works

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

Often BOV and throttle body elbow flanges are warped and need to be run on a belt sander to make them flat. I usually use only RTV and no gaskets on things like bovs and throttle bodies that don't want to seal. I have had better luck with just RTV vs gasket + RTV, but every case is different.

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

the thing with the tb is that when I did the head I sanded that very well (not with a belt sander) with a perfectly flat sanding block and even removed the studs from the intake mani and sanded that good and checked them with a straight edge and there wasn't any noticeable gaps
but obviously I didn't do a good enough job

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

use black rtv only!!!! its the only kind worth a damn. or you can try aviaton sealant

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

I'm having a weird throttle body leak as well. I can't pinpoint it, i think its coming from the back/underside of the TB. Also getting one from the back/underside of the turbo?? wtf. Can't directly see either of them.

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

just use rtv on the throttle body as for the turbo I dunno what to do about that one. I just rtv'd my throttle body and bov yesterday so I'm gona do a boost leak test to see if that took care of my leaks

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

eh, i'm not a huge fan of doing that. The gaskets should get a good seal without sealant. I'll probably just get new gaskets.

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

I preped the gasket surfaces very well when I had my head rebuilt and it still leaked. just save your self the time and rtv it the first time so you don't have to redo it again like I did

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

did you use new gaskets? The right gaskets? are you sure the surfaces were flat? bolts torqued down properly and evenly? If all those things are done right, it shouldn't leak.

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

yes, yes, yes, and yes. I didn't have the surfaces machined but my teacher has a perfectly flat sanding block that we sanded everything very well with and my teacher inspected everything so I know it was good. it still leaked pretty bad too

Re: need help with boost leaks asap
 

I suppose I could have the gasket surfaces machined to be perfectly flat but I don't see the point in paying for that when if used properly rtv will work just as good or better