Aluminum turbo flange adapter?

Big Blue24

Big Blue24

Comp Diesel Sponsor
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Jan 5, 2008
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Has anyone made an aluminum turbo flange adapter? Do you think it would last for a few trips around the block? I've been making random flanges for cheap turbos that I have come across but it takes forever to carve flanges out of 3/8 to 1/2" steel plate with a die grinder, metal cutoff saw, and cheap drill press.

I'm thinking if an aluminum flange will hold up for a few blasts down the road, i can quickly shape it how I need it and use it as a template for my buddy with a cnc mill for actual steel flanges.

What's the consensus, will aluminum hold up for an exhaust flange adapter? What about ceramic coated aluminum for long term use?
 
What's the consensus, will aluminum hold up for an exhaust flange adapter? What about ceramic coated aluminum for long term use?
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A quick search for that would probably yield a big NO.
 
Shouldn't be a problem. I mean sure most aluminum melts around 1400* but not instantly. One of the best qualities of aluminum is it's ability to dissipate heat. So unless your running 1600* or higher temps for an extended period of time you shouldn't have a problem. As others have pointed out the pistons are alum and sometimes see temps WAY higher than 1400*, under high pressures and live a long time.

Go for it.
 
I would think for testing purposes it would be fine. Not sure of long term use though.
 
Forrest Nearing said:
they have oil and air cooling them
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Forrest Nearing said:
they have coolant running through them and air cooling them on the intake stroke
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Correct but you could still drive your truck around the block without a turbo or coolant without melting any pistons or heads.

You all must have missed the part of his question where he said " Do you think it would last for a few trips around the block?"
 
Cause it sounds like hes trying different cheap chargers, i would say for ability to spool, hence the need to run.
 
i had a hx-35 with a screwed up gate (missing parts, tweaked, etc)

so i removed the flapper, drilled and tapped the hole out, and stuck some old npt plug in it

some plug from one of my boxes of junk

it was not alum, but brass or something like brass, i dont remember for sure but when i pulled the turbo off about 2k later (because it quit making boost) (imagine that) there was none of the material left, just my nice threaded hole

stuck a steel plug plug in it and someone on one of these sites is still running it today

good luck with your project
 
So your brass plug melted after 2K miles, that's like four thousand trips around the block! I figured the aluminum will work fine for testing, just wanted to hear what the masses had to say.
 
I say for limited testing and a few trips around the block the aluminum will work just fine.
 
The question no one has asked is whether there will be weight hanging off this adapter...if there is quite a bit of weight with some good leverage, I can see the adapter at least distorting.
 
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