Noticed recently on a thread at miata.net, Stephanie posted a pic of their tubing/tclamp experiment. It didn't have beads, but rather flares. Any ideas if this is sufficient enough or better in keeping the silicone couplers snug?

 

t-clamp + non-beaded is sufficient.
flared/beaded is better.

dunno what else anyone can add....

 

I have a tubing beader for those who insist, but I have no beaded tubes on my car.

 

Intersesting. I always assumed a bead was a necessity w/ pressurized pipes.

So the thermostat, where I'll tap the turbo coolant lines, doesn't absolutely need a bead either? If so, that'll make my life so much easier.

 

Another simple trick for getting things to stay put.

Borrow some girls/wifes hairspray. Spray down the area of the pipe being clamped. Let it set up a hair (ha ha) and then put it together. It'll help things from slipping later. Sorta the same with slightly tacky/soft spray paint (if painting pipes).

 

I will caveat what Brain said by adding "quality silicone couplers" with t-bolt clamps will alleviate the need for beading up to a certain point.

I've been running 2" pipes at 15psi for 2yrs now without a single pop-off. In fact, I've never noticed any of my couplers moving at all.

I'm sure at 30psi, they'll blow off. But if you buy a universal pipe kit, you're gonna end up cutting them. Just sand/file the edges smooth and use 1/4" drive ratchet on the clamp nut and you'll be fine.

 

Not necessary, but it likely to have less problems.

For our testing purposes, the bead is not necessary. The compressor inlet tube is not under pressure. So we could even, theoretically, use an ABA clamp.

A coolant line is a different story. I would bead roll it and use thread locker or a sealant of some kind. I, personally, don't go for dead motors. A coolant line and air line should be treated differently.
Stephanie

 

flares = sharp edges = rut roh raggy

 

Flared edges could be sanded/polished/wheeled just like any other edge to reduce burrs or sharp edges. Not ideal but likely better than straight pipe.

Agree with Steph. Flare or bead is a bonus on charge pipes. Absolute must on lines vital to the engines life.

 

I have found on other vehicles w/ high boost pressure if you have an issue w/ couplers blowing of that i would just weld a few small lips around the edge of the pipe which would help the pipe from coming off. This was on my turbo integra at 21 psi at the time had only worm clamps. We had ordered t bolt clamps for my tuning session but didnt make it on time. We never lost a clamp for probably 100 hard pulls. Then we switched to t bolt clamps.

 

+1 a welded bead works good, done that several times and never once had a problem.

 

I always enjoy reading R & T or C & D or whatever mag always does the car shoot outs. Whenever they run 4 bangers cars always lose hoses. FM, Vishnu, etc all seem to lose a charge pipe connection at some point. Seems like such an easy problem to prevent even at the higher boost levels they might be running.

Gee, we are running in a supercar shootout for a major car mag. Think we should use rolled pipe ends? Double check all the connections? Meh, it's good enough...

 

Since we're on the subject of shootouts, it always makes me wonder why they bother. In a common shootout, say 8cars... 2 will break, 2 will have major tune problems, 2 will wreck, and the slowest 2 will finish fine and still lose.

C&D is famous for it's Lingenfelter/Saleen/Dinan/Ruf whatever guys all bringing their uber-*****'s and half of them going home early on a trailer. SCC and other import mags have the same issues except it's small tuner shops bringing their latest big-baller (ie, put together the night before with 2 dyno pulls total) hi-boost zero-thought-into-suspension 350Z's/Supra/RX7/EVO that half of go home early on a trailer.

I'd love to see a shoot-out where everybody showed up on a Fri night for dyno'ing, then a 10hr 500mile drive Sat, then a full day on the track Sun... the only maintenance allowed would be fluids, brake-pads, and tires. Anybody who didn't make it wouldn't even be mentioned in a side-bar in the article. Maybe people would bring some reliable/tested cars and there'd actually be something to write about.