My BEGI experience
 

Not sure how to put it but I wanted to share my recent experience with BEGI over the past few months.
I bought a brand new cast iron T3 manifold for a '99 with the EGR ferrule on it from a board member. He decided not to use it and I got a great price on it. So that is what started all of this. I found a used T3 60 trim cheap in Nashville and planned to use that with the kit.

After much deliberation with myself I decided on using my Tial 38mm wastegate that I already have and I would have the manifold modified by BEGI S5 style. So I sent my manifold off to them with my turbine housing in order to have the manifold modified and stainless steel downpipe fabricated.

I was in no hurry to receive these parts and it took around 3 -5 weeks to get the parts which was expected on my end. I paid for ceramic coating on the manifold as well which was $75 so that took another 3-5 days so that added a week to the fabrication and shipment process.

I received my manifold and downpipe finally and the downpipe looked good for the most part though it had a few issues that you can see here. The sugared welds on the inside from the lack of back purging, the mild steel flex section when I paid for SS and the inlets and outlets that don't measure up. For example my turbine outlet is right at 2.115 and the downpipe inlet measures under 2" depending on how you measure it due to the welding. The downpipe outlet even though I paid for 3", which is the correct OD of the tubing, measures under 2.75".

Even though I sent them a manifold with the EGR fitting already welded on I had to remind them to send me a manifold with the EGR fitting on the back for some reason when I spoke with them on the phone before shipping. Apparently they didn't think I would need it anymore so instead of using the manifold i sent them they added the ex-wg to a new manifold.

They did however listen the first time when I told them where to place the O2 bungs so i'll give them a thumbs up for finally figuring that out.

Sugaring
http://lh4.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4y8...JPG?imgmax=576

Mild steel flex section (braid is stainless, end caps are not)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4yq...JPG?imgmax=720

The manifold however had cracked welds that were very apparent through the ceramic coating. The WG flange also wasn't welded on the inside creating an awkward transition and the flanges had all been coated instead of taped off.

1 of 3 cracked welds
http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4yA...JPG?imgmax=800

No weld on inside, bad transition.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4yL...JPG?imgmax=512

Coated flanges. Would everyone not prefer bare machined flanges?
http://lh3.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4yI...JPG?imgmax=800

So I contacted Corky and sent him pictures of the cracks in the manifold and he said they would make me up a new one no problem. I also told them not to get the manifold ceramic coated this time and to refund my $75. The refund took place and I received a new manifold that had been painted with high temp paint. That was fine with me, though they painted the flanges and the WG wasn't flat after I removed the paint with a wire wheel on my drill. I don't have pictures of the flange after I removed the paint but I do have pictures of it with the paint. The messed up part that you see in the photo was no where near flat, it appeared to be affected by heavy corrosion under what appears to be paint though my wire wheel could hardly remove it.

There are also some lame welding defects that hopefully don't affect the integrity of the piece. They're just shrink at the end of the beads that usually don't exist in tig welds with correct pedal control. I do understand it's difficult to weld cast iron but assumed it would be a little better aesthetically.

Messed up WG flange on new manifold
http://lh5.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4zx...JPG?imgmax=576

Welding defect.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4zr...JPG?imgmax=576

Welding defects.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4zs...JPG?imgmax=576

The studs included with the manifold were about .5" too long and stuck up into the turbine outlet flange area. The length also made it impossible to install nuts on the CHRA side because they were far to close to the retaining wings. After removing the paint on the WG flange I found it to be unaccetably un-even and had to get it resurfaced at my local machine shop.

Studs too long.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_7Av...JPG?imgmax=576

Studs with .5" cut off and freshly machined wastegate flange.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAFMZ...JPG?imgmax=576

My first order was supposed to include a plug for the EGR port on the manifold, a plug for the extra O2 sensor bung, and the long bolt that holds the flex section together. I never received those pieces in the first shipment, or the second shipment. The second shipment was also supposed to include hardlines for my coolant reroute to the back of the head and they were not included. I did not receive the tubes or the plugs and long bolt until the 3rd shipment which they thankfully paid shipping on.
I also got a spacer for my coolant reroute as well as an extra for a friend. (Still need to mail that out.) They're nicely made and I machined the lip for the thermostat in them after they arrived in the 2nd shipment like they were supposed to.

EGR Plug
http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4x8...JPG?imgmax=576

Reroute Spacers
http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/R_4zc...JPG?imgmax=512

For the 2nd shipment I was also charged for an EGR blockoff plate as well as shipping even though I never ordered or received a plate and they were supposed to be covering shipping. A phone call corrected those issues, though I deemed the unnecessary considering the amount of communication between us.

Now the climax to all of this, there might be more but I'm tired of writing. I spent last week ordering parts and doing a timing belt/waterpump swap on the miata while I have it all tore apart. I got that completed Saturday and was going to install the new turbo setup and run it open downpipe for the race on Sunday. I started assembling the turbo/mani/downpipe and was horrifyingly surprised by a downpipe that came no where near fitting.

I bolted the turbine housing to the manifold as well as the wastegate. Then bolted the downpipe up to the turbine housing considering it is the main piece. Then I started to attempt bolting the WG tube up to the Tial 38mm wastegate, which BEGI deals and includes as part of the S5 kit that anyone can buy from them. I was unable to easily bolt the WG tube up to the WG due to interference between the WG pipe and the downpipe.

After forcing the bolts about half way so I could see just how bad the interference was I attempted to fit the 3rd section of the downpipe to the 2 tubes using the slip joints. The slip joints didn't line up at all for the WG tube so I knew this wasn't going to be something I could force fit with a little tough love. Then I removed one of the bolts from the WG flange to allow the tube to rotate so I could see how much the tube was out of rotation.

All of the following pictures show the fitment issues with the new downpipe.

I called today, I'll be returning the part and receiving a refund instead of allowing them to fix the part. After paying $460 for a downpipe plus shipping and dealing with all the other problems I'm sick of dealing with it all. After sending my manifold, and turbine housing and using the same WG the setup was designed for I just have no faith.

I'll be building my own downpipe for much less money and it will fit right the first time.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv-3...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh4.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv-6...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh3.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv-9...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh5.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv_Y...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv_A...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh5.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv_D...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh3.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv_J...JPG?imgmax=576

http://lh6.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv_S...JPG?imgmax=576

After all is said and done, I understand the difficulties that would come along with manufacturing parts like this and how things can happen because nothing is perfect. Though I do know that when a customer pays for parts and has continuous issues with his parts, shipping, and invoicing that something should be done within the company to make sure things like that never happen again.
BEGI is very nice on the phone and they're willing to work with me on most everything but enough is enough.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

Oh and if anyone cares, there are more images of everything in this gallery:

BEGI S5 Manifold and Downpipe

http://lh5.ggpht.com/cjernigan/SAv_D...JPG?imgmax=576
people really drink 7/11 wine?

I live with two roommates(one guy and one girl), she drinks all kinds of wine though some is cheap most of it is pretty expensive. She spent a summer in France and couldn't afford to eat much else besides bread, cheese, and wine.

Kind of funny all the other crap I have in the background of my pictures. Including the pitcher that says "Beer" across it.

Edit: I asked her about it. Its apparently not all that bad for an average table wine. It's a Barefoot Merlot from California and she seems to think that its worth the $7 or $8 she pays for it.

actually, that shit is fucking atrocious, but I cook with it...lol.


btw, I hope my shit works on my begi kit i bought, if I ever get to put that shit together.

damn chad. that explains the downpipe questions.

my experiences with begi were drawn out, but they ended up with a working solution in the end (custom intercooler piping with lots of stuff).

There's an important phrase here called Interchangable Parts. Custom fabrication can't really be expected to fit with assembly line parts every time. But that you sent the whole thing to them and it still didn't fit right is a bit of a surprise.

Oh and for what it's worth, I dont think there are many sources for ALL stainless flex sections. you dont need one anyway. get some comp motor mounts and let the exhaust wiggle some.

sorry about all the hassle. i'm the kind of guy who will see that kind of stuff through til the end even if I have to go all the way to the top and I know the pain and anguish and time it sucks up. I'd not be surprised if you spent a collective forty hour work week dealing with it over the whole time.

I've already installed 1 of two comp motormounts I just got. Surprisingly the driverside one i took out is cracked 1/3rd of the way. I'll see if miataroadster wants them or now when i get the other out.

The fact that the end caps/swages are mild steel when I paid for stainless doesn't really matter to me. It's the fact that when you pay for stainless you look for stainless and when its not all stainless you wonder.

I guess I'll try it without a flex section in my new downpipe then.

I too always see things to the end by going all the way to the top if that is what's needed. It's a very unsettling feeling to finally come to a decision that enough is enough when you support a specific company but they have let you down. Day in and day out on the internet and in person I whore out their name saying they sell the best turbo kits and components money can buy. But after spending lots and lots of time taking pictures, explaining over the phone, and sending emails I got tired of it all.

Damn, I had similiar issues with them as well...though unfortunately I'm not nearly as educated as you, I was able to tell something wasn't right...

1st I ordered the SS div Dp as you did, and I had the same issue with slipping the lower 1/2 of it on. Basically the divorced section wasn't lined up to slip into place. I took the risk (aka didnt know better) and used a small prybar and a friend to get it together...

The other thing which may be partly my fault is I ordered the Mani+dp for a gt2560, I mentioned that my turbo already had its own "diverter" in the turb. housing, and was told they work with that turbo all the time. When I received the DP, it wouldnt bolt up to the turbo, and even then the WG could not open properly...After alot of back & forth w/ Corky, I took his experience over my "theory" and sent him the DP & my turbo. The agreement was that if I was correct about it being an issue, they would machine it and make it work and send back. When he got it, he said I had a turbo he had never seen before in all his years (?) but he got it to work. However I was charged $75 on my credit card without authorization for the work...
My calls were never returned, my emails were never returned and that was that. I was gonna dispute the charge w/ the cc co, but it'd be hell to prove my claim that I sent them the pieces but didnt authorize the labor...\

Anyhow that left a real bad taste in my mouth, especially when I run into posts here and there which show people using the same turbo...maybe not really common, but "never in all my years"??

Ps--I know they aren't production line pieces made my programmed robots, but they aren't exactly 1-off custom either....alot of the stuff seems to be repetitive (fitment, 02 bungs, etc)...:eek5:

I will say that they are willing to help out and fix the issues that arise. However, I am still waiting for my replacement downpipe to fix the one that I received the first time. Last email was March 24th saying that mine was scheduled to be built at the end of that week or the beginning of the next week.

Still waiting after a month of BEGi ignoring me to get my 1.8 downpipe (instead of the 1.6) that they sent with the 1.8 manifold. They didn't even remember to give me the bolt either :( .

Hope things work out.

Wow.......

I honestly thought I was the only one who had issues with BEGi, seeing as how much praise they receive on this forum and FM bashing I see.......

Anyways, while we are all talking about our experience, thought I would share my 2 cents.

Decided to go with a WRX TD04 turbo, with the funky subaru flange. Bought a new BEGi T3 exhaust manifold for my 97. Shipped both the turbo and the manifold to them so they could build an adapter plate for the turbo, and a nice SS downpipe for my setup. Also ordered a bunch of miscellaneous parts for my turbo build, like oil lines, fittings, etc.

After well over a month, I finally got all my parts back. Everything looked decent enough, although I was surprised that with a SS downpipe they used mild steel O2 bungs.....somewhat disappointed there :( . I slowly started my build and putting things together.

First issue I see when mock fitting everything was that even though I paid BEGi to clock my turbo correctly for me, the oil drain is facing about 45* towards the engine block, making it impossible to use without changing. While I found clocking the turbo to not be difficult, I was extremely frustrated that I paid them to do it when I ended up having to re-do it myself. I'm still completely baffled as to how they couldn't do it correctly seeing as they had both my manifold and turbo with them, so it wasn't a mystery as to how my turbo was to be mounted...........

Next snag I hit was installing the downpipe. I told them I needed 2 O2 bungs, one for stock NB, and one for WB. I'm thinking no problem, they've made a bunch of downpipes, know the miata like the back of their hand (and have plenty in the shop no less) so none of this is out of the ordinary. Fast forwarding to the downpipe installation, one of the O2 sensor bungs is literally touching the transmission casing, so not only is the bung in a bad area, but there is no way in hell a sensor is going there. Not only this, but the general clearance of the downpipe to the transmission and chassis brace under the car is extremely tight but should be ok.

I e-mailed pictures to Corky, called him on the phone and told him the issue. They wanted me to pay shipping back to them so they could fix it, but to me it didn't make much sense I should pay for them to fix their own mistake. Finally they agreed to pay shipping both ways, but of course, it starts another waiting game for me......

Weeks later I get my downpipe in the mail. I open it up and the first thing I see is a 1/2" plug welded into the O2 sensor that was already hitting the transmission. WTF!?!?!?! Had they not seen the pictures? I had told them it needed to be fully removed as there was already zero clearance.

Naturally, I call Corky back. This time in so many words he told me too bad and find someone else to fix it and that he regrets ever even making me a custom downpipe in the first place. GREAT SERVICE!!!! I pay $400 for a downpipe that isn't built correctly, and now I have to go find someone to fix it for me?!?!?!?

Luckily for me, I have a friend who is a great welder/machinist and he properly removed the bung and put a patch in its place. Thank GOD!


Fast forward even further now, I have everything installed, ready to fire up my car for the first time. I start it up, and it idles great, except for one minor detail........I have a huge exhaust leak coming from my manifold somewhere. After MUCH hunting, I finally found my issue. I could literally see a gap between the exhaust manifold and the adapter plate they had built for me.

I try to tighten it down, but one bolt just wouldn't budge one bit. I was confused so I tried to take the adapter plate off completely. Same bolt wouldn't budge. Eventually I managed to get it off by rotating the entire adapter plate around, unscrewing the bolt to the manifold.

What did I find??? The holes that were machined into the adapter plate to bolt to the T3 manifold were machined so poorly that the bolts couldn't even rotate inside of them. I used a punch to get the stuck bolt out of the adapter plate and had to use a dremel to clean up each bolt hole so the bolts could actually be tightened down properly to the manifold. (This was after I re-threaded the partially stripped the threads on one bolt hole on the manifold trying to get the adapter plate off).

If you managed to read it this far, congratulations, but for those of you who skimmed, I will sum up my entire post with this.

BEGi T3 Cast Manifold = Good
BEGi Custom downpipe = Crap
BEGi turbo clocking abilities = Crap
BEGi Custom downpipe building abilities (with both manifold and turbo in hand) = Crap
BEGi adapter building abilities = Crap

And worst of all, it was quite possibily the worst experience in customer service I have ever had. Never again will I buy a single product from them. Good luck with everyone who does, especially after reading about all the other poorly constructed downpipes I have seen posted here (O2 sensor placement anyone??)

This thread is not meant to be a "hate" thread about BEGI but I would like anyone and everyone to post issues they have had with them.

It seems that they are generally protected in the miata community, I am guilty of that considering this is my first time saying something to the public. I have probably sold upwards of $30k in kits by word of mouth praising the ground they walk on and telling everyone they're the best there is. Those words will no longer come from me because I wouldn't wish issues like mine upon anyone.

I've had minor issues with what I've ordered, things were made right or the offer to make it right was made.

The fit on my DP wasn't great but the welding was nothing short of excellent. The heat shield wouldn't fit with out modifications, but again the welding was pure sex. Studs were too long. Hardware was initially missing. The packing was horrible, which may have been the reason for the missing hardware.

On every issue that I brought to Stephanie she was more than willing to fix it. But it is clear that QC needs work. I live pretty far from Texas, so shipping something back is the last resort.

There are lots of pluses with BEGI, but nobody is perfect.

Chad, the issues with your items is stunning. Is BEGI farming out some work to India? :)

I'll play...

I called them up a while back and ordered Supercharged by Corky Bell. I paid with a credit card and was told I'd get an email when it shipped. I waited and waited and never got an email. I figured I'll wait, it will probably show. A week later no book. I call them up and the don't know what I'm talking about. I go over how I called a week ago, placed an order, was expecting an email and all. I proceed to give them all my info again. Then they put me on hold. She comes back and says we "misplaced" your order. They then ship it for free, but regular shipping.

Ok, not the worst story but this was my first transaction with them and it was poor. How do you loose an order? Still, I wanted my book when I ordered it, and was eager to get it. Waiting a week to find out they misplaced my order sucked. I was expecting to get free fast shipping since they messed up, but it shipped regular shipping. It took 5 days to get here.

Overall was not satisfied.

Sounds like Begi is slipping up.

I've never ordered anything from BEGI but my one conversation I had on Friday with a person there left me with a nice feeling.

I was on the fence on whether I should get the Xede or the Hydra for my build. This went on for a few weeks and after all the threads I would read about each ems, my head would spin more. On Friday (4/18) I was all set to place an order for the Xede but I had a few more questions. I spoke to a gentleman there (Can't remember his name but it wasn't Corky) and told him what my turbo plans were currently and for the future and would the Xede be the right ems for those plans. He could have easily told me to still get the Xede to make the sale but he actually recommended a stand alone unit to me. That impressed me very much because it shows that they are not only there to sell you the products they have, but make sure you get the right product for job regardless of that fact. Like I said, I've never bought anything from them, but from that verbal exchange we had it would make me want to buy something from them in the future. Though no company is perfect and there will be problems, it's how the problems are taken care of that will determine whether I'd consider using them in the future.

cjernigan,
Can't you just take a hacksaw to the dump tube to cut it in two pieces right in the middle, slip the slip joint part into the female end, attach the WG flange to the WG, then have a local shop weld the two together after both "ends" fit properly? Seems it would be easier and cheaper than sending all the crap back and getting a refund. Plus, downtime would be less.

Frank

I can understand why you are upset... Can't say I blame you. Sounds like it has not gone well.

Mark

Flaw in the jig? :eek5:

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/2218/1010840vp6.jpg

Holy crap Ben who's is that? I know you have something on order right now, but I know it's not that one.

Sure I can cut the dumptube and reweld it. But that would defeat the purpose of me paying BEGI to build me something. I'l be building my own pipe, it will be more simple, much cheaper and it will fit right the first time.
Besides, they're covering shipping. I will still be ready for my next race, missing my last one is what pushed me over the edge.

Damn Chad, sorry to hear all the issues especially since I was considering the same manifold and downpipe for my car. I was wondering why you weren't at the last event, but I guess this explains it all. I may have to to reconsider how I want to procede with my build after reading this.

I've often read the threads where there are issues with pre-fabbed kit parts and thought that even though the all-DIY is a lot of work, it's probably a lot easier when you're fabbing the stuff on the car it will be used on.

I know one thing for sure - this isn't an easy business. I've seen a few friends get into to it and leave it. Being good at something is totally different than being good at running a business doing that thing.

Wow, sorry to see and hear about your experience Chad. I ordered my stuff from them on February 21st and should be getting it in sometime this week. I am crossing my fingers that my experience goes a little bettter than yours, but I will be sure to let you all know about the results.

That's my FMIII. In fairness I got it used, and don't know how it fit originally.

Like Brian, I also have a S5 manifold with SS downpipe on order. :ohnoes:
Will be using the Tial gate you saw. Same as yours...

Well hopefully you guys don't have any issues with yours. We all know BEGI can turn out some nice products that fit right the first time. This is just my confession of problems with their products and business.
They make all kinds of great things and I still like certain aspects of their kits such as the heatshield and cold air box but not when buying things from them comes with problems like this.

If it makes you feel better chad, the one exhaust component I didn't build myself--the manifold--I got from ETD and this is what they sold me:

The wastegate is resting against the cylinder head/valve cover...

http://gallery.y8s.com/d/411-3/wg_doh05.jpg


I didn't send it back. I cut the @#)$(*& flange off and welded it back on further down the runner.

how did you resolve that matt?

Now that you've hacked the system and shown them their vulnerabilities....expect the job offer very soon to help correct future issues.

I had some similar issues..

I asked for a coolant By-pass so I could clock the Turbo down.. I also already bought and received their IC and piping (shouldn't they have known I needed the by-pass with their IC setup?) .. While I was on the phone talking with Corky about getting the By-Pass we decided to add the Coolant re-route. I waited about 2-3 weeks and what I got was only the re-route.. So I had to wait another week or so for a by-pass.

Coolant Re-Route did not fit with 99 EGR system.. Main metal tube on the Re-route only mounted on one spot (has two but could only get one to fit.)

Intercooler did not fit with A/C system.. They quickly sent out a new intercooler which was very nice but now the Hot Side IC pipes didn't fit. Instead of sending the whole thing back I paid for some new pipes to be fabbed up locally. In fairness I didn't tell them about this because I didn't want to wait any longer.. (it had been 3 months at this point mostly my fault) ..

IC kit didn’t come with the right size T-Bolt Clamps for the piping bought locally instead of telling them..

I think a lot of my problems were due to the time of year I was ordering things and some health issues that the staff was having at the time.

I plan on doing business with them again I think a lot of the issues I had except the IC issues would have been avoided had I been more knowledgeable about this sort of thing..

I'd call my experience to be positive overall, but not perfect.

I received my kit a couple of weeks later than told. They did ship pieces as they were completed, but nothing I could really install until everything else arrived. I posted on this board about the installation instructions and there was general consensus that the instructions are there just for comic relief. Instead of not getting certain parts, I ended up with bags full of nuts, bolts, and doo dads that I had no idea what to do with (see comments about the instructions).

Anyway, sounds like they handle issues with their own products better than they handle issues about custom work.

http://www.vonslatt.com/images/bus/anglegrinder.jpg

and

http://content.answers.com/main/cont...ing.af.ncs.jpg

Gentlemen... and you too Chad, (?!)
Every part discussed here was a custom one-off over the telephone and email. Too many specialties and variations. Too many screw up possibilities. Sometimes I'm just not as good as I once was, or once I was not as good as I thought, and not........ whatever.

Very sorry for the inconveniences caused. If custom pieces cause so much trouble, we can discontinue doing that.

A few items need some feeble comment:
No excuse for missing the crack in the weld. Welding iron is one of life's kicks.

The S5 assembly of Chad's was all welded together on one fixture with that manifold.
The assembly requires a specific sequence and all bolts left completely loose until everything engaged. Then tightened in a specific sequence. Photos suggest a different procedure.

The re-machine of the wg flange probably didn't affect the fit, but I checked that myself and judged it within tolerance of use with the gaskets Tial provides. Perfect.... nope.

We have yet to find either completely stainless flex joints or 18mm cres nuts. Could make the nuts ourselves, no excuse for not doing so, except $15 for a nut.(?)

The thermo spacer is cut to clamp the thermostat.

I've not encountered anyone other than aerospace/high pressure welder guys that back purge stainless welds. Nice to do, agreed, but...... No excuse for not cleaning up the interior a bit, however.

I sure thought the Suby adapter was a nice piece. It fit, was accurate, well anchored, tidy..... crap? Right on the dnpipe, it was another ill-advised custom.

Clocking the turbo is largely coordinating the int. wastegate with the comp. housing. I sort of felt that the oil drain could be positioned where you preferrred it within 5 minutes.

One fun character in NY put one downpipe on his mantle and ordered a second to install... production, it was.

There absolutely has to be a first time someone (me) sees a Garrett turbo with a cast in baffle on the wg port. It just had to happen sometime.

Same for the weird combo of fitttings on a turbo. Glad we had adequate machines to cut threads as required.

My apology for not returning some calls or emails, although I can't think of a single one I missed.

I think to best serve the DIY group, this thread ought to continue, but offer directions to groups that can do the custom non-standard jobs well via telephone. Surely, most of you fellows have sent stuff somewhere and had custom work done that was satisfactory. This would then be the time and place to present their contact info.

I could find such a list useful also.

Best wishes to all,
Corky

I'd like to add that my car is an absolute hoot to drive now and all my frustrations were quickly diminished once I felt boost .. :)

Like I said Corky, this was not a hate thread but more of a discussion of problems so if anything you could see the kinds of issues customers have with service and products. So I guess this could be seen as a quality discussion with customer feedback.

I'd love to be informed of correct bolt tightening for my downpipe. I was never provided instructions for it so I assumed there would be no issues though I did find issues in trying to assemble the parts in three different ways. That includes leaving nuts on the downpipe loose as well as the wastegate then inserting the tubes into the 3rd section slip joints and tightening things down. I was unable to find a method of assembly that worked no matter which order I assembled things in.

Agreed I’m not bashing anyone and I plan on getting more parts down the road. I do think people should know that the custom work done at BEGI isn't always bolt on and go. I think it will only help your customers to know what to possibly expect and it might be worth mentioning during the purchasing process.

Saying something like:

"Our work should be considered one off and fitment issues are a possibility but we will do our best to give you exactly what you paid for."

I think anyone getting custom fab work would respond well to a reasonable statement like that.

Corky,

RE: the sugaring of the stainless weld, which is a rare from the pipes I see in your shop from time to time, they make a flux specifically for this called Solar Flux B, you might try that, it would prevent the contamination of the weld in the first place.

Mark

I would not advise doing that. It's something your company is known for.

Generally speaking quality control seems to be slipping. I've read and heard several people that ordered X, Y, and Z but only received X and Y. Surely a quick check to confirm all the parts that are on your work order are boxed would have prevented this.

In this thread a lot of people had problems with fitment. In Chad's case, he had a multitude of problems. Things that should have been avoided and things that should have never left the shop. Perhaps poor communication is part of the problem. I dunno, but in general QC and communications seem to be the root of several problems that could easily have been avoided.

Patrick

pat I think he was being facetious... i doubt corky's ready to put down his tig and just push papers around.

my experience:

http://www.boostedmiata.com/exhaust/...nifold_002.jpg

= http://www.boostedmiata.com/random/humppipe.jpg

I LOL'd.

I've had a few minor glitches with them, mostly communication. My last shipment included a checklist, so it's obvious they are trying harder to make sure everything is in the box before they ship.

Stephanie has also been wonderful to work with on the mistakes, and they are taking care of me. No notable "complaints" really, just minor stuff.

Corky: http://www.mcmaster.com/ has 18mm hex nuts in 1.5 and 2.5 thread pitch and stainless steel. The most expensive of which is $7 each. I don't know what thread pitch you need, but have a look. I can also help you source them in Houston with one of my vendors if you'd like.

wtf?

I have to agree with the statement about most of these issues seeming to stem from QC/Communication...

As for me personally, I was most bitter about the $ I paid for labor which I never agreed to.

Frankly its a moot point by now, as you can see I never took it any further.

I guess there's 2 ways to read this thread...as the OP intended as a discussion not a rant. You could use it in to find potential problem areas with certain aspects of your business...Or as a "Begi bashing" thread..which it is not...

The words I think we're looking at here are "constructive criticism", or as previously stated a customer feedback thing.

I've been contacted by several people with similar experiences with BEGi. This isn't a very exclusive club.

Here is my tale of woe:

I described my setup in detail: '05 MSM drivetrain in a '95 chassis, with FM (Blouch) compressor wheel upgrade, FM maf-less intake, FM-Link, 550 injectors, large intercooler, improved/more direct turbo to intercooler routing, Forge dv and a free flowing axle-back exhaust initially with a complete catback planned. BEGi was beginning to uncover creep with the separated gases downpipe on stock MSMs, so I asked if an SGDP was right for my setup, concerned about the compressor wheel upgrade. Stephanie said it was, so I ordered an MSM SGDP, but with the standard O2 bungs deleted and a wideband bung added down by the inlet to the cat. Stephanie said they did wideband bungs "all the time" for the MSM and knew where to put it.

I won't bother recounting all the BS about delays, just errors:

1) pipe was built (but I caught the error before shipping) with 3 O2 bungs.
2) pipe was built and shipped with standard bungs, installation hardware was not included, wideband kit had parts pilfered from it, extra flange was not shipped.
3) received pipe with proper single bung, but test fit to the turbo showed that the divider "tongue" was installed incorrectly: the pipe would not slide down over the studs. BEGi says every pipe is fit to their jigs before it is finished, but there is no evidence of shipping trauma. The tongue was installed wrong.
4) test fit of pipe to engine & trans out of the car indicated I might have problems with clearance at the diff (using stock MSM mid-pipe initially). Advised BEGi that their jigs might be off, they didn't think there was a problem. I sent pics showing how the vector of the downpipe was wrong, but no change in BEGi's thinking. When I got the powertrain into the car, the BEGi sgdp put the end of the midpipe HARD up against the diff, as I predicted.
5) tried to install wideband sensor, but the bung is aimed right at the casting boss the PPF mounts too. It lacks a full inch of clearance.

Corky issued a partial refund to cover local repair costs for another bung and adjusting the pipe to actually fit the car. Stephanie says it's all because I put an MSM drivetrain into a '95, ignoring that all of the parts other than the unibody (front and rear suspension, engine, motormounts, trans, PPF, diff, etc) that might affect the exhaust are from the MSM. Corky says the '95 content has no affect on the bad fit, Stephanie continues to say otherwise.

With the BEGi pipe on the car, boost spiked uncontrollably any time the car was under load and revs reached ~5k. I was running a 15psi diagnostic gauge at the time & the needle would be violently pegged against the stop at about 16 psi. Corky said I should restrict the exhaust to control boost.

I bought an FM dp which allowed mechanical boost control to settle at 10 psi. And the OEM midpipe fit like a glove.

Vibrant. I can sell them to you.

To everyone reading this thread, I appreciate the feedback and the info has been passed on to everyone else here. Many customers have made suggestions in the past that have been implemented. Many have also sent e-mails with suggestions or corrections to instructions. I appreciate those and look at all of them. If we like it, we use it.

I also want to apologize ahead of time for the tone of the next note. I am happy to take criticism and suggestions, but I do not think that is what 95 MSM intends with his post. His pipe has been the topic of many threads on the MSM forum for over 14 months. So let me explain the situation from our perspective: he purchased one of our MSM downpipes for a conversion he was working on. What he neglects to mention is 1. We never have guaranteed a fit for a DP for something other than what it was intended/made for. 2. That he INSISTED on keeping the pipe. Corky wanted the pipe back, but he FLAT OUT REFUSED! So a refund for half the cost was issued for a pipe he got to keep, and currently uses, with the agreement that he let it go. This was Mark's idea and we agreed. 3. that he recently achieved boost control via porting the W/G on the MSM turbo. Per Corky's suggestion.

In our eyes, we made right by the situation.
Stephanie

According to my sources...
First, Lay the downpipe in place and engage the studs at the front of the cat. Add nuts, but leave them loose. Push the two downpipe sections together and line up guides for the cross bolt. Insert the 1/4-20 x 4" hex bolt thru the guides on each downpipe segment. Install the exhaust manifold. Install the wastegate. Leave fasteners loose. Install turbo.

Tighten in this order:
1. Turbo to Downpipe and Wastegate
2. Downpipe to the Catalytic Converter
3. Wastegate to Manifold
4. Turbo to Manifold

Hope that helps.
Stephanie

I'm not going to respond point by point to Stephanie's post, other than to say there are many inaccuracies and a lot of spin.

I do feel it is important to clarify what I went through to get it working (and remember, this is the pipe Stephanie recommended for my setup):

First, the wg was already significantly oversized when the pipe was first installed and failed to control boost. I described what I had done & Corky gave me no further insights.

I recently ported the throat of the turbo favoring flow into the wg port, enlarged the wg port further and installed a larger wg flapper valve plate. BEGi had absolutely no role in any of these changes. No first or second hand info, no inspiration, nothing.

In my view, anyone in my position that can't stand a measure of criticism needs to find a new kitchen. My leadership methods include self-flagellation (SP), A rounded off oak 2 x 4, and a few quiet moments. We screw up often enough that this keeps me both bruised and busy. Probably will never change.

What I view as constructive criticism I will take readily. A few other things can stick a bit in my craw.

So, the stickers:
1. A turbo we prepped for a gentleman down near the Everglades had fittings created in lower Slobovia and matched nothing known to Texans. With the decision on my part to spend the needed 4.5 hours and charge $75 for the job fell within my personal guidelines of the trust I thought I had earned. I think I actually enjoy a measure of trust to deliver sufficient value. In my view, that specific job is a solid piece of evidence.

2. After insisting it be sent back, Mr. Brandt chose the option of paying half and keeping the POS dnpipe.


So............ How is that list coming along?

Best wishes,
Corky

TurboTim,
Need more input. send pic/size

The ceramic coating on my manifold isn't shiny any more and there is some surface corrosion on my SS downpipe, can I have some money? :x:

http://www.verociousmotorsports.com/...Flex-Couplings

Probably cheaper places to buy from, but I have had good dealings with those guys in the past.

We already talked about that one, your salty roads destroyed your coating and stainless finish. I wonder if a wire brush on a drill would clean it up nice again. The manifold however is a lost cause unless you got it blasted and coated again.

Yeah I know, I was just looking for some easy money :giggle: I can't keep selling my body to get through college.

Corky, you offered compensation for fixing the bad wideband bung and fixing the alignment of the dp. There was never any discussion about it being a final resolution. If you might recall, I even accepted a smaller refund than you offered. I also made it clear that my preference was to have a working (no creep/spike) SGDP (the car had yet to be started up). Neither you nor Stephanie ever INSISTED that I return the pipe, nor did BEGi ever issue a return tag to have it shipped back. You made vague statements that you would like it back for reasons that you would not disclose.

Mark, Surely your memory is better than mine as I never had one in the first place. But something is banging around in there that suggests I stated roughly/precisely that I wanted the POS pipe back because I did not want any begi parts on your car. I tend to call that insistant, and clear.

Please forgive me, we all have better things to do. You may have the last word and we'll leave it at that. We'll cross paths again sometime and perhaps we'll both fare better.

Again, it wasn't the dollar amount it was the fact that we never discussed being charged. I agree, $75 for an oddball situation to be rectified, in a quality manner was justified.

A simple call saying, FYI we've check it out and need to do about $75 worth of labor to get it fixed, do you WANT us to do this?
Instead, I received a call saying it's taken care of AFTER you had already done the work and sent it back days later. Not to mention the conversation we had over the phone left off that either I am wrong about the turbo I have, or you've never seen my turbo which you highly doubted. We left off if I was incorrect about my turbo, I'd have to eat the cost to fix it. If it's somethign you've never seen, you'd cover it, which again you were sure wasn't the case.
The result was a quality, functional piece which I am happy about. However, I should not have been charged without being given an authorization for you to do so, and an explanation as to why it became my fault. I already paid the full price of your product, plus the shipping back and forth to resolve the issue.
Again, I was not bashing Begi, but sharing my experience. And as I stated the end product seems to be (not yet tested) of good quality and functional. You replied with your interpretation, and I'm following up with mine.
If the simple notion/practice of making a customer aware of a charge before you are put it on his credit card doesn't sit well with you, it is what it is...

95MSM, stop your banter. You issues are obviously over, long gone, and far different than many of the others we're talking about here. It seems both you and BEGI have talked this over many times on different forums and I'm pretty sure I've read it elsewhere at least once.

Corky, I sent my turbine housing in unknowing that the S5 kit was designed for a T3 anyway. My turbine housing is a standard Garrett T3 so where do the fitment issues in my downpipe come from? Can the downpipe not be redesigned so that it has more clearance between the two pipes so this kind of thing doesn't take place?

Even if it means an earlier reintroduction of the WG tube. I know you preach flow and proper swaging frequently but the later introduction of the WG tube offers how much benefit over an earlier introduction that has less problems when it comes time for install?
I would much rather have received a downpipe that didn't have the sugaring on the inside of the tubing with correctly ported inlet outlet than a downpipe that has fitment issues that supposedly flows better than a greased fat kid in a waterslide.
If you reintroduced the WG before the slip joint then there would be one less connection that could possibly warp during welding or be misalligned in the jig. I would sacrifice the 2-3%(WAG) of linear flow that the later introduction offers if it meant having 1 less defect per every 5 downpipes. (Or however many you have problems with)

Deleted, per moderator's request.

Corky, since you're here, may I please pick your brain (just a little)?

I ordered a S5 manifold and downpipe from the sweet and ever patient Stephanie on the 3rd of this month. The day previous, I had a very pleasant conversation with you regarding your turbo motorcycle, which you may recall.
If I may,

1. What do you think would be a good turbo for my build? I'll obviously have a S5 mani and downpipe. I'll also have a tial 38mm gate, on a BP bored to ~1.9L, a 99 head with an MSM intake cam and adjustable gears, 6 speed trans, and a 3.31 final drive with a RX7 clutch LSD. Jason @ enthuza is going to build me a sick exhaust. I'm looking for appx 400whp. However, streetablilty and midrange torque is more important to me than overall power. The turbo I was looking at was the Garrett T3/T04E with 50 trim compressor. Was at first leaning towards a .64A/R turbine... but now I'm wondering if I'll want a .48 for spool. Perhaps I can get something along the lines of a .48 stageIII. :dunno: Comments greatly appreciated.
2. Should I have my manifold ceramic coated? Is the coating cosmetic only, or does it actually contain heat inside the manifold?
3. I'm probably going to need to get some other odd bits from you, such as coolant re-route items. What was the final outcome with the reroute; did you end up making a block off plate for the front water neck? IMO, that's the most ideal way.

This is my build thread:
https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16608
as to not de-rail this thread too much, I'll move your response over there.

Thanks

cjernigan: Have you tried the correct tightening procedure to see if it solves your issue? It is available in their manual on the website.