Re: Modified engine life (Was: IA prices)

[Michael Spiers <mikes@specnet.com>]

> With all of this talk of pricing for the IA mods and the performance
> gains provided, I have to ask what kind of risks you run by making
> these changes.  In other words, with a 40-50% gain in engine
> performance, do you run the risk of reducing engine life by more or
> less than 40-50% over what would normally be expected from a stock
> set-up?  Also, assuming you use the 92+ octane gasoline as recommended,
> is knock what really causes the engine failure, or is there something
> else like wear, heat, pressure, etc.?

Jeff, the biggest (and as far as I know the only) thing to worry about, if
running the correct octane gas, is blowing the caps off your intercooler.  The
other possibility is blowing your intercooler hose (remember the mangled one I
had in my trunk?) but this isn't too likely unless your hose is already in bad
shape (read dry-rotted or cracked.)  Ned recommends the use of a blow-by valve,
which is tapped in to the down-pipe to the turbo.  I spoke with others on this
NET whose opinions I highly regard, and was recommended to just use a large
hose clamp around the intercooler.  I had bought some 4 1/2 inch jobs to fix
the catalytic converter on my fathers Explorer, two of those puppies did the
trick (think I showed you that too, not sure though.)  The time when this
damage will occur is when you lett OFF the gas from full throttle (like
tromping it off the line and letting off to shift to second or whatever.)  I
didn't install the valve on mine, and I haven't blown anything up yet.
 Synthetic oil is generally recommended also, as you're making the turbo spin a
lot faster than it ever did before, which makes it runn hotter than it ever did
before.  Any more questions, lemme know and I'll fax you what I have from Ned.
 Good luck!

-Mike
87 5000CS TQ