I recently purchased a used efini y-pipe (bolt on style). When I went to fit it to the car the y-pipe wouldn't seat all the way down because it was hitting the t-stat housing area. I thought this was a direct replacement on any set of twins...

Could it be the turbos are clocked out away from the engine causing the pipe to hit? All the lines are properly aligned...

 

That's exactly what the problem is. the compressor housings need to be clocked correctly.

 

i have to disagree... if the regular y pipe fit fine then the efini will also drop in. there are differences in the design but not enough so that it would require you to reclock the compressor housing. a definitive way to tell is to look at the two actuators on the twins. since they mount on the front compressor housing and the arm is in a fixed location, should the housing be "mis-clocked" it either wouldnt mount properly or it wouldnt align at all. not to mention the vacuum hard lines that run down there. they share a mount point with the intake elbow.

but if i am incorrect then its just a super thick c-clip holding the compressor housing. it shouldnt be too difficult to grab it and tap the housing a little bit to turn it.

can you post a couple pictures of your fitment issues?

 

Its been a long time, but I think I had to remove the smog pump in order to get the lower section of the y-pipe to slide in, and align properly. I suspect it isnt aligned right if you are hitting the t-stat housing.

 

So my car is no where near stock. The vacuum lines are for the AZknightz solenoid rack. All emissions are gone too. The oil feed lined up, but I guess the primary compressor could be off as the secondary probably isn't as important since the CRV side of the y pipe is oringed.

 

^ From that picture, even your stock crossover pipe look angled/different, could just be the picture tho.

 

Well, I think it is just the angle. The ETS intercooler piping might force it to that angle a little. The efini tube is pulled toward and hits the thermostat housing.

 

Show_off - the y-pipe you show in the picture isn't an Efini Y-Pipe. Its a stock plastic Y-Pipe painted silver. Efini Y-Pipes come in cast aluminum.

Looks like you are running aftermarket silicone couplers. Is it possible that the silicone coupler from the cross over pipe to the front y-pipe out of factory spec ?

 

lol...yes, the efini is a bolt together aluminum piece and the stock one is on because the efini wouldn't fit. The efini is sitting next to the car on the floor of my garage.

 

Your stock y-pipe is misaligned based on the pictures . . .

 

Agreed.... there's definitely something wonky going on there. Maybe your compressor housing is misaligned after all =/

 

Turbos are clocked wrong. You can tell by the angle of the coupler to the crossover pipe. The aftermarket coupler you are using may be a bit too long as well. Make sure the ypipe is securely bolted to the turbos, get a big prybar and wrap it in a rag, insert it into the y pipe, and you should be able to get the turbos to move. Note this will not work with 99 turbos or others that do not have the oem-style snap rings holding the compressor covers on.

 

That sounds like a risky ordeal if those bad boys are heat seized, but you have a lot more experience than I do!

 

I guess this might work..... 🙄. But I am sure a towel wrapped prybar is not a Mazda SST. What does the FSM say?

 

replace the turbos!

 

It shouldn't take much force to more them. If they don't move you will have to release the snap rings to spin them. Most likely turbos will have to come off.