KBDiesel silicon Turbo Intake Hose (small port placement no good)

[kidjedi]

Howdy, all. The Silicon Turbo Intake hose from IDParts and Sasquatch has been unavailable for nearly 6 months. I see options on Ebay and directly from manufacturer websites from KBDiesel and HPS. The HPS price is around $190, and the KBDiesel one is around $80. From the online pics, they seem similarly constructed (number of silicon layers, etc.), so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the KBDiesel one.

When I tried to install it today, I found that the placement of the small port (the line from the CCV puck or the Provent if you have one) made it unusable. Because it's so tight with all the hoses between the thermostat/water pump and the turbo, the placement of the port as well as the pitch (angle) is fairly critical. Since that port is in the wrong place and at a slightly wrong angle, the elbow in the port presses up against the back of the thermostat electrical connector and wires. I'm pretty sure this will cause the thermostat electrical connection to fail over time.

The port is pressed tight against the heat shield (which also makes me concerned about the elbow getting too hot, which will likely transfer heat to the thermostat wires and electrical connector as well), and if you try to rotate the whole inlet hose counterclockwise, the big end will no longer line up and connect with the airbox.

Just wanted to post this so no one else runs into the same problem. I guess I'll give the HPS version a shot, but it's twice the price and there's no gaurantee the port location is any better. :-( I'd pay that for the Sasquatch version, but it ***** to take a gamble on the unknown.

Incidentally... it also ***** (ha) that when I was changing this hose, I realized the sucking sound I had been hearing was actually coming from the Samco silicon turbo intercooler hose (passenger side)... it had failed where the clamp pinches the hose to the turbo. This vehicle had the IDParts branded intercooler hoses at one point. The passenger side one failed after only a year (in the desert, of course), and IDParts replaced it with a Samco. The Samco is now what has failed. Unfortunately I'm out of warranty period, but I did find my original email conversation with IDParts where I noted that the origianl OEM rubber hoses on both my CRD's lasted more than 10 years, and these silicon hoses seem to last only 1-3 years (I've had three fail). I thought Silicon was supposed to be more durable? Maybe I should switch back to OEM rubber for both my Turbo inlet hose as well as my turbo intercooler hose. Thoughts?

 

[seafish]

it had failed where the clamp pinches the hose to the turbo.

As you just found out, in the aftermarket parts game, you generally get what you pay for and if a hose selling for less then half the price of other like it, there WILL be a reason. That said, I totally understand that waiting for an out of stock item is sometimes not an option.

The silicone hoses ARE less susceptible to rotting from the oil that comes in through the EGR.
That said, like any hose, they can be damaged from over tightening the hose clamp, particularly if it is not a fully sleeved constant tension type hose clamp.

 

[kidjedi]

As you just found out, in the aftermarket parts game, you generally get what you pay for and if a hose selling for less then half the price of other like it, there WILL be a reason. That said, I totally understand that waiting for an out of stock item is sometimes not an option.

The silicone hoses ARE less susceptible to rotting from the oil that comes in through the EGR.
That said, like any hose, they can be damaged from over tightening the hose clamp, particularly if it is not a fully sleeved constant tension type hose clamp.

Unfortunately, the statement you replied to (the one that failed) was with regard to a Samco hose. The KBDiesel hose never even had air run through it because the port was in the wrong place.

The reason I posed the question about silicone in general was because the hose that failed is supposed to be the "best" we can possibly get.

While the clamps for that hose are sleeved and constant tension, there is a chance that they were over tightened.

I think I am going to get a rubber OEM (Mopar) turbo intake hose (so the port is definitely in the right place), and then run with an OEM passenger side turbo intercooler hose from my parts Jeep for a while. It looks to be in good condition, and the Samcos and Mishimotos only come in sets (and I only need the one).

 

[KJowner]

Would it be possible to cut the KBD hose and rotate it for a better fit? An aluminium hose barb could be used to join it, eBay is full of cheap DIY intercooler hose fittings.

 

[kidjedi]

Would it be possible to cut the KBD hose and rotate it for a better fit? An aluminium hose barb could be used to join it, eBay is full of cheap DIY intercooler hose fittings.

The fitment issue isn't with the intercooler hose, it's the Turbo Intake (from the airbox). That "hose" is 3" or 4" wide and tapered (wider at the airbox, narrower at the turbo), plus the "port" needs to be rotated more to the top, so with the geometry of the overall hose, it wouldn't really work.

 

[KJowner]

That's annoying!

 

[seafish]

The fitment issue isn't with the intercooler hose, it's the Turbo Intake (from the airbox). That "hose" is 3" or 4" wide and tapered (wider at the airbox, narrower at the turbo), plus the "port" needs to be rotated more to the top, so with the geometry of the overall hose, it wouldn't really work.

Ya on the CRD its definitely a TIGHT fit even with the OEM intake hose.

 

[WWDiesel]

The silicone air intake hose is definitely a tight fit, I have a Sasquatch one on my Jeep with ProVent. I used a 90 deg. metal elbow to make the connection for the ProVent hose at the air intake boot to help with clearance issues in that area. As to the boost hoses, I have the silicone hoses and they have been in service for 10 years now with no failures and I am running higher boost pressures with a tune and a adjustable Diablo puck. So silicone hoses can last for a long time. I believe they are Samcos that came from IDParts many years ago.
One note: I relocated the IAP sensor to the top of the air box due to it was digging into the boost hose. I also used "T" bolt style clamps on the boost hoses to ensure proper clamping. I believe they are much superior to screw style clamps.

 

[kidjedi]

The silicone air intake hose is definitely a tight fit, I have a Sasquatch one on my Jeep with ProVent. I used a 90 deg. metal elbow to make the connection for the ProVent hose at the air intake boot to help with clearance issues in that area. As to the boost hoses, I have the silicone hoses and they have been in service for 10 years now with no failures and I am running higher boost pressures with a tune and a adjustable Diablo puck. So silicone hoses can last for a long time. I believe they are Samcos that came from IDParts many years ago.
One note: I relocated the IAP sensor to the top of the air box due to it was digging into the boost hose. I also used "T" bolt style clamps on the boost hoses to ensure proper clamping. I believe they are much superior to screw style clamps.

I too use a brass elbow for my Provent to the turbo intake, but it still hits that thermostat connection. I may see if I can cut back (shorten) the small port in the silicon intake hose since KBDiesel doesn't want to process my return ("we've sold hundreds. This isn't an issue." --I would avoid purchasing from KBdiesel.com).

I'm also using the T-bolt style clamps. I think they came with the IDParts samcos.

I installed the KBdiesel part again today to get a better photo of where the small port lands. Obviously there's no way this is going to work without pushing up against the thermostat connection. And because of how the other end connects to the airbox, the hose can't be rotated.

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Edit to add the OEM port location photo:

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