Anyone have issues with leaky V-band clamps on their Silber?

[tuneman]

Hey Guys, I picked up a new Silber turbo for my '18 Pro 163" and have been having issues with the V-bands leaking. When I originally installed it, all of them leaked. So, I took it apart and found some mis-alignment. I reassembled and only reduced the leaking, but then also had difficulty with getting the turbo to fit correctly. So, I sent it back to Silber. They just reassembled the turbo and sent it back. It's fits better, but not perfect, and the only leak I have now is at the large V-clamp on the low pressure/output side of the turbo. I drove around my yard for about 5 minutes and I got some oily splatter on the turbo that spit out of the clamp. I also had the same oily residue that ran down the side of my quiet can. It's not a lot, a couple quarter inch wide streaks down the full length, but it is leaking. Is this normal? Will it eventually go away or what should I do?

Yes, I've gone back and forth with Silber a lot on this and am done dealing with them. They're not very helpful...

 

[JJ_0909]

Hey Guys, I picked up a new Silber turbo for my '18 Pro 163" and have been having issues with the V-bands leaking. When I originally installed it, all of them leaked. So, I took it apart and found some mis-alignment. I reassembled and only reduced the leaking, but then also had difficulty with getting the turbo to fit correctly. So, I sent it back to Silber. They just reassembled the turbo and sent it back. It's fits better, but not perfect, and the only leak I have now is at the large V-clamp on the low pressure/output side of the turbo. I drove around my yard for about 5 minutes and I got some oily splatter on the turbo that spit out of the clamp. I also had the same oily residue that ran down the side of my quiet can. It's not a lot, a couple quarter inch wide streaks down the full length, but it is leaking. Is this normal? Will it eventually go away or what should I do?

Yes, I've gone back and forth with Silber a lot on this and am done dealing with them. They're not very helpful...

Hey Tuneman,

You called and talked to me at one point too.

Usually a quick loosening/tightening of the clamps fixes any leak. Remember, V-Band stuff is used in race cars, and so long as the flanges are true, its pretty dang hard to get a leak.

You suggested we haven't been very helpful but we even asked you swing by our shop so we could professionally install the turbo (for free - you are in MN). You declined this suggestion.

In cases like yours, having a dealer (or a buddy who understands two stroke turbos on a snowmobile) involved can really help out. The kits are easy to install, but knowing a few of the tricks (such as getting the turbo to sit just right in the sled) can help.

 

[nuttyn01]

Leaky

We dealt with this years ago on a xm kit. It was likely warped when the fitting was welded. We had to belt sand portions of the connection to get it true. You could also try a thin application of high temp silicone. Apply it and let it set for a couple of minutes to Develop a thin skin and then clamp it. Let it sit for a minimum of 24 hrs prior to running. Good luck!

 

[tuneman]

JJ_0909, I definitey appreciate the help and time you've given me. Yes, I'm in Minnesota, but the Silber shop is no where near close enough to just "swing by". So, I shipped it back, at my expense, and they just threw it back together with seemingly no intention of looking into why it leaks. I just felt really blown off by the guys in the shop. I'm a product development engineer that rebuilds 2-stroke engines in my sleep, so I'll fix it. I'm just looking for some feedback on what other's have done to deal with V-clamp leaks.

 

[roughrider99]

To get vbands to seat properly you should tap around the circumference with a small rubber hammer as you tighten. The heavy equipment I work on daily has vband exhaust and it’s common that tightening the bolt itself will not align the pipes and seat the clamp evenly. This is less common on smaller vbands since there is less friction