S&H Turbo Build- Frustrations

[Memphis]

So when my kit got here I felt like a little kid on christmas, my first Turbo. Heck I have rebuilt engines, how hard could a turbo be? I was really revved up for this. Went and got AN lines etc to replace some of the rubber hoses, installed the 07 coolant conversion, fuel pump, spark plugs etc and I was ready to take on the pipes! Maximum of two weeks and I would be kicking but with my new turbo!

Where I am on the build NOW. First off, I’m a little frustrated. After trying to get things lined up for weeks and feeling like an idiot and several PM's back and forth to S&H, I finally said screw it and had the car towed to the shop.

After a couple of days I was even more frustrated after several emails from the shop:

[FONT=&quot](ME) [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]From:[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 2:20 PM
To:
Subject: RE: 2005 Mustang[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Injectors should be there tomorrow. How badly did I screw my car up?[/FONT]

(SHOP)
[FONT=&quot]From:[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Sent:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thu 8/09/12 7:35 AM[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Um, not too bad, some of the piping doesn’t mate up nor is even close. But we’re working on it. We have had to go through and tighten everything. And the bell housing bolts are too long (THIS WAS UNRELATED- MY FAULT- I had forgotten the bolts for the K-member brace with torque limiters were longer), just typical stuff. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot](ME)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Wanted to make sure the injectors arrived. Any progress? Is it going to live?

[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] (SHOP)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To: ''[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Injectors just got here. The piping on that turbo leaves a lot to be desired, the radiator return line lays on top of the turbo. And the inlet needs to be modified if the hood is ever going to close, just FYI[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot](ME)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Outlook Active View[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]1 attachment (51.5 KB) (FUEL PUMP WIRING UPGRADE INSTRUCTIONS)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Download[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Download as zip[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Wonderful. So it wasn’t just me missing something obvious. That makes me fell slightly better (of course once I see the bill that might change. Thanks for the info. Please let me know when progress is made or if you have any questions.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot](ME)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Here is the company’s website- Jeremy answers questions via PM's on S197 almost instantly. I don’t know if he can clear anything up or help.

http://www.sandhperformance.com/ [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] (SHOP)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yea, we’re going to have to do some fairly major fab work to get it to fit. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot](SHOP)[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]To:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cc:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Just to keep you updated. We’re pretty close to making thunder in the pipes. We’re at about $2250 right now, including towing. We have a couple pieces coming which are included in the $2250 so we can fabricate some pipe. I’m guessing another couple hundred plus some tuning til we’re done. Somewhere around $3,000 barring any more surprises. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I’m out for a week so if you need anything answered send it to . I’m cc’ing [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]END[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Needless to say I’m a little frustrated. I have been endlessly impressed with S&H's customer service- The product has been a nightmare. I don’t know what kind of response I want from S&H at this point, but I am extremely frustrated with the end product. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The instructions are seriously lacking, they reference included Header wrap, and some kind of Radiator hose cover that are not included. I made several trips to the hardware store for bolts- had to enlarge bolt holes in the exhaust flanges etc.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It would really improve the experience if the instructions started out with an inventory list- A simple 4 of these bolts, picture of bolt etc. This would give customers a chance to check everything off and make sure they were ready to rock before the car was in pieces. Also, a simple set of diagrams would really help (Pipe A picture- Connects to Pipe B picture) The instructions were written from the standpoint of someone who knows the lingo and has installed turbo’s before. So for first time installers I found this a frustrating experience.



[/FONT]

 

[riceeater33]

thanks for the info, i was thinking about getting this in the future

 

[JoshK]

Weird that you had so much trouble. I installed my kit by myself in my garage with basic hand tools over two weekends. Did you search on here the build threads such as mine and jeremys? They have lots of pics on how it all goes together. As long as the pipes are left loose while you are putting it together it goes together pretty easy. Only part i needed help with was my wife holding up the turbo/up pipe while i put the clamp on

 

[GrabberBlue5.0]

sounds frustrating for sure

 

[Alfiedagr8]

Really. It is work
To get them lined up but it's doable just take some work. U have to leave everything loose and put everything on before tightening the clamps. Or maybe u got a bad pipe in the kit. Hope OT all works out man


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Memphis]

This is the response I got after venting my frustrations to S&H- Please notice in the email correspondence (BOLD AND BLUE) where the shop mentions that everything was left loose per the instructions.

"Sorry you have had trouble with the install. It is ment as an install guide for those with a least some knowledge of how a turbo system works. Most guys I never hear back from and still waiting on pictures from guys to update the directions. I am not against updating them with things guys feel will be useful.

You need to leave all the exhaust connections loose till the end and the position every things where you want and go back and tigten them down evenly. This is absolutely necessary to fit everything together.

Header wrap is optional some guys choose to use it, some dont."

 

[Saleen S281]

3 grand plus the price of the turbo kit, gauges, etc? I hope that includes a dyno tune, good luck!

 

[Fantas]

I have this kit with the 76mm oilless turbo. The only thing I don't like about the kit are some of the clearances. But what can I expect when you stuff so much stuff into an engine bay that it wasn't designed for. I have done everything by myself and haven't had any issues other than tapping into coolant lines for supply/return for the turbo. After a call to Bobby I was able to get that sorted. I will agree thought that some of the instructions (lets call them destructions) aren't worded very well.

 

[JoshK]

Not really sure what you can expect now that the pipes have been cut up. The kit works as there are hundreds of them out and installed. If you happen to have a bad pipe then that should have been brought to S&H's attention before the kit was cut up. Did you or the shop reference any of the multiple build threads that are on here for this kit with many pics?

 

[weather man]

This situation is a "no win" for both. Did the piping get bent in transit? Dropping a car at a shop and telling to "fix" is never going to be a cost effective deal. Hell, having a shop do a build when everything is discussed beforehand is a wallet draining experience.

Being frustrated with a down car you want running is just a bad deal. Sorry your build took a wrong turn man. Good luck.

 

[JeremyH]

Sounds like the shop is giving you the run around.... Good luck with them!

 

[ctt326]

Yeah bummer this has been such a frustration for you. I put this complete kit on my car in 2 weekends while it was on jackstands, some of it was a PITA which caused me to sit down and drink some beer more than a few times. The fitment is tight for sure but I guarantee the pipes you were sent will fit just fine. That shit is not getting bent during shipping. My radiator hose does not hit my turbo and my hood closes just fine, they don't have it mounted right. Oh and yes the instructions do leave a lot to be desired. Best of luck man.

 

[3VPOWA]

Weird that you had so much trouble. I installed my kit by myself in my garage with basic hand tools over two weekends. Did you search on here the build threads such as mine and jeremys? They have lots of pics on how it all goes together. As long as the pipes are left loose while you are putting it together it goes together pretty easy. Only part i needed help with was my wife holding up the turbo/up pipe while i put the clamp on

Not really sure what you can expect now that the pipes have been cut up. The kit works as there are hundreds of them out and installed. If you happen to have a bad pipe then that should have been brought to S&H's attention before the kit was cut up. Did you or the shop reference any of the multiple build threads that are on here for this kit with many pics?

You've mentioned this twice. And this is nothing against S&H, but someone installing a turbo kit should not have to reference a forum to put it on their car.

What about people who do not use forums and buys the kit to install? Clear instructions are paramount when selling something like a turbo kit, supercharger, etc. for the end user to efficiently install it. (And I haven't looked at their install guide, only going off what the OP has said.)

 

[Torched S197]

^ no matter what kit you buy everybody runs into trouble unless you do it a ton. When I installed my vortech the directions were all screwed up because you'd do a step, then the next step you would have to undo that to make the next step work. My point is if I was doing it I would research everything I could, from forums to phone calls and so on.

 

[3VPOWA]

^ no matter what kit you buy everybody runs into trouble unless you do it a ton. When I installed my vortech the directions were all screwed up because you'd do a step, then the next step you would have to undo that to make the next step work. My point is if I was doing it I would research everything I could, from forums to phone calls and so on.

Oh, I would too. I have done research online for every mod I've done on this car. I only mentioned it for the very few who don't peruse forums. And in the car world that's not many. lol

 

[MindIfISmoke?]

Weird I installed mine in a weekend.

 

[JoshK]

Well i did install my kit almost completely by just using the instructions, guess some of us are just a little more savy at this kind of thing than others. OP, sorry for your troubles but i believe the shop is taking advantage of someone that is frustrated. Just my 2cents.

 

[Memphis]

Yes I read up on several of the build threads on here, including Fuels, MindifIsmokes, CTT326 etc. I realize that ideally I would have had time to send the pipes back to check fitment etc- realistically though after 6 weeks of frustration I had to step back and hand it over to a shop that I trust. Car is my daily driver and I needed the car back (Wife screaming at me to get it fixed was also incentive) I will take pictures when I get the car back and continue to update. Hopefully everything will work out, anxious to see some numbers. Hoping to get it back this week after dyno tune.

And.. MindIfISmoke.. By now you should be able to do the install in your sleep. That is one bad ass looking car. Still hoping to make it up to your neck of the woods and check it out sometime.

 

[TurboX]

Please dont think Im a S&H nut swinger like Matt and Josh Jeremy is a huge contributor to this site and Im having a hard time choking this down. At the same time I can personally relate to your frustration from previous experience with my Turbo system.

$3000 ??? Can you fill us in on what the have done for that price ? Turbo systems can be a real bitch to install. I found it easier to built a entire race Turbo kit with water to air innercooler than it was to install a Hellion kit on my car. I had Hellion telling me they had never seen the problems I was describing, they were basically calling me a dumb ass without really saying it. I finally got fed up and trailered the car 750 miles each way to NM and told them to install it. I said I would pay it was a mistake on my part and also explained I didnt expect to pay a dime if the kit needed modifying like I thought it needed. After 2 weeks they modified my innercooler and wastegate piping to make the kit work, I picked up the car and have been happy with the powerband and feel of the Turbo vs a S/C.


Now back to the S&H, isnt their kit a On3 with upgraded components ? I know I have seen several threads go both ways with On3 kits, maybe you got a kit that goes the bad way. It might be a common occurrence that goes with your model year car and the kit. I would snap pictures, show Jeremy what the local shop modified and perhaps yall can come to a mutual agreement if the repairs were valid.

Good luck and Im sure after you drive the car, this will all be water under the bridge.

PS Goodluck with the wife, been there done that

 

[mikeyfitz]

Weird, I did all my piping and stuff in like 5 hours. First ever turbo install too. That's with many beer breaks and food breaks.