After 45 track events: ASA TM-12 receives new seals and upgraded bearings.

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

Hey all,

Perhaps a perfect time to post. Not sure if I recall anyone posted about replacing the seals on a ASA TM compressor...but after 45 track events (60 track days to be exact, or roughly 14000 track miles), I decided that my ASA TM-12 needs a rebuild. Call it maintenance if you will but yes, 45 track events and almost 4 years later is a darn long time! When Alpina says they tested the ASA for reliability before installing in the B5 and B7, this is the real deal.

Knowing that I need this TM-12 for another NASA TT event, Christian Stoeber, CEO/engineer of ASA Ingenieurbüro GmbH (http://www.a-s-a.de/e_index.html), rushed the job for me. His engineers replaced the seals, upgraded the bearings and several other internal parts. To help accelerate the process, Dirk Ochmann, marketing manager, of ASA shipped it out via world express. The TM-12 is now clean and shiny. Note that only ASA is qualified to replace the seals.

http://www.vsengineeringtrack.com/track_reports/2007/ASA_rebuild/TM_12_rebuilt.jpg http://www.vsengineeringtrack.com/track_reports/2007/ASA_rebuild/TM_12_bearings.jpg

The symptom to look out for is not parts flying from under the hood but excessive oil in the boostside of the compressor (this is also the intercooler inlet), and the intake side. The reason is that once the seals start to harded, the oil that lubricates the bearings will start to leak into the rest of the ASA housing.

Now why the intake side? If oil leaks through the seals, it will also travel through the rest of the piping due to the rather obvious reason, ie flow direction. During a gear shift, pressurized air is released through the by-pass valve back into the intake. Hence this causes the intake area to be rather oily. I am not talking about an oil film but dripping oil. So you see a puddle of oil underneath the driver's front side of the bumper and you have been driving the ASA compressor for the last 3 or 4 years, chances are you need to replace the seals.

Under proper guidance from Zolti at Technik Engineering, it is now installed and ready for the next competition! :craig:

[Ervin87]

Nice. Talk about reliability. 14000 track miles, WOW.

I love reading about your track events.

:thumbsup:

[Nt_loader]

WOW I cant believe you' still at it :bow:

[TitanSilber ZHP]

:str8pimpi Wow, that is amazing, Im glad to see youre still around!

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

Nice. Talk about reliability. 14000 track miles, WOW.

I love reading about your track events.

:thumbsup:

Thanks for the support! :pimpin:

WOW I cant believe you' still at it :bow:

Good to hear from ya! I see that you moved to AZ?

:str8pimpi Wow, that is amazing, Im glad to see youre still around!

Why wouldn't I be? The car is reliable! Thanks for reading!:craig:

[Nt_loader]

Yea we moved to AZ about 2 years ago :hi:

[beanfree]

I have had the ASA TM-12 for less than a year. I noticed that my intake had small puddles of oil(between the filter and the TM-12). Is this normal?

[aggieE46]

It could be normal depending on how much you boost, how hard you drive, and how often you change your oil.

I ran decent amounts of boost on the little T-25 turbo on my Talon (14-15psi). Once I started pushing the turbo after I upgraded my fuel system and went to a front mount, I blew the oil seal on the exhaust side (boosting 18-19 psi). I went through 2 other 14Bs (to make due) before I got a turbo that could handle what I was doing to it.

I would imagine that for track use, he isn't seeing how much boost he can get out of that thing. His unit probably isn't pushed to the limits.

From what I've read, you're running a pretty hardcore setup (cams and a different pulley). I would imagine that you're pushing the TM-12 pretty hard. How many miles do you think you have on it?

I have had the ASA TM-12 for less than a year. I noticed that my intake had small puddles of oil(between the filter and the TM-12). Is this normal?

[beanfree]

I have about 7000 miles on it. 99% of them are easy miles. Like to rev it up and drive it hard occasionally. Hard to do that on the street and be safe. Is there a solution to the oil issue. Should I consider relocating the pipe?

[aggieE46]

It depends on how much oil you're spitting out. If there is a drop or two every once in a while, probably not a big deal. If you're streaming oil into the intake, you might need to have the main unit rebuilt like Paddleshift.

I used to check the intake boot on my Talon every time I did an oil change. Also, I could check for shaft play (chuckle). The more play and the more oil blowing through, the more worn your turbo/supercharger. I don't have a lot of experience with SCs, yet, but I would imagine the principle carry over.

[beanfree]

The question is how much oil is too much. I changed the TE intake two months ago because of the accordion hoses. The TE intake was lined with a film of oil and some pools. It was on 9 months or so. My custom intake had a couple of small pools of oil and an oil film over the intake. Maybe I should drop the crankcase ventilation tube into the supercharger portion of the intake.

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

Doesn't the puddle bug you? If it's a puddle, then it's too much. 7k miles on the TM-12 should not require a rebuild.

Ideally, the intake tract, along with the rest of the internal plumbing should be an oil free environment and I am proud to say, mine is almost just that with very little oil film on the walls of the intake tracts. No oil drips. No puddles.

The one thing you should look into is the cyclone oil separator. This unit is located under the intake manifold. If you install as per instructions, you will have to use the separator. That bugger can fail and instead of separating oil from the PCV vapor, the vapor will still carry oil into the intake tract. The oil puddle is a result of condensation. I bypassed the separator and installed a custom coalescing oil vapor filter with a drainage back into the oil pan. Or for a easier setup, go with one of those Greddy oil catch can. Works the same.

[MachRc]

wo0t thanks for the info on what to look out for mr paddleshift!
im glad them folks over at ASA took good care of your stuff.

i myself have no sign or drips of oil, but will check up on all the hoses listed above now and then.

hope to see you around more often mr vincent!


see you around mr vincent!!!!

[beanfree]

Bug me! I feel like this damn supercharger is ruling my life. My mechanic could not believe how much oil was in the TE intake (trapped inbetween the accordion hose's folds). He mentioned putting in a catch can to stop this. Another project. This will never end.:banghead:

[koray1]

Hey all,

Perhaps a perfect time to post. Not sure if I recall anyone posted about replacing the seals on a ASA TM compressor...but after 45 track events (60 track days to be exact, or roughly 14000 track miles), I decided that my ASA TM-12 needs a rebuild. Call it maintenance if you will but yes, 45 track events and almost 4 years later is a darn long time! When Alpina says they tested the ASA for reliability before installing in the B5 and B7, this is the real deal.

Knowing that I need this TM-12 for another NASA TT event, Christian Stoeber, CEO/engineer of ASA Ingenieurbüro GmbH (http://www.a-s-a.de/e_index.html), rushed the job for me. His engineers replaced the seals, upgraded the bearings and several other internal parts. To help accelerate the process, Dirk Ochmann, marketing manager, of ASA shipped it out via world express. The TM-12 is now clean and shiny. Note that only ASA is qualified to replace the seals.

http://www.vsengineeringtrack.com/track_reports/2007/ASA_rebuild/TM_12_rebuilt.jpg http://www.vsengineeringtrack.com/track_reports/2007/ASA_rebuild/TM_12_bearings.jpg

The symptom to look out for is not parts flying from under the hood but excessive oil in the boostside of the compressor (this is also the intercooler inlet), and the intake side. The reason is that once the seals start to harded, the oil that lubricates the bearings will start to leak into the rest of the ASA housing.

Now why the intake side? If oil leaks through the seals, it will also travel through the rest of the piping due to the rather obvious reason, ie flow direction. During a gear shift, pressurized air is released through the by-pass valve back into the intake. Hence this causes the intake area to be rather oily. I am not talking about an oil film but dripping oil. So you see a puddle of oil underneath the driver's front side of the bumper and you have been driving the ASA compressor for the last 3 or 4 years, chances are you need to replace the seals.

Under proper guidance from Zolti at Technik Engineering, it is now installed and ready for the next competition! :craig:

How much did it cost to rebuilt it from Asa ?Ill bet it was very expensive?
regards
Koray