ORIGINAL: Rendegade
Just a quick word on couplers before you close the book though, try to keep the gap between the header and the pipe as small as possible to reduce the exposed area of the silicon. I also use a slightly larger coupler than i need, so if I'm in a rush I can just slide the coupler over so the charred bit of silcon is now safely behind the header or the pipe. Also I like to flare the ends of my pipes by stuffing an appropriate sized socket into the hole and rapping it lightly with a hammer. this stops them coming off so easily.
Duly noted.
Since I have now got a solid 2 hours of run time on the turbo hose coupler - with a one inch gap - tomorrow I will remove it for inspection. The weather is going to be crappy anyway.
I have the one-inch aluminum spacer still handy from the previous coupler arrangement which I will figure out a way to insert into the gap when I reinstall with a fresh piece of turbo hose. This will keep the exposed portion to less than 1/32" in total.
In a way, for testing purposes it is probably good to have had the one inch gap to better judge how the hose is handling the gasoline exhaust residue and heat.