I noticed oil leaking from the where the HPFP and helix meet. Should oil be making it through the helix and leaking into that area?
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- Thread starter SpoolPerformance
- Start date
There should not be any oil around that area. I would take off the hpfp and inspect the vacuum pump for cracks.
Vacuum pump and billet plate look fine. The oil is getting through the helix somehow. I'm guessing an internal seal is bad.
The Helix isnt that large, and I know it is supposed to be a self contained system from a lubrication perspective. If there is a leak, seems like it wouldnt take much to impact the health of the unit?
Ya, so after removing and looking at my Helix install 5x in the last 2 weeks, I also have come to the state you described. I was sure it was the vacuum cover gasket, or the HPFP gasket, but no it wasnt. Oil is blowing past the Helix and into the space between the HPFP and Helix (no idea how). The way the Helix is setup, no way the normal HPFP o ring is going to seal that up. I too found grease that got pushed into the Helix->HPFP space. I kept telling myself it had to be something else because I didnt expect oil to be able to make it there.
At this time I have removed it and no idea what to do next. Mine lasted about 5500mi and 6mo. I guess I can email them, but probably just $ down the drain.
On a side note - and this came up in another thread that I can't find - I really think the stock HPFP can be tuned to give 20-25% more output just from the tables that are there. I will be testing that once I confirm I am no longer leaking, and will post up my findings and settings in a different thread. If it can get me 24psi on E40-E50, I might just call it good.
An update. I contacted spool, and they have a lifetime warranty and are replacing my helix. You should email them and provide your order #. They should replace yours as well.
Sorry to hear about this. I wouldn't assume all is lost yet - Spool folks are very helpful in my experience. Suggest you reach out to them.
I have. They are going to warranty. I need to mail in the unit to get it replaced. Just need some time to actually box it up and ship it.
they replaced mine for doing the same exact thing; no questions asked. great customer service.
Has anyone has a recurrence after getting a warranty swap? I am messing with the stock HPFP and trying to get as much out of it as possible. It seems like it is going to be pretty limited between 3000 and say 5000 rpm from what I can tell. Maybe 22psi on E40 or so.
Gotcha, yeah that makes more sense. I know there was one dude on the FB groups that trapped like 134 or something with 23 psi and E50 on stock di, but i really dont know how he did that. I dont believe there was meth either. Here's a picture
I've had a 3x brand new in box for just over 2 years and wanted to see how the story ends on the helix. it looks like there is still a chance of trouble, even with the billet covers and mounting brackets. one of the guys at Spool tried to claim they made an improvement to the original design when I asked whether I should be worried about the unit itself leaking. I asked to make a deal to swap mine for a newer model, but the guy insisted I needed to install mine and have it fail before I could do anything about it. The guy that helped me was not good at customer service, and I don't see a reason to do business with them at all. Ajay would probably be better off with someone else being the face of his business at the local Houston shop. It seems like par for the course at performance shops is narcissists and pyschopaths en masse.
My setup is basically a stock 2010 535i xdrive on frankenturbos and boltons. I need to install my bigger intercooler and then decide how to improve the fueling situation. Right now it looks like I should just try out a flex fuel tune that tapers the boost down at higher ethanol content. looks like the single barrel or adding PI is my best bet to no longer be constrained by fuel limitations.
My setup is basically a stock 2010 535i xdrive on frankenturbos and boltons. I need to install my bigger intercooler and then decide how to improve the fueling situation. Right now it looks like I should just try out a flex fuel tune that tapers the boost down at higher ethanol content. looks like the single barrel or adding PI is my best bet to no longer be constrained by fuel limitations.
Why not get the POD instead? I will soon be joining the N54 club and of course I will start modding immediately, I initially considered the Helix but after alot of reading the POD seems like the way to go.
Is there really a newer model? I have my replacement here waiting to go back in after the first started leaking oil. I mean I'd be happy to hear that there was a 2nd version and after my warranty request I got an updated part. Right now I have a clutch slipping issue to fix before I can turn up the boost more anyway.
A PI plate is not very expensive...and has WAY more headroom. POD/Helix are known to fail as you are significantly overspinning the HPFP, they need billet parts, braces, removing the fuel filter from your HP rail, etc.
A pod is $1200 or so.
PI plate with 750cc injectors and a SS fuel controller is $1000.
PI cleans your head.
PI ftw.
A pod is $1200 or so.
PI plate with 750cc injectors and a SS fuel controller is $1000.
PI cleans your head.
PI ftw.
At this point, it seems like a PI setup and an upgraded LPFP will help me get to where I want to be on my car. Right now it's trapping 113 in the 1/4 mile on 93 / Frankenturbos / downpipes / stock IC. I have the bigger IC to install, and I still need to find my path to better fueling. Goal would be to trap 125-130 on an ethanol blend.
I am skeptical of anything this guy told me, so he could have just been making stuff up to sound smart to himself. Most of what he told me during our conversation was BS. He claimed to be the general operations manager at the Eurocharged Houston location., and also claimed Ajay was the owner.
I don't think I'll be using my 3X unit, based on the feedback I see online.... and based on the poor customer service I had in person. I will probably have to regret the ~1k I spent on the 3X unit and inline filter, but that is much better than having to deal with a failure on my car.
