200sx manifolds......... Grrrrr!!!!

[paulrandy]

I've come to the conclusion everyone was right, they really ain't worth the hassle!
I've seen various threads where people have fitted themstraight on and made everything fit around it, ie, rad, downpipe etc
Me being me i didn't want to move the rad or alter my shiny new goose so i set about things with a grinder in one hand and a welder in the other! first thing i cut the turbo flange off the manifold, bolted the flange to an old tubby and the manifold to a head and block and re-welded the flange with the tubby as close to the block as possible.
Next i thought i'd do an easy bit and cut and rewelded the oil return.
A home made turbo elbow had to be fabricated then which was soooo much more hassle than i anticipated! It's allmost finished, just need to cut a flange to weld on the bottom.
Both the water pipes will still fit with a bit of bending, just need a new oil feed.

 

[srbpower]

Thats very nice 8) if it was so much hassle you could have given it to me for my 200 :lol: :lol: :lol:

Si

 

[Rishi]

Looks good though...

 

[Sirnixalot]

im more impressed with your dump pipe, the flanges are very thick and it looks much better than the manifold.

Also i noticed that the inside of your head is pretty clean, good job on that.
However one thing does concern me. If there is that much scale/calcium/lime build up in the coolant port then there is more of that in the block.... if you can get some sort of engine degreaser and a pressure washer, spray or hose liberal amounts of the degreaser in each coolant ports for the rad hoses then after it has sit for an hour or 2 shove the pressure washer in each coolant port and where the water pump fits. take out the water pump before doing this though.

 

[paulrandy]

Si, if you'd asked me this morning you could of had it :shock:

SirNix, thats a cream crackered engine i had lying around, the guy bought a new hybrid with an uprated actuator set at 1bar, was well chuffed with it for about three weeks untill it melted a piston, snapped a rod, put a hole in the block, melted the comp chamber in the head and bits of piston destroyed the turbine wheel!! All because he thought bolting a hybrid on a standard car would make it go faster. guess it worked for a while...

Good point though about cleaning the coolant port out, how about pouring some caustic soda in and giving it a good flush out afterwards?

 

[GTI-R Kid]

With all the effort, and the parts now finished, do you think you'll be doing others?

 

[paulrandy]

It's possible. Not sure yet, I'm going to wait and check how it all fits in the car as i'm pretty sure there still wont be much room between the turbo and radiator which may take a month or so untill i can afford a set of forged pistons.
I want to make up a twin dump elbow aswell to compare the difference in performance as they'll be easier to make.
If the twin dump works well enough i should be able to supply and mod the manifold and make up the dump pipe and oil return for under £300. Can't decide if people would want them anyway.
After all this i'll probably move the rad anyway as i want to make an alloy one.
Only thing thats worrying me is if there'll be enough room for the charge carrier to come up from the turbo and over or infront of the manifold, can't remember how much room there is between the rocker cover and the slam panel...

 

[ex-gtir]

paul looks really good mate
if you require a rear oil feed pipe i can make it any length you require pm me if you want

 

[paulrandy]

Haha, that saves me starting a new thread, you have a pm.

 

[GINGA]

If the twin dump works well enough i should be able to supply and mod the manifold and make up the dump pipe and oil return for under £300. Can't decide if people would want them anyway.

I'd be interested in a ready modded manifold and dump pipe would save alot of hassle 8)

 

[skiddusmarkus]

Looks good 8) .Are you adding any extra bracing to take the weight of the turbo/elbow?The stainless used isn't going to be anywhere near as strong as the cast original so will promote cracking.

 

[Sirnixalot]

Bracing the manifold with a rigid brace will place more stress on the manifold. Bracing it with a giving brace will either put less tension than the solid brace or not brace it at all.

The brace will not heat up at the same rate as the manifold, and the center part of the brace will never get as hot as the flanges or runners will. This lack of harmonic expansion will put stress on the manifold. THis is especially the case with stainless steel.

I really find it hard to believe that no one can locate a proper manifold builder in the UK. Really now...if i can find one in the middle of the caribbean sea then there are bound to be loads over there. Its the price that gets most of you. To be honest a good thick runner cast manifold should run you around 500-600gbp. A stainless thick runner....around 600-700. The material will be probably 20% of the cost.....it takes alot of effort and skill to make these things.

So let me see twice the cost of the ebay manifolds for something that will last ooooor an ebay manifold every month or 2. Hmmm :idea:

Not paoint any fingers....just having a rant

 

[Muppet]

but the problem is a proper manifold maker would want a lot more than just double the price here in the uk. Maybe you should get the peron you know to knock them up for a big turbo and sell them on here.

regards muppet.

 

[Nad]

If ur gonna put a brace anywhere, put it from the top of the manifold to the head like the MAD manifold. Their's is rose jointed so isnt solid but supports the manifold.

Nad

 

[Sirnixalot]

but the problem is a proper manifold maker would want a lot more than just double the price here in the uk. Maybe you should get the peron you know to knock them up for a big turbo and sell them on here.

regards muppet.

shipping is the problem

 

[Muppet]

how much would it cost to send them.

 

[GINGA]

Well for the price I'd take a chance on this manifold and elbow, let me know if your going to start doing them 8)

 

[paulrandy]

Lets face it us Brits are a bunch of tight arses and just love a bargain :lol:

Was planning to put a brace from the bottom of the turbo where the dump pipe bolts on down down to where the air con pump used to be mounted.

 

[Muppet]

Paul I think you are right. My reason is because when it comes to selling the car which one day will I will only end up losing money on it.

I wanted to leave my manifold as it was made to see how it performed and how long it would last as they made and designed it. Personally after seeing one in the flesh I think the quality is good espescially for what it cost and it will help flow. As for how long it will last I have no idea but I kept all the old stuff and will put it back on if a problem arises and then see where the fault happened and how I can improve it for reliability.

Also as I now have this manifold I would like to fit a bigger turbo. Not sure what yet but it will be easier to put a different flange on and get the turbo close to the block. I would have to do that as the rad cannot go any further forward due to where I plan on fitting the fmic.




regards muppet.

 

[Muppet]

Paul what type of welding did you use to put the new flange on and what rods etc did you use if you tig'd or arc or what wire if mig'd.

thanks muppet.