EXHAUST MANIFOLD UPGRADE.

[CHANGES]

For some time now there has been chat about a suitable replacement for the

original cast manifold...As they age a suitable proven reliable alternative has

been difficult to find...There seems to be a few systems available now but with

no real data or documented history. Also cost being a major factor....

My proposal is that i will talk to some manufactures about reproducing the prototype

pulse tuned manifold that is used to achieve 424 BHP. on my 4 pot engine..

This manifold has now completed 5000 quite aggressive road miles over two years

and 70+ full dyno power runs... without failure...

The use this manifold has had so far, exceeds most applications it would be required

for. I now feel confident that it would be a suitable replacement for the original..

The only way to make this a cost effective application is to manufacture on block..

So the question is how many of you out there would be seriously interested in ordering

one if i could get the right price...?

The more interest I get . the more that can be made and the better the price will be..

List your interest and if there is suitable response i will move to the next stage...Costing...

Dave

[Loose Cannon]

All too aware mine is 14 years old, but a ballpark figure would help.

[Whirlybird]

All too aware mine is 14 years old, but a ballpark figure would help.

Was thinking the same thing.

[Mike6]

Does this manifold take up more space in the engine bay than the original necessitating an engine out job to replace. Thankfully my manifold seems ok and was removed in situ as part of an overhaul. So if it failed I wouldnt really want to take the engine out.

It would be ideal if there were a supply somewhere to buy when needed but unless you have a dodgy manifold I doubt people would want to buy one just in case.

A ball park costing would be helpful

[mr.oogieboogie]

i know the one i had made can be taken off without removing the engine mount which saves time also i hade it made without the studs for the turbo so it just bolts on and gives you the option of removing the manifold and leaving the turbo in place or removing the turbo and leaving the manifold on. i still believe stainless is the way to go on these.

titanium may also be a option but that would be very expensive.

[CHANGES]

MIKE..Dead easy to fit and remove, unlike the original.. See Pic....

PETER..Turbo fitting studs optional... the prototype has used both. no problem.

Edited October 17, 2012 by CHANGES

[steve got one at last]

i got in touch with alunox on monday he wants 1200 quid for his manifold and fitting kit cough

[CHANGES]

''£1200'' Yes I was aware of that price , and don't forget the VAT at 20%

My target price is half of that , all inclusive...around the £ 600.oo mark..

But i am going to need a lot more interest than this to make it possible..

[mr.oogieboogie]

600 would be good but how many would they need to make to get the price down to that. worth doing though id order one but i already got one good luck

[lrg_machine]

I'd be interested if it was around £600 all in, I had one fitted that came from SW Lotus that lasted less than 5 years and had to have another fitted last year, again from SW Lotus, dno they wouldn't accept that it was a bad casting. So I won't be buying another from them if this one goes.

[Mike6]

£600 I am afraid is too expensive for me, just to put on a shelf until needed. However its a case of I would pay that if I needed one

[CHANGES]

Ok I have just spent the afternoon with a top quality manufacturer discussing

all the parameters to reproduce the sports manifold fitted to my project car..

The out come was that if I could place an order for 20 with them we can get

them out at £600.00 all inclusive. plus the postage to whoever wants one.

They will require the one off my Esprit for the final spec check, so they wont

get made till after the NEC show, more like mid to late December.

That gives you all time to decide who wants one to see if we can achieve the

numbers to make it happen.

This could well be the answer to an old annoying problem but only if we club together...

Don't forget this will also open the door to your performance mods, allowing the

engine to breath better with reduced lag and better response.

So we need 20...

1).....?

[mr.oogieboogie]

If i dident have one i would put my name down. 600 is a steal

[arbell9]

I had mine replaced nearly two years ago so buying one for the shelf isn't prudent right now.

[pete]

how would this work with an s3 turbo where the wastegate is needs replacing as well and these are harder to get hold off than a replacement manifold

[andydclements]

I'll go for it. I have a cracked manifold that was welded when I put the car back on the road (the first Esprit meet we had at the factory) but even then it couldn't be welded all the way round due to access so it's a matter of time.

[910Esprit]

how would this work with an s3 turbo where the wastegate is needs replacing as well and these are harder to get hold off than a replacement manifold

It would allow you to bin off the obsolete wastegate adaptor and external wastegate. However you would need a new turbo with an internal wastegate, but it would be a good mod in the long run

[Vulcan Grey]

£600 sounds reasonable. I have a tiny hairline crack on my original 89SE cast iron manifold. Not worth worrying about yet, but someday...

[OZSE]

Yes £600 seems very reasonable to me. Put me down for one.

I am worried that you wont get the numbers. There was a chap in the US who tried a group buy of a stainless version some years ago. I am pretty sure he didn't get more than 10 (not sure if that ever happened) . Is there a back up plan, say 10 units for £800??

Geoff..

[Mysterae]

£600 is a good price for sure. When you mean "all in" I assume you mean including vat but excluding the gaskets, studs and nuts? I replaced mine about 7 years (10,000 miles I think) ago and had it chrome ceramic coated. The coating didn't last long , but it is still intact.

I would be very tempted but not sensible if I'm selling it next year. I think if you got these made and stored them I'm sure you'd sell them when owners or garages need them, but it would be quite a large outlay for yourself.

[lotus4s]

^Dave,

^{Is that price going to include the gaskets and nuts?}

^{If so, that is a very good price and anyone who plans to keep their Esprit should jump at the chance even if it is going to sit on a shelf for a while. It WILL have to be replaced at some point. The price is well below what an OEM replacement will cost and we all know how futile that is.}

^{Is your prototype your own custom design or one of Al B's from the group buy? It looks very similar.}

^Jim

Edited October 18, 2012 by lotus4s

[islandbloke]

Dave - I also priced up a tubular system recently, but couldn't justify the £1400 quoted so bought another cast one, which will hopefully last another few years. I can't afford to have £600 on the shelf, but would have happily paid that for one a couple of months ago! Maybe the manufacturer would make some 'stock' for people like me while he's jigged up - this is a part we'll all have to buy sooner or later so it would surely be worth his while?

[dodge1979]

Well considering the poor quality of manifolds currently available from the specialists etc, often over priced, under tested and under developed, a well proven design which has genuine data and testing to back it up is what is needed...and here it is. The ones currently for sale offer no dyno data or longevity testing under harsh conditions. For a price less than original and similar ti the crap imitations out there, who wouldnt want one! Yes as a on the shelf just in case spare it can seem excessive, but its something everyone will need one day I guess... I personally would like one and would do the cost of dyno runs to show its potential on the normal 4pot on my S4, as ive already show in the Esprit chat section the true gains to be had by doing the accepted mods we all talk about and do with my last dyno tuning session.

The unfortunate situation still arises where companies are selling products to us that are not properly tested and have unrealistic claims and generally people believe them and pay out good money. But for a proven item which could allow realisation of a better performing, inproved driving experience and compliment nicely the other tweaks we do to enqble their full potential ti be realized...£600 is a snip!! Sold!

[Loose Cannon]

Just out of interest, does anyone know the current list price of a genuine Lotus manifold, and if they are available off the shelf?

[snowrx]

If this was indeed stainless, I would be interested. My manifold survives, but has an appetite for gaskets and studs. I'd be more interested if it were a US group buy due to shipping/VAT/exchange/customs issues.

Or perhaps one could send a pattern to the industrious Chinese, who seem to be able to to ship me a stainless WRX header and up-pipe for less than $US 120 delivered!