Exhaust manifold design test result..

[MarkKassim]

Hi , can all the overseas people email Leon on leon@alunox.co.uk with their contact phone numbers , there needed for the commercial invoices to get through customs. Thanks Mark 

Just another Photo of the group buy ready to go out. Mark

 

 

 

[Simon350S]

I may have missed this somewhere but what holds the weight of the turbos as I can't see anything in those pics?

They do look nice though.

[fjmuurling]

An adjustable turnbuckle which connects to a stud on the Turbo Flange and to a Bellhousing bolt supports the weight of the Turbo.

 

See the picture in post #5 of the following topic:

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/54603-alunox-321-stainless-steel-replacement-manifold/

 

AFAIK there is/was a better picture (in situ) of the Turbo weight holding system but I can't find it.

 

 

[Simon350S]

Ah much better idea me thinks than trying to brace it against other pipes on the manifold.

Happy days, hope it works and lasts as well as it looks good.

[fjmuurling]

As the turnbuckle has rose joints the expansion / contraction etc of the manifold doesn't cause any unnecessary (difficult word) stresses etc.

[miket]

My manifold was delivered yesterday.Looks excellent bit of kit.

[fjmuurling]

recieved my manifold today looking very good.

[v39]

Manifold delivered yesterday very pleased with it.

[neill1607]

Mine's just been delivered (drool,drool).

[gixxer]

Ditto. 

Looks pretty well put together.

[sailorbob]

A item to note regarding the tightening torques when using the composite gaskets is that you need to do them to the OE settings (i.e. manifold nuts 15 lbf/ft, turbo nuts 30 lbf/ft) for the initial installation and then check them again when:

 

After an initial run in period of 5 to 10 minutes (let the engine go completely cold)
After about 100 miles (when the engine is cold)

This is to allow for the compressing of the gaskets when the manifold and turbo are hot.

 

[gixxer]

Thanks for the tip Mr. sailorbob.

And thanks for all the work you did putting this together Mr. MarkKassim!

[CHANGES]

I just thought it was worth also mentioning that when you fit these you

will have to jiggle them about a bit.. Because of the slip joints the primaries

do move about as you are trying to fit , it may seem the flanges are not

aligning properly... This is not the case.. you may need to flex/twist the odd

primary a bit  to allow it to go over the studs but this is fine, Locate them one at a 

time with a couple of nuts to hold in place when all on  pull up level and in sequence.

Do not disassemble the slip joints to do this.

Once the first heat cycle has gone through the system things will relax into position,

It can then be re torqued and checked..

 This is a tight and fiddly job to do so be prepared to take your time..

Always check your stud length and fitting kits first as the flanges are thinner than 

the original cast.. 

[Bibs]

They do look very nice

[tjs98jetta]

Mine arrived yesterday at home on Long Island.  It looks very good.  Thanks Mark and everyone involved in putting this together.

Trevor

[jfitz981]

Got mine yesterday! Looks awesome.

 

Thank you again!

Jason

[gixxer]

So how did you fellows install this thing?

Did you remove the engine,

R+R the head and manifold as a unit,

tilt the engine on its mounts?

?

[CHANGES]

Brian, it can be done as i did with everything in position except the heat

shields over the mount and vac/steering pump,

When refitting you may find the one top vertical heat shield touches the

manifolds #3 primary, this will need a minor modification to clear. not 

difficult but fiddly...

Using a car lift will make a huge difference to how accessible thing are. 

[fjmuurling]

Hi Dave,

 

do you have a picture of the minor modification, as I have the engine out so I can do it before I put everything back in which I think will make things more easy.

[snowrx]

Mine has arrived. It tried to walk out of it's box while shipping and I lost a few studs and nuts out the holes, but it looks great. Now the turbo search begins....

[pete]

Mine has arrived. It tried to walk out of it's box while shipping and I lost a few studs and nuts out the holes, but it looks great. Now the turbo search begins....

when you solve the turbo problem hopefully you will post your results on here

[Dave Freeman]

I have just fitted mine, I posted some tips on the thread "told you so"

In summary :-

Before you start........

1. The pipes rotate in the collector so you need to align them before you fit. Bolt the new manifold to the old one to ensure alignment.

Do not panic too much as most of the alignment needs to done on the car.

2. Remove or push to one side the turbo.

3. It helped me to remove the engine mount and raise the engine by about 1 inch

4. Pull the hand brake cable back out of the way, helps getting manifold in place.

5. Remove the heat shields, all of them.

Getting manifold in place......

1. Push the turbo flange end of the manifold up past the exhaust flange then guide the other end into place.

2. It's more than possible that all studs will not align, start with one end, closest to the timing pulleys, get the nut on the last stud, even if it's just one or two threads.

3. Work alone the top row guiding the flange on each port into position, I needed to use a strap just to align the flange.

4. Fit all nuts and loosely tighten.

5. Follow changes instructions re tightening diagonally, nip up, then tighten, do not over do it.

6. Once you have fitted everything else back on run engine on tick over only then let it cool, re tighten nuts, I suggest that after 100 miles the nuts should be checked and tightened as necessary.

I think that's it, simples.........

[CHANGES]

 

[Dave Freeman]

Well, as I have posted on told you so, the subjective view is that the performance improvement is astounding from thins manifold, have to say well done Leon at Alunox.

I only wish I had done a dyno before and after.

It's actually like driving a different car, power delivery is smooth, quick and long lasting, no perceivable turbo lag!

Dave

[gixxer]

I would say installing the header was very easy. Had to lift the engine a bit on the left side as my manifold studs are about a 1/4" longer than the ones provided in the kit. I had prealigned the tubes on an old 910 head I had laying around.

After I jacked the engine up, the header just "fell" on.

The little clip that bolts to the bell housing and mounts the lower end of the support strut needs some work. I reworked its mounting flange, then spaced it out a bit so the lower support rod end would clear the header tube.

Running it.

I did reset the computer...

But I haven't run it long enough for the computer to adapt to the engine and turbo yet (it takes a while with my car).

 

With the stock cat and the SJ X180R replica tailpipe the exhaust is very quiet.

The engine runs a little smoother than it ran before--vibration wise.

A gaping flat spot from about 2800 to 3500 RPM is GONE. I believe the flat spot was courtesy of of a conventional 4 into 1 header with somewhat larger diameter tubes than the Alunox.

Just pooping around, the car acts like it has the stock iron manifold on (except a little better if memory serves me). And that's a nice compliment right there.

 

Some turbo lag is there, even at 4000 RPM.

The power is there, but I had to feather my foot on and off the gas to keep from overboosting. (!)

All in all, it looks like a keeper. The engine seems to like it, and if it holds together, I'll like it.

 

Here's my engines' particulars---

Sport 300 head.

WC Engineering T3/4 turbo.

Standard cam timing.

Factory chargecooler and system except for electric pump.

PUK red race code 6 chip.

(A double size  chargecooler and cat bypass pipe are in the closet awaiting reinstallation) 

And a THANK YOU to  Mr. CHANGES for doing such a good job on designing this! 

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2013 by gixxer