Port/polish/paint/wrap manifolds

Finally got around to the old manifolds in the closet

(the time factor def disqualifies this from what would otherwise be regarded as a 'cheap' mod -- all in all about 10 hours [but only went through 1 dremel bit!]).

This wasn't hard at all, and I was pleasantly surprised how adequately the dremel performed, but really made me appreciate the cost of the service crucial offers -- still, too rich for my blood at the time, so onward I went. Wear misc. protection, clothes you don't ever plan on wearing again, work in an area where you can clean up well, and use dropcloth everywhere around you; the rust dust is a nasty oxidizer and will melt itself into plastic, stain concrete and is a bitch to get out.

Initial porting (comparison):

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0458.jpg

 

Ported/polished/1200* paint (just to prevent rust) finished. Note the slots in 1-3(?) collector's heatshield mounts to accomodate wrap:

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0466.jpg

 

Not overly aggressive with material removal (I left @ 1mm outside gasket, and used a 6" extension with stone grinder on my drill to really just smooth out the deeper inside casting roughness); good seal being my priority, and don't want any of the bad things rumored or associated with there being too much room in there.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0467.jpg

 

Crosspipe; pita of the job, seems the best you can do is "knife-edge" the inner pipe as close to the flange weld as possible without bothering the weld. Also, I didn't bother painting (or wrapping) the flex. To be honest, had some 2nd thoughts about wrapping this pipe at all being that it's SS, but wth...I'll be upgrading it sooner than later anyway.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0468.jpg

 

Ready for wrap! Fiberglass gets everywhere, so I tried to do it over the sink -- shoulda done it outside, but it was getting dark.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0469.jpg

 

Wrap took some doing on the odd shaped collectors, but came out well: P/P/P wrapped!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0470.jpg

 

After the final hi-temp silicone to seal the wrap (sorry for the exposure; sun blind ).

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0471.jpg

 

I really wanted to retain the heatshields, as i've got a set of wrapped oe manis on now with no heatshields (the mounts were trimmed by the wrapper), and no probs with them, just a peace of mind thing, and i'm on board with anything opposing underhood temps. Heatshields hit with the 1200* flat black on the outside and edges, left shiny inside for max heat reflection.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/duluoz_01/IMG_0472.jpg

 

Thanks to all the gents who contributed the good knowledge in this thread: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=729711

Results (if any) to come!

 

*update*

Got these on today, and from all the smoke, I'd say everything is cooking up nicely

My first impression is a 'broader' boost (if that makes sense) that is coming on perhaps few 100 revs sooner at most. I didn't really have the road to feel them out up top (rush hour), but I'm left believing there is some low-end grunt that has been gained through this...more to come.

**final update**

Well, have had these on for some time now, and performing very nicely. Only took 1 short run to cook them on -- scared the hell out of a guy at a stoplight; He said, "hey papi, that's a lot of smoke," so I said nonchalantly "I like to run her hot" . I do believe this got me a bit more low-end and a bit sooner, without sacrificing anything up top, and have some good reasons to believe it has dramatically reduced underhood temps. Lots of views, so I hope this helped make up some minds whether to dive into this or not. Thanks for looking

Where did you get the wrap from? Also got a pic of the dremel piece you used. I plan on doing this to my spare set of manifolds I got then gonna throw in an aftermarket crosspipe.

nice work.

 

I just finished wrapping my x-over and DP to go along with p&p + coated manifolds.

http://photos.imageevent.com/mattg/legacygt/large/wrap%20029.jpg

You can tell the unmarried guys...dirty (anything from outside of the passenger cabin qualifies as dirty) car parts in the bathroom.

nice work.

 

I just finished wrapping my x-over and DP to go along with p&p + coated manifolds.

ty, right backatcha

are those crucialized?

 

Where did you get the wrap from? Also got a pic of the dremel piece you used. I plan on doing this to my spare set of manifolds I got then gonna throw in an aftermarket crosspipe.

yes, an A/M x-pipe clearly the way to go. no pic of the dremel peice, but it's the straight cylindrical orange grinder bit. i started out with a carbon cutter, which was okay, but found the orange peice to work as well or better, but allowing better control. plus it just got better and better as it wore down -- made for the job, pick up 2, b/c you'll go through 1.

i did the final polish with the larger grit sanding wheels, but they were snapping left and right with the heat -- much better to use a flapper, i'd think.

for the deep areas, just used a 6" or so drill extension with a hex input (with a little tape to make the bit stay put) and a stone grinder with hex base to take off the roughest cast.

all DEI stuff, in the smaller width, black silicone 1500* spray/wrap ties.

You can tell the unmarried guys...dirty (anything from outside of the passenger cabin qualifies as dirty) car parts in the bathroom.

lmao; not married (yet), but boy did i get some looks from the little lady for damn near all the crazy stuff i did involving this project . And separate baths ftw, especially if you don't have a garage

yes, crucialized

You can tell the unmarried guys...dirty (anything from outside of the passenger cabin qualifies as dirty) car parts in the bathroom.

 

 

So true!

 

To the OP, good work!

Bump trying to get this done by the weekend to be ready for the track, it is not fun by any means Any further updates for me to insure it is

So does this give better gains then say Meagan racing headers or other types of headers.

So does this give better gains then say Meagan racing headers or other types of headers.

Probaly not more peak gains but won't hurt performance in any way. When going with tubular SS header you run the risk of them possibly cracking from the extreme heat and they may lose spool due to them not being able to retain heat as good as the cast iron manifolds.

Also with less travel I would think these would be heaps better due to it being straight across and less travel for the exhaust gasses, and yes I have already gone through a set of headers that cracked and parted at the collector. I really dont feel the gains differance of the swap of uppipes and no up pipe. I think i am going to go this route and get rid of the MR headers and just get a quality up pipe.

Probaly not more peak gains but won't hurt performance in any way. When going with tubular SS header you run the risk of them possibly cracking from the extreme heat and they may lose spool due to them not being able to retain heat as good as the cast iron manifolds.

Word to the wise, a die grinder makes this job so much easier. Took me only 2-2.5 hrs to port both exhaust manifolds

ohhh I wanna see Shamar!!!!! show me! show me!

ohhh I wanna see Shamar!!!!! show me! show me!

Here they are with the coated grimspeed crossover pipe.

thats hot...

 

 

hey when should we do my UP install?

You should have gotten a picture of the guys face looking at your car smoking and you telling him... " I like to run it hot" Nice

thats hot...

 

 

hey when should we do my UP install?

 

Whatever weekend your ready, let me know and I will make time.

looking to do this by the end of the month with a grimmspeed x-over. for the people who have done...i know you need the dremel but im curious as to exactly what bits you need and other tools, like what to use to measure the diameter of the porting, etc etc. any input would help since i dont want to mess up thanks!!

^I used the old gaskets as a guide, just bolt them on tightly enough so it doesn't move around -- I tried to leave 1mm or so of flange material between the gasket ring and the port opening to make sure of a good seal. I got through it with the orange cylindical grinding bit (2 should do it), and several of the heavier grit sanding wheels (though a flapper would be highly recommended over these as the rubber bands they are on snap from the heat). Also used an 6" or so drill extension with hex inputs, and mated that to a hex fitted grinder bit for smoothing the deeper casting roughies. see the op for precautions to take, as this is a very, very messy job.

as stated above, a real grinder would be easier than a dremel, but if going dremel, be sure to take some breaks evey now & then so you don't burn motor brushes, and lol @ anything less than a 7.2V corded model best luck.

Dremel will take hours maybe even days. Try to pick up an electric die grinder, the one I used was just $40. Adremel just doesn't have the speed to get it done. I use a regular cylinder shaped grinding stone. Use the gaskets to see where you need to be, and just stop about 1mm from the gasket edge.

You should have gotten a picture of the guys face looking at your car smoking and you telling him... " I like to run it hot" Nice

lol, it was something between 'you ignorant suby-abusing bastard' and 'god i hope this light turns green so i'm not next to this ass when he blows up' it really smokes a lot..good times