vectorsolid

I'm not sure where I scrounged this mani up from. It's an older Fullrace with the coating on it. This had a T4 flange and dual 40?mm wastegates. I needed a manifold setup for a 38mm WG and a T3 flange. So I spent a week here on HT trying to sell it for $350 shipped to finance a new manifold. No takers. Thought about it and said what the heck. I'm not technically out anything. I'll take a stab at putting flanges on one and filling the holes. I was gonna use the proceeds of this to pick up something different. I might just be saving myself $300-$400 on this little ramhorn makeover.

And the application for this is a very low brow kind of affair. So it's okay if ain't pretty.

Here's what I started with.







and these stainless flanges.

vectorsolid

HERE'S WHERE IT GETS UGLY. I was surprised at how hard it was to get this thing cut up. It was to big for my saw, couldn't really get a cutoff wheel in there on some angles with tubes in the way. Just hard to get powered cutting equipment in there. So I hacked it with the hot wrench. I gotta be honest. Half way through this I was thinking "THIS was a lousy idea". But it was to late to turn back. have to make the best of it.

vectorsolid

Started cleaning it up and making a filler piece for the WG that was on the side. I'm not going to be able to mount the flange directly to the bottom of the merge collector. The opening for the tubing is just a touch to wide at the bottom to get a nut or bolt on the new flange. So I'm going to need to make about an extension on the mani that tapers a bit more and it will lower the flange about an inch.



paper template.


then I cut it out of mild steel and put a bit of a bow in it. If you're new to this kind of fabrication, ALWAYS mark the piece so you can put it in the same way while you're fitting it.

vectorsolid

Firstly. I'm not a manifold making kinda guy. I'm just an amateur welder trying to solve this problem I created. ...lol...

I spent a lot of time cleaning this thing so I'd get an acceptable weld. I don't have a purge setup, but it looks decent enough from the inside. I was not exactly sure what filler rod to use and used 4130. It's what I had. Wasn't really sure what either base material was to start with.

vectorsolid

More to come.

SD_Lurker

iTrader: (4)

Only problem with putting a t3 flange on that collector is the opening is much larger.. They cut the collector differently depending on which flange one goes with. So basically its going to have a lip restricting the airflow coming into the turbo rather than a smooth transition..
Also, I would be using 308 or 316 on that manifold.. Other than the flanges the manifold is sch10 stainless steel.. From the looks of it, it appears that you have a t3 stainless flange but I can't be certain..

LudeLooker

I'm no expert but when I saw this I thought eek, man this thing is going to suck, but it doesn't actually look all that bad. I am sure there are some on here that will throw you under the bus (I mean this IS H-T) and tell you you are retarded but meh. I would think too you might be able to pickup a proper collector and get it to fit to correct the lip problem that SD is referring to. FWIW they sell converters too (to go from T4 to T3) although I don't know how good/bad an idea those are. I've seen them, but I don't know anyone who has actually used one.

SovXietday

Looks good so far. Like said earlier, the only real forseeable problem I have is that the T4 opening is much bigger than the T3 and so the taper of the tubes is going to be wide. You may be able to bevel out the flange make it a fairly smooth transition though. Interested to see how you do it.

BlakeJ53

iTrader: (1)

I'm sure it will turn out fine. I have seen alot worse pass for a turbo manifold before, and they are still being used on running cars. You should post up on Realhomemadeturdo.com with your project. The people may not be your cup of tea or bottle of beer, but they appreciate good homemade work and are a good group of guys once they run you throught the ringer. Best of luck Bob. Side note love the Red and green avatar not many people know about that show anymore.

madblkscientist

subscribed

rs250nut

If its a problem could you not put a cut in the collector and close it up a bit? Anything can be done with imagination.

Spawne32

iTrader: (3)

some stellar fab work my friend

vectorsolid

Yea, I kind of expected to get tossed under the bus on this. But I feel, based on application (our trashed wagovan), that this is WAY better than just putting a cheap sheet metal eBay manifold on it. and "technically" I'm saving money by doing it this way.

Where I am likely to get tossed under the bus is my choice of turbo and WG, BOV. all of it, cheap Chinese knockoffs. Oh the irony. Hacking up a perfectly good $1000 high end race manifold to hang a $120 turbo on it... haha! This car sees 100 miles a year, front tires see 400 miles a year, we're just having a good time with the car, so it's all good.

I am glad I started this. I've been meaning to build a manifold and have all the bits, but have been half intimidated by the complexity to give it a go. I've made a merge collector or two, and they turned out. I think it's the snaking of the tubes and figuring out the welding order that has me stumped (and keeps me from giving it the old college try).

I'm on board with everybody that pointed out that the T4 collector is wider and bigger than the T3. Gonna be a trick to get that necked to the T3 flange. Cutting the existing merge collector and putting in a few slits, and putting all back together is a decent option as somebody mentioned.

I'm thinking, at this point about just extending the lines on the merge collector 1-2" and that should provide a good taper to get to the T3 flange. The beauty of the whole project is that it truly doesn't have to work all that great, we're putting this on a b18b, that I'd be happy if made 250-275 wheel.

Red Green, that guy slays me, still.

vectorsolid

Worked on it a bit tonight. I found a piece of 2x3 square tubing that was very close to the right size to make my extension to neck down to the T3 flange. I had to put a few pie cuts in it, shorten it and finesse it to get it close and get the right taper. It's not going to mate up perfectly to the merge collector, but I feel it will be acceptable.

Got my other WG today, the one with the V-band flange instead. WOOHOO!

vectorsolid

Welded it up, inside and out. Ground the outside smooth and flattened the mating surfaces.

vectorsolid

Tried some 306L filler rod and used that. Seemed to work alright.







front


back

extralargenog

iTrader: (1)

****in solid!!!! I loves me sme rHMT. But you knew that.


WHat really makes me giggle inside is that you hacked the **** out of a FR mani with a torch LOL... Thank you ;O)


Looks like its gonna work good.

wade

iTrader: (1)

nice

welfarepc

i love me some pie cuts.

vectorsolid

Got my WG and flanges today, and some stainless tubing to space out the WG flange.

turbo sol

nice job. looks like it will be a winner.

MR.johnson

o hell yeah. cuttin that **** apart.

c jackson

this prob belongs in the fab forum. also, looks like i welded it.

vectorsolid

Well, you could do a buddy a favor and weld a t3 on this beast. In about 2 days, it's gonna look like we both welded on it. ~~~

I kind of looked at it as a repair, or like body work, not total fabrication, exactly. Doesn't matter to me where it ends up. I know others end up with a similar situation and don't know what to do. So I thought I'd chronicle my endeavor.

I went and looked at your site, the new stuff from Full-Race is schweet! you'd think a major player company would offer a straight up swap out on something like that. Kind of like getting a re-fill at Taco Bell.

j/K mang.

AFFIRace

I seen't it.


This had me smiling ear to ear. I'm rootin for you