I need some help guys...


I can't seem to find an A/C compatible cast-iron manifold that puts the intake housing of the turbo to the passenger side of the car.


I'm using a T3-T04E turbo and it's a '94 GS-R in a '94 Civic.

 

Here's my dilemma...

With the manifold and turbo I have right now, if the intake housing is facing the passenger side of the car, the turbo runs directly into the block (most people will say shave the block, but I don't feel comfortable grinding off THAT much aluminum...seriously, the turbo hits the block and there's still about 1" of space between the head and the face of the manifold).

If the turbo is turned the other way (intake housing to the driver's side), there's no chance of an A/C condenser fitting in.


Now...with this manifold, I noticed the exhaust flange is perfectly parallel with the face of the manifold and the cylinder head. I noticed the Blox manifold kind of turns the angle of the flange so the turbo will "tuck" up with the block...anybody have any experience with this?

 

all the cast manifolds i have seen were a/c compatible. i know for sure the inline pro one is.

 

I have the blox manifold and am running a 52 trim cold side t3/t4. I even have a bit of room for play but check out my build thread in my sig there's some pictures on the second page. I'm assuming if you absolutly had to shave any of the block with this manifold it would be minimal. I was able to fit a mandral bent 3 inch downpipe by the a/c compressor too. I got the manifold fairly cheap off of ebay.

 

But do you get what I'm saying about where the turbo mounts to the manifold?

Does the Blox manifold kind of "turn" the turbo so that it's not parallel with the engine?

 

make a spacer flange and longer bolts/studs

 

That wouldn't help...the turbo is just angled the "wrong" way.

 

After looking at your build thread and then pictures of the Blox manifold itself, I went ahead and ordered one...$217 shipped isn't too bad I guess.

Hopefully this will be the right one so I can get my car back finally.

 

Yea check out the pictures it's turned so my cold side doesn't hit my block. Where did you order it from? Just curious

 

Found it on eBay...already got an email that it's getting shipped out tomorrow from Florida

 

the angle on the blox manifold wont help you. it tucks farther in than pretty much all of the cast manifolds out there.


is your turbo a 4-bolt or 5 bolt turbine ? real garrett or ebay knock off >?


most cast manifolds other than the inline pro 4-bolt manifold is designed to work with a 5-bolt turbine housing. the 4 and 5 bolt turbine housings ( outlet flange) have a different placement, one has a tighter scroll than the other.

As a result, the 4-bolt in its " AC" configuration for a honda will sit much farther in by than a 5-bolt.



EBAY turbos are not applicable** they're a 5 bolt outlet flange but have a 4-bolt style "scroll" so they sit far into the block.



if you're unwilling to shave your block .. im unsure you have any options what so ever than to run a tiny t3 turbo.

if you're shaving the webbing your fine. its once you actually start shaving into the block and the bell housing thats " hairy" but you generally have a good 1/8 to 1/4 thickness of aluminum and most manifolds will not require you to shave to that extent.



IMO compared to back in 1998, seems like all the newer turbo generations dont know what it takes to have an ac compatible cast turbo system like they did back in the day with revhard, drag etcc.

shaving the block and notching out the factory fan was what we did everytime we installed a turbo kit !! Now people are suprised " what i cant fit a stock fan?!?! what ?!? i have to shave a block ?!?!"

 

Haha. Yeah Phil, I was thinking the same thing. In 1998, shaving the block and radiator fan housings was just par for the course. now people have gotten lazy and believe that "bolt on" is truely that.. Bolt on.

There were some kits that used T04B housings for their T3/T4 setups. But it does cost more.

 

It's not a true Garrett, but not an eBay knockoff, I started piecing all this stuff together a while back and I honestly can't remember the "brand" name of it.

I don't have an issue with shaving the block, it's just that this is my first Honda to boost and I didn't want to shave TOO deep. But it's okay to take off some of the webbing and the area by the engine code?

 

It sure helped me, I run my turbo with a/c, I'm not trying to break speed records just have a turbo on my integra and I didn't shave anything of my block...

 

bern15- its cuz you have a t3t4B turbo. the B housing is much smaller than the E housing most people are using.

jkov, if its not ebay its not garrett then what is it ? might want to post a picture so we can see. and yes you can shave part of the number plate area, in fact on that area you can shave as much as you want cuz it just goes into the clutch area. However, is your turbo a 4 bolt downpipe flange or a 5 bolt ? if its a 4, i can already tell you it wont fit

 

5-bolt, I'll have to dig up where I got it from...it's been a while, haha...off the top of my head I can remember the intake housing was a .50 trim, but once I'm done with work I'll get the rest of the numbers on it.


But as far as shaving the webbing, that IS okay? Just as long as you don't get into the block itself? And finally, is it possible to get this thing to fit with the Blox manifold and some shaving?

Thanks for the help btw

EDIT: Found a picture of it.

 

I run the blox mani with a precision sc34 which I believe is a t3/to4e 57trim . I had to grind some of the webbing away and some of the "B18A1" stamp... but its not a big deal. Fits nicely with AC&PS.

No reason to be affraid of an angle grinder.

 

I'm not afraid of the grinder itself, just grinding off TOO much haha

 

china/ebay turbo. i doubt thats gonna fit unless you get a real garrett or precision style turbine housing

 

What is the Garrett or Precision equivalent to that one?

Might as well get a good turbo if it comes to that.

 

honestly its hard to know what the hell those ebay ones are, they say 57 trim but they dont know what they're selling cuz it sure as damn hell isnt a 57 or a 60.

i'd say its an oddball 46trim which would be very costly for you.

if i were you... i i'd get a garrett t3t4 50 trim with a .63 AR stage III turbine wheel and 5-bolt turbine housing. PM me for a price

 

This is true, I guess what i meant to say is the angle should benefit him better than no angle at all.

I would also recommend spending the extra money for a name brand turbo, I've heard of a few people that have had problems with other turbos. I bought a freshly rebuilt turbonetics for $200 from a buddy which was a steal so you could also look into rebuilt turbos vs a brand new one.

 

The Blox manifold didn't work out, so I'm ditching the Chinese turbo (for the best I'm sure) and keeping the Blox manifold.

So, my question is, which turbo works with the Blox manifold and will still allow me to retain A/C?

project_dc2 recommended the Garrett T3/T4 50 trim with a .63 AR stage III turbine wheel and 5-bolt turbine housing...does anybody have any experience with this? I need a FOR SURE answer, mainly because my car has been parked for a month and it's getting old having to bum rides to work, etc.

 

yes the manifold is designed for a 5bolt exhaust housing

 

I have a Borg Warner 50 Trim T3/T04B and mine fit with just a little grinding on the webbing of the block with a Blox Manifold.