Hi guys,

I'm working on a tubular manifold and I'm noticing that one of my runners is about 1/8" away from an aluminum engine mount. Is this a problem? How much expansion takes place once the manifold gets up to temperature? Any chance it will touch?

Thanks!

 

wow, thats really close...but I wouldn't really be worried about it touching. I'd be more worried about it melting the mount, or something else.

Is the manifold wrapped, or coated?

 

Using 12.4E-6 in/in*F for the thermal expansion of SS, your manifold would need to be ~13,500 degF to grow into the mount. I wouldn't worry about that.

Normal Al 6061 has a melting point of 1000-1200 degF, so that would be the only area of concern to me.

-Schuyler

 

I think I've managed to clearance another 1/8", so it's about 1/4" away now. So, you guys think it might weaken the mount? It's just close to the corner, and even though the melting point of AL is 1000-1200, it would need to be touching in order to get anywhere near that right?

Thanks for your time guys!

EDIT: Also, come to think of it, the mount is a fairly large cast AL unit, and remembering how well AL transfers heat, it would take A LOT more heat than what's in the manifold in order to melt the AL, wouldn't you say?

 

its not going to melt or anything.
the outside of the manifold probably wont be more than 1200, so your mount is only getting radiant heat and convective, so itll be fine.

 

ya only prob i can forsee is that coupler...looks like its going to be subjected to so heat...and pressure...and mostlikely going to blow off...or break...i hate 90 deg couplers

 

i'd be more concerned about engine movement and the manifold hitting the mount repeatedly. just keep an eye on it for a few months of driving and make any necassary changes.

 

Well I feel a lot better now, 'cause both those concerns are taken care of.

The 90° coupler is from my old setup, and I do not intend to use it. Second, the engine mount is on the engine side, so it moves with the engine.

Thanks guys!

 

I don't know WTF happened, but now the manifold won't even bolt to the head because it's touching the mount.

So frustrating.

 

My friend made the same type of manifold in the same layout as you are (the hard way BTW) and he just ended up fabbing a low profile steel mount bracket so he had lots more room.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bailhatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My friend made the same type of manifold in the same layout as you are (the hard way BTW) and he just ended up fabbing a low profile steel mount bracket so he had lots more room. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've managed take a bit of angle off the top of the runners (where they meet the head flange). This rotated the whole thing up a little bit, and now there is a good 1/2" of clearance. The rear-most runner will have to go around the mount, so I'm hoping that doesn't make things too complicated ...

Thanks for the tip!

 

looks like it's time for a custom engine mount!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weiRtech &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">looks like it's time for a custom engine mount!</TD></TR></TABLE>

this would definately be alot easier to do ..... me and a friend made one for his E28 BMW for his turbo to clear and it was easy looks like yours is just as easy its just a basic bracket

 

God damn!
scrap that mount and whip another one with a lower profile... easy... if you are concerned about having an equal lenght manifold, that would be the best way to get the largest clearance possible to come close to equal lenght...

keep up the good work !
jp

 

Not sure if this is something that you want to do but you could take a die grinder and remove some metal from the mount so the manifold is not touching it.. Im not sure how important that mount is to the structural support of your engine and if it will weaken the mount.

Just my opinion

 

Thanks for the ideas guys, but I already took care of it. I changed the angle of the first first downward bends and no more clearance issue.