debating if i should run a vaccum block/manifold? Pros? Cons? I will be running BOV, Wastegate Vac lines Obviously. Electronic boost controller and turbo timer. Thats about it. is running this a necessary?

 

The vacuum block is not necessary. I ran my car for over a year before finally investing in one. All they really do is provide a common source for all of your vacuum accessories. It makes running the lines far easier and a lot more sightly. After having one, i would get one again simply because it is far easier than hassling with all the stupid plastic "T" joints...

 

i was actually wondering this myself. instead of paying an arm and leg for one, would one off a tsi work? that little block in the back by the fire wall? i'm assuming thats what it is anyway.

 

http://www.tunertoys.com/category_s/942.htm

I'm actually registered as a seller on TT so i know their stuff is legit. I haven't really seen them around HT a whole lot lately though. Anyway, their manifold is about $30 shipped with fittings compared to the ~$45 GE manifold. I actually bought a Fasturbo Vac mani during a promo period and got mine for like $20 shipped or something crazy like that. Just make sure you buy fittings with the mani right away...

Anything will work. If you think about it, a vac manifold is a VERY simple piece. You could make one out of a garden hose and some fittings if you could keep it from leaking. It doesn't matter what car it's from...they're all the same

 

I highly recommend the vac manifold. I've seen too many people with problems that stemmed from poor vacuum routing. If you put the right size tee's in the right lines (max 1 per line), it will work w/o one. A TSi unit would work, as long as it has the correct nipple sizes. I prefer to run off the brake booster with a 3/8" line to the vac mani, then use 1/4" lines for the individual lines.

I got my vac mani's from mcmaster.com for ~$15, no frills black alum. Its ~$6 for shipping, but I tend to order lots from them anyways. They also get their stuff to me in under 48hrs.

 

you can drill, tap, and brass installing vacuum fittings directly onto the IM. i did it with my stock Z6 IM.

 

i've read of this but have never seen a pic or anything b4, have any?

 

I thought about drilling and tapping my IM, but i didnt want to take it off again. Instead, i spent the money to save myself the hassle

 

If you're planning a decent setup. $30-$40 is a wonderful investment as opposed to the work of drilling in the IM. It made a WORLD of difference in engine bay cleanup, finding leak sites much more easily, etc. I even was able to make a small label maker to make labels for each line with ease. No cons.

 

My IM is drilled and tapped with fittings. I would have used the vacuum block had I not purchased this manifold from a friend. It's pretty tough to reach back and thread in fittings when it's on the car, and even tougher at times to get a vacuum line on it.

 

never ran one my turbo has a nipple for the wastegate and i run the bov off the old pvc line on the intake manifold. the only T i run is for the boost gauge!!

 

in your list, only the bov and ebc need vacuum so i dont really thing a vacuum block is needed

 

Vac manifolds look messy to me. There are cleaner ways to do it and still have it be reliable and function properly.

So no, you don't need one. If you have a PCV port on your stock IM you can easily split that into two lines since it's so big (ebc and bov). The fpr can run off the stock port. the gauge can go off the stock port for the evap purge. A stock location MAP eliminates that line. WG bottom port should come from a charge pipe ideally...etc.

I always liked putting in ports on the back/side/bottom of a stock intake manifold if you need more than the basics. that way you don't have an octopus mounted on your firewall and lines going all over the place.

 

here's mine... cost about $5 using an air hose distribution block for air compressors and brass fittings. simple, works and cheep. got all the parts form Harbor Freight Tools if you have one of those in your area. It's even anodized blue.

it's on the firewall

 

I've never had to run one, i have a catch can so the nipple on the IM goes to the BOV and my WG sees boost not vac so that's it.

 

All depends upon how its routed. Its more art than it is science.

 

Damn lots of replies lol thanks guys. Well i see everyone saying running Vacs lines to the intake manifold, but the Vaccum block being easier. Well what if im running a Victor X intake manifold? will those have extra ports?

 

I have had a brand new GE vacuum block hanging in my garage for over a year. My homemade one on my car has worked fine for 5 years, lol.

 

Exactly. I have plumbed a couple hundred engine bays, so I have my own way of doing things too. Running lines to a visable, common point is not one of them. To each his own though. It's so easy to hide small lines so I don't see the point of displaying them on the firewall. A vac manifold under the intake manifold makes sense though...or just a row of ports tapped into the plenum like aftermarket and fabricated manifolds have.

Anyone have pictures of a clean looking vac block?

 

That manifold has several 1/8"npt and a couple 1/4"npt ports on the back. Most people don't use them all.

 

i ended up finding a picture of it myself

 

https://secure.jigawatt.com/racepart...d=RPS%2DVACMAN
this is made from a fuel rail !!