Discussion
Hi chaps. Well first off I hereby admit I initially went for that manifold because I'm a shallow tart and I thought it would be the icing on the cake when it came to the newly refurb'd engine bay. I had considered the manifold from Zero exhausts, which looks just as nice but the 60mm diameter of the primaries seems a bit big for an engine spec like mine. This one is only 50mm which I believe is the same size as the Evo3 manifold? Or so I read anyway, so please feel free to put me straight. Either way, I know fitting a manifold isn't going to offer huge gains but I'm hoping it'll just be a nice addition to the cams, flow work and standalone conversion etc.
I would have liked to go for a side exit exhaust system, although I have read something about potential valve issues due to reduced back pressure? In order to do it properly I would really prefer to change the OE fuel tanks for a boot mounted cell, so freeing up some space for a silencer without losing ground clearance. I think that would take my car a step too far though. I'm after a kind of Club Sport look and feel to my car and that would just be more race car.
As soon as I know more about the manifold and who made it, I'll let you know.
Sorry Mark, I meant to reply to your message re centre locks. I've actually returned mine as they sent them with missing parts, including a bloody wheel nut! I want impressed as that make the adaptors useless obviously. I then had to package the whole lot up again and send them back. I'm sticking with the old AGS splits but am still waiting on new inner barrels being made. I'm also having the centres painted a darker shade of silver. I still need some 235 & 215/40 x 17 tyres too! Any suggestions?
ETA - I think this is actually a BTB manifold. I'm going to give them a call to confirm though.
I would have liked to go for a side exit exhaust system, although I have read something about potential valve issues due to reduced back pressure? In order to do it properly I would really prefer to change the OE fuel tanks for a boot mounted cell, so freeing up some space for a silencer without losing ground clearance. I think that would take my car a step too far though. I'm after a kind of Club Sport look and feel to my car and that would just be more race car.
As soon as I know more about the manifold and who made it, I'll let you know.
Sorry Mark, I meant to reply to your message re centre locks. I've actually returned mine as they sent them with missing parts, including a bloody wheel nut! I want impressed as that make the adaptors useless obviously. I then had to package the whole lot up again and send them back. I'm sticking with the old AGS splits but am still waiting on new inner barrels being made. I'm also having the centres painted a darker shade of silver. I still need some 235 & 215/40 x 17 tyres too! Any suggestions?
ETA - I think this is actually a BTB manifold. I'm going to give them a call to confirm though.
Edited by e21Mark on Friday 3rd February 20:20
Edited by e21Mark on Friday 3rd February 21:11
I have an S14 manifold fetish going on in the background.
The Evo 3 manifold are 50m primaries and 55mm secondaries, purely for homologation purposes.
Your header doesn't look like the BTB header pictured
It seems to have a distinctive downward kink which may imply it was designed for a RHD car.
It would be interesting to know the length from the head flange the the end of the primary merge and the length from the primary merge to the secondary merge. This is as important than the diameter.
The Evo 3 manifold are 50m primaries and 55mm secondaries, purely for homologation purposes.
Your header doesn't look like the BTB header pictured
It seems to have a distinctive downward kink which may imply it was designed for a RHD car.
It would be interesting to know the length from the head flange the the end of the primary merge and the length from the primary merge to the secondary merge. This is as important than the diameter.
There is a school of thought of "just put an Evo header on it" which I don't subscribe to.
Diameter wise, anything up to 300hp, then 50mm is sufficient. The key design parameter is the primary and secondary lengths and how they interact with the exhaust cam timing and the engine speed.
It is worth pointing out that all S14 engines have the same manifold design of 4-2-X-2 of unequal length primaries, the only difference is the diameters, with 46mm for the early 195/200ps cars, 50mm for the 215ps and Evo 2 cars and 50mm primary/55mm secondary Evo3 cars.
What is also the same across all engines is the 248deg exhaust cam duration, although this is timed differently when used with the 264/272deg intake cams of the 215ps and Evo3 engines respectively
When we change cams we should change manifold primary and secondary lengths to suit the change in exhaust pulse wave timing, but there is not much on the market in this respect.
Ideal lengths can be calculated using software such as Pipemax, but trial and error on the dyno would be the best confirmation.
Did you manage to put a tape measure on the primary and secondary lengths?
Diameter wise, anything up to 300hp, then 50mm is sufficient. The key design parameter is the primary and secondary lengths and how they interact with the exhaust cam timing and the engine speed.
It is worth pointing out that all S14 engines have the same manifold design of 4-2-X-2 of unequal length primaries, the only difference is the diameters, with 46mm for the early 195/200ps cars, 50mm for the 215ps and Evo 2 cars and 50mm primary/55mm secondary Evo3 cars.
What is also the same across all engines is the 248deg exhaust cam duration, although this is timed differently when used with the 264/272deg intake cams of the 215ps and Evo3 engines respectively
When we change cams we should change manifold primary and secondary lengths to suit the change in exhaust pulse wave timing, but there is not much on the market in this respect.
Ideal lengths can be calculated using software such as Pipemax, but trial and error on the dyno would be the best confirmation.
Did you manage to put a tape measure on the primary and secondary lengths?
Well the manifold turned up and I must say it is very well made. A new SACHS clutch and competition spec' cooling fan also arrived. I had considered an uprated clutch but given the power upgrade is relatively modest I think I'm OK with the original type. The old clutch was really worn so replacement was pretty timely.
Right now we are still waiting for the engine to come back from the builder but the head is finished and the ports all matched to the ITB's. I would have liked to strip, clean and service the ITB but I have to keep an eye on costs. I've already spent way more than I'd anticipated ''whilst I'm at it'' although I know it's money well spent. So far the job list is as follows -
Remove engine and box.
Strip engine and rebuild using ZRP rods & CP pistons.
Polish & Port head
Rebuild head using Schrick 276/284 cams
Powder coat cam cover and repair timing chain cover
Renew timing chain and guides
Replace clutch (Sachs)
Light alloy flywheel
Renew oil pump
Fit baffled ''big wing'' sump
Custom 4 branch stainless exhaust manifold
Renew alloy radiator and competition spec' cooling fan
Alloy coolant expansion tank
Silicon coolant hoses
Replace Alpha N / Motronic with standalone DTA Fast Pro 60 and custom loom. Mapping to be done by Sandy Brown.
Replace front spoiler, repair bumper and re paint. Also repair scratch to front wing and drivers door and re paint as needed.
AGS E50 type 3 piece alloys rebuilt and centres re painted in a darker shade of silver. Tyres to be replaced (235/40 & 215/40 x 17) once I can decide on brand.
OE binnacle replaced with VDO gauges to replicate works race cars and Momo steering wheel refurbished by Jack Royal in black alcantara with M sport stitching.
The accident I had in Wales and the damage it did is what kicked off all this work. It just made sense to spend the extra when the insurance was covering the majority of the labour costs. I've still had to spend quite a sum on parts but I'm pretty confident it'll be worth it. I'm hoping for around 250bhp, which is a sizeable increase over the power my tired OE engine was making. It's the improved responsiveness and drivability that I'm really looking forward to though. It should be quite a transformation I hope? Right now I am just waiting on the engine being finished and the wheels coming back from AGS.
Right now we are still waiting for the engine to come back from the builder but the head is finished and the ports all matched to the ITB's. I would have liked to strip, clean and service the ITB but I have to keep an eye on costs. I've already spent way more than I'd anticipated ''whilst I'm at it'' although I know it's money well spent. So far the job list is as follows -
Remove engine and box.
Strip engine and rebuild using ZRP rods & CP pistons.
Polish & Port head
Rebuild head using Schrick 276/284 cams
Powder coat cam cover and repair timing chain cover
Renew timing chain and guides
Replace clutch (Sachs)
Light alloy flywheel
Renew oil pump
Fit baffled ''big wing'' sump
Custom 4 branch stainless exhaust manifold
Renew alloy radiator and competition spec' cooling fan
Alloy coolant expansion tank
Silicon coolant hoses
Replace Alpha N / Motronic with standalone DTA Fast Pro 60 and custom loom. Mapping to be done by Sandy Brown.
Replace front spoiler, repair bumper and re paint. Also repair scratch to front wing and drivers door and re paint as needed.
AGS E50 type 3 piece alloys rebuilt and centres re painted in a darker shade of silver. Tyres to be replaced (235/40 & 215/40 x 17) once I can decide on brand.
OE binnacle replaced with VDO gauges to replicate works race cars and Momo steering wheel refurbished by Jack Royal in black alcantara with M sport stitching.
The accident I had in Wales and the damage it did is what kicked off all this work. It just made sense to spend the extra when the insurance was covering the majority of the labour costs. I've still had to spend quite a sum on parts but I'm pretty confident it'll be worth it. I'm hoping for around 250bhp, which is a sizeable increase over the power my tired OE engine was making. It's the improved responsiveness and drivability that I'm really looking forward to though. It should be quite a transformation I hope? Right now I am just waiting on the engine being finished and the wheels coming back from AGS.
Well the engine still isn't back from the builder, although I'm now told it'll definitely be here by next week.....or the week after that.
I still have a few bits to get anyway, as I'm going wasted spark with thr DTA, so need to get coil packs and HT leads, which will be custom. I also need some new VDO senders for the analogue gauges I'm fitting.
The split rims are now stripped and the centres are off for paint. I did think about powder coat but I prefer the finish of paint in anthracite, as the detail seems to remain more visible. I still need new rubber but unsure which to go with?
I still have a few bits to get anyway, as I'm going wasted spark with thr DTA, so need to get coil packs and HT leads, which will be custom. I also need some new VDO senders for the analogue gauges I'm fitting.
The split rims are now stripped and the centres are off for paint. I did think about powder coat but I prefer the finish of paint in anthracite, as the detail seems to remain more visible. I still need new rubber but unsure which to go with?
I really liked them. I'd certainly use them again anyway.
My engine is back from rebuild. Cost a heap more than I'd budgeted for. I still need to buy a few bits, such as catch tank, hoses etc as well as mapping. As a result I've had to sell the 4 branch.
Happy to see the engine back in though and plan to video start up and final mapping.
My engine is back from rebuild. Cost a heap more than I'd budgeted for. I still need to buy a few bits, such as catch tank, hoses etc as well as mapping. As a result I've had to sell the 4 branch.
Happy to see the engine back in though and plan to video start up and final mapping.
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