Manifolds

[Waynester]

I still have the original mild steel manifolds fitted, and while doing a pre flight check over the weekend i noticed a small hole on the offside manifold right on the bend before it bolts to the system. It's tiny but you can feel it blowing.
They don't have much rust and i thought about having it welded, but maybe this is just putting off the inevitable... new manifolds! ££££

What manifolds to go for.. any deals out there, best bargains? I have a stainless system and realize stainless manifolds are expensive, are mild steel a false economy?
My car doesn't do rain, so rusting isn't really an issue.

That's it, thanks for reading.

[Danny Hoffman]

I think they rust from the inside out, vapours from the engine rather than moisture in the air.

Stainless is supposedly more brittle and therefore liable to crack, so a splash of weld might be your best option. If there is a crach forming, drilling a small hole at either end should stop it spreading.

[Waynester]

Danny Hoffman said:

I think they rust from the inside out, vapours from the engine rather than moisture in the air.

Stainless is supposedly more brittle and therefore liable to crack, so a splash of weld might be your best option. If there is a crach forming, drilling a small hole at either end should stop it spreading.

Got to be the easiest option, certainly cheaper.

I would like to replace them but the MOT is due at the end of this month so i'll see about welding 1st.

cheers.

[rev-erend]

Mattman had a similar issue with his mild exhausts and found a local guy who braised them up ..

Welding is generally much hotter and if the metal is too thin - will just blow holes in the manifold and make it worse.

Stainless is really the only way to go on replacement - as it lasts for ages and does not cost much more.

ACT sell JP manifolds for the wegde at a reasonable price ..

£460 for the pair

[Jonny weggie]

Hi Wayne, there's an epoxy putty out there that hardens like metal might be an easy'r way the now untill your ready to renew them.-- jonny.

[leorest]

Depending on how bad the blow is you might get away with it.
You are aloud certain amount of leakage and it is obviously hard to quantify but so long as the emissions are OK the extra noise will probably be lost amongst the V8 music.
If it's possible to blob a weld on with the manifold insitu then you wont risk causing a crack by torquing the manifold bolts down if you see what I mean.

[PR350]

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

[JR]

PR350 said:

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

I live near to JP and Tim is over 200 miles away but it's cheaper to buy through Tim.

[PR350]

JR said:

PR350 said:

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

I live near to JP and Tim is over 200 miles away but it's cheaper to buy through Tim.

Sure, but it doesn't stop me being very happy with them I have bought stuff off Tim before and always been happy with ACT, I just went through to Rick at JP and did it that way.

Did I mention I was happy with the result

[JR]

PR350 said:

Sure, but it doesn't stop me being very happy with them I have bought stuff off Tim before and always been happy with ACT, I just went through to Rick at JP and did it that way.

Did I mention I was happy with the result

Good point. The other way is to take your car to JP siince it tends to be on a delivery or fitting price, which is what I have done.

[Waynester]

rev-erend said:

Mattman had a similar issue with his mild exhausts and found a local guy who braised them up ..

Welding is generally much hotter and if the metal is too thin - will just blow holes in the manifold and make it worse.

Stainless is really the only way to go on replacement - as it lasts for ages and does not cost much more.

ACT sell JP manifolds for the wegde at a reasonable price ..

£460 for the pair

Really..! I read it as £460 each on the website!! Duh...

Well i have just had the hole welded this morning at a local garage.
They ground back the metal, built up some weld & welded a small plate over it. Looks a good job... sorted. All for the princely sum of...£nothing!!
Generous chaps.

I will order some from ACT soon then.



Thanks chaps.

[rev-erend]

Waynester said:

rev-erend said:

Mattman had a similar issue with his mild exhausts and found a local guy who braised them up ..

Welding is generally much hotter and if the metal is too thin - will just blow holes in the manifold and make it worse.

Stainless is really the only way to go on replacement - as it lasts for ages and does not cost much more.

ACT sell JP manifolds for the wegde at a reasonable price ..

£460 for the pair

Really..! I read it as £460 each on the website!! Duh...

Well i have just had the hole welded this morning at a local garage.
They ground back the metal, built up some weld & welded a small plate over it. Looks a good job... sorted. All for the princely sum of...£nothing!!
Generous chaps.

Thanks chaps.

I hope you gave them some beer money .. people who do stuff for nothing need IMHO

Glad you got it sorted .. makes the car sound and run so much better

Edited by rev-erend on Wednesday 18th March 14:54

[Waynester]

rev-erend said:

Waynester said:

rev-erend said:

Mattman had a similar issue with his mild exhausts and found a local guy who braised them up ..

Welding is generally much hotter and if the metal is too thin - will just blow holes in the manifold and make it worse.

Stainless is really the only way to go on replacement - as it lasts for ages and does not cost much more.

ACT sell JP manifolds for the wegde at a reasonable price ..

£460 for the pair

Really..! I read it as £460 each on the website!! Duh...

Well i have just had the hole welded this morning at a local garage.
They ground back the metal, built up some weld & welded a small plate over it. Looks a good job... sorted. All for the princely sum of...£nothing!!
Generous chaps.

Thanks chaps.

I hope you gave them some beer money .. people who do stuff for nothing need IMHO

Glad you got it sorted .. makes the car sound and run so much better

Edited by rev-erend on Wednesday 18th March 14:54

I offered, it was refused. Mind you, they have just done (2 weeks ago) £400 of work/MOT to my BMW.

I took the Wedge out for a quick blast..(not to far- back pain), and it's sounds better. Probably in my head tbh.
Still, a repair for less than buttons..got to be pleased with that.

[GV]

PR350 said:

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

[GV]

PR350 said:

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

Can these be made up without the old manifolds or are they needed as a pattern

[rev-erend]

I think JP have a Jig for each pattern manifold..

[JR]

rev-erend said:

I think JP have a Jig for each pattern manifold.

I think so but knowing TVR there's probably an exception out there.

[PR350]

GV said:

PR350 said:

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

Can these be made up without the old manifolds or are they needed as a pattern

Yep, I just called them and they made them - the fit is much better than my originals as they had "ironed out" the problems the originals had with knocking the chassis (the reason mine had been bodged for 4 MOT's!!!)

[rev-erend]

PR350 said:

GV said:

PR350 said:

I contacted JP direct and they made mine and delivered them straight to the garage that was fitting them. Top service and great chaps. Couldn't be happier with the result. IIRC it was £560 for the pair inc VAT and delivery!!!

Can these be made up without the old manifolds or are they needed as a pattern

Yep, I just called them and they made them - the fit is much better than my originals as they had "ironed out" the problems the originals had with knocking the chassis (the reason mine had been bodged for 4 MOT's!!!)

Yes - you can see from the picture I posted that the bends on pipes 3 & 4 on the right are much tighter when leaving the head ..