Carbon Fiber Intake Manifold?

[Enzo]

I know that I see the sheetmetal intakes, and I have also seen people who have blown welds and blown holes in those sheetmetal intakes, why not construct an intake manifold out of carbon fiber then?

 

[Drifte]

I havnt seen any, but I'm not sure what they would use to keep them together. And if it somehow broke, that could make a serious mess. I'm not sure if they could make it as smooth either. Do oyu mean using aluminum runners still or no?

 

[Tallen]

Lots of racecars, etc use them. But no, never heard of one for the 4G.

 

[ph3r3d]

that would be intresting to see..

 

[GRNDSM]

I got a better idea how about JDM Carbon Fiber intake manifold? I mean, if you are going to follow a hype, why not do hit two birds with one stone?

The only raptured sheet metal intakes that I have seen were as a result of nitrous backfire, which is a devastating occurrence, that damages many other things. What makes you think that CF intake would be any stronger?

Right now we have around 10 different intake options, and NO ONE can prove which one is the best… We do not need another $1000+ intake, what we need is someone to test and compare the intakes that we already have and hopefully get rid of a few inferior models (whoever they might be).

Leon
RR

 

[bigpoppa4674]

to my knowledge never seen a blown weld on a 4g63 turbo intake manifold. i have seen 500 horsepower drag cars with the factory ported intake and no problems. the only reason to get a different intake is for flow, and there are a bizillion different ones to choose from. to much fast and the furious i think.

 

[PhaQGM]

The only real reason that you would need to run a CF intake manifold is for weight savings over the currently available aluminum ones (which would be minimal at that). If Carbon Fiber can hold up the forces that is put upon funny car bodies at 300+ mph (over 7000lbs of downforce) it can surely hold up to the forces that a turbocharger can produce. I think the main reason there aren't any CF intakes available is due to the sheer cost it would take to produce them. Power gains wouldn't be any higher than that of a sheet metal intake, so I doubt you would see many people willing to spend $2000+ dollars on something that can produce the same or similliar results for an intake that is 1/2 or even 1/4 of the cost.

 

[sting0004]

Im not sure how much I can add to this but I have actually seen a Carbon fiber intake on a 2g dsm. I was in Universal studios for a class trip and fast furious II was out so they had alot of imports on display. There was an eclipse there that was fully riced out but it also had a huge front mount, garret turbo, exhaust manifold, and yes, a cf intake mani. The owner said it had about 600 crank HP, but who knows. So at least one does exist. hope it helps alittle, Matt

 

[Cirus_93TSI]

it would really be pointless, u would have to lay so many layers of carbon fiber to get the manifold to hold its shape unless u put in some sort of framework to lay the CF on that it wouldnt really save any weight, sure it would be strong but u would have to gell coat both the inside and outside, and figure out a way to make it hold its seal without the bolts damaing the mani, a sheet metal intake is just as good, the only benifit i could think of would be less heat transfer from the engine to the manifold, so cooler intake temps
but hell, if were making crazy custom carbon fiber parts y not make a set of 17" carbon fiber light weight rims? oh yea, i remember, because they would cost 5 times more then they are worth(same as the CF mani would), and they would shatter one day when u hit a pot hole u didnt see, not everything is better when its made of solid carbon fiber

 

[Ricersux]

This one here is for Honda's so...I would imagine that it's only a matter of time before they are built for us!

 

[GRNDSM]

Originally posted by Ricersux
This one here is for Honda's so...I would imagine that it's only a matter of time before they are built for us!

I CAN HARDLY WAIT!

Leon
RR

 

[Cirus_93TSI]

thats a good design, metal flanges with carbon runners to help stop the manifold from absorbing heat, but how much does it cost?
im sure they will make one sooner or later but if it costs 1700 bucks and gives u less horsepower then the magnus y would anyone want to get one? unless it was just for looks on a show car that never really sees the track

 

[RipperXX]

Well it's not worth the money it cost..

And it probly wouldn't flow quite as well if it has to have an internal structer for support..

But the looks and "coolness factor" would be realy up there.

 

[Cirus_93TSI]

yea, i guess its one of those things like carbon fenders and bumpers, they look call on certain cars and save weight but i wouldnt want to drive around with them on my street car, same goes for a carbon mani, its great for that last little toutch of perfection on a show car but for a car ment to go fast its really a waste of money

 

[GRNDSM]

>But the looks and "coolness factor" would be realy up there.

If you think that this is cool, then just buy any of the current sheetmetal intake and over it with Carbon Fiber…

Leon
RR

 

[Defiant]

Wasn't the original Neon the first car to use a plastic intake manifold?

 

[turboholic]

Originally posted by Defiant
Wasn't the original Neon the first car to use a plastic intake manifold?

-Ford Ranger's 4.0L has plastic intake manifold, GM's 4.3L too.

 

[GRNDSM]

How is this relevent? Those cars are all NT...

Leon
RR

 

[turboholic]

Originally posted by GRNDSM
Those cars are all NT...

-What different does it make? it's not on the exhaust side. some of our Ranger in the fleet had over 150k miles and none has any problem with the mainfold yet. I think today's plastic is a good low cost alternative if some one is willing to invest in a mold.

 

[GRNDSM]

>What different does it make?

Are you serious? The most stress that is seen by a non-turbo intake is the under vacuum. 20inHg is roughly 10psi of pressure that is trying to collapse the intake. Well designed plastics intakes tend to do an OK job on that application. Now, imagine what will happen to an intake that designed not to collapse at 10psi of vacuum (OK, I know that you are not supposed to measure vacuum in PSI, but I am using it to simplify things) experiences 30psi of boost pressure? It is probably not going to be pretty...

Also notice that NT PT Chruise has a plastic intake manifold, while the turbo version has cast aluminum intake?

I am sure that it is possible to design a good turbo plastic intake, but it is NOT worth the development cost...

Plastic molding is a great alternative to most other methods of fabrication, but only when you have a need a very large quantities? Another problem with plastics is that their mechanical properties change a lot when exposed to under the hood temps. I am sure that CF can do better, but then manufacturing methods will be very different form injected plastics.

Leon
RR

 

[Cirus_93TSI]

leon u are so right about covering a sheet matel intake, u can get a 10 foot by 2 foot sheet of carbon fiber with all the resin u need to lay it for a few hundred dollers, 2 of my friends are going to go half on one of those sheets and cover everything they can on the exterior of their cars with it, i was even thinking of covering my whole roof, so id have a carbon covered roof instead of black like all the other tsi's, but id need to repaint my whole car to hold the carbon fiber down
u could get a magnus intake and a sheet of carbon fiber for less then a thousand, cover whatever part of the manjfold u wanted carbon and have another 5 by 2 feet to cover all those little things that just "need" to be carbon fiber, and i would bet that a catbon manifold like that honda one would cost considerably more then a thousand and wouldnt make anywhere near s much power as a magnus, laying carbon fiber isnt that much harder then laying fiberglass

 

[LaserRST]

A sheet of carbon fiber that is 72" by 50" is under 40.00. Carbon fiber is much more durable than steel, comparitavely. They even have carbonfiber half shafts that are used for high performance hondas. This is not a bad idea. I would expect the manifold will weigh much less than ur magnus and be twice as durable as sheet aluminum. There is the problem of how it reacts to engine bay temps but heat soak will be minimized. I wouldnt knock carbon fiber, it is easier to manage, cheaper, stronger, lighter it always has been the new age materials and they are still finding benefits from it.

 

[greyforestgst]

why do nice manis cost SO DAMN MUCH?
four pipes, a box, two flanges...$500
what. the. ####?

im about to build my own, swear to freakin god

 

[Defiant]

Well, if it comes out like your nostrils did, you'd wind up in business...

 

[autronicDSM]

Originally posted by LaserRST
A sheet of carbon fiber that is 72" by 50" is under 40.00. Carbon fiber is much more durable than steel, comparitavely. They even have carbonfiber half shafts that are used for high performance hondas. This is not a bad idea. I would expect the manifold will weigh much less than ur magnus and be twice as durable as sheet aluminum. There is the problem of how it reacts to engine bay temps but heat soak will be minimized. I wouldnt knock carbon fiber, it is easier to manage, cheaper, stronger, lighter it always has been the new age materials and they are still finding benefits from it.

It's "not a bad" idea because when it breaks it doesn't destroy a car like regular shafts do but instead fibers seperate and create a "broom". At worst you'd have to take out dings and paint the underbody again.

I don't get it why you have to have more durable manifold? I bet you don't make enough power to break Magnus' or even own one. It would be super expensive to build one and none of you amateurs would do it. You have to know how to overlay sheets so it has strong structural integrity. First manifold any of you builds will probably blow out on seams (unless of course you have experience laying fibers).