OBX has new 4g64 manifold (looks similar to ERL Placement)

[forcefed86]

I'm not up to par with all the numbers....yet. But using a .030? .30? I'm just told what to weld and I weld it. Lol. At least I'm blowing by most people. Have already blown past most of the people in my class that started last semester. This is my 1st semester. So, hoping I'll be the next Ron Shearer??? Lol. Here's to hoping.

I went to a welding and machining school that lasted 6 months in the Airforce but that was a good while back and was very brief. Finished my school, broke my foot, and 14 screws and a metal plate later, I ended up getting out in 2005. So yeah, it's been awhile. Anywho, wish me luck on the welding tomorrow.

I actually meant what type of wire, as in 302/321/347 etc.

So here is my attempt at TIG welding. Swept wide to try for more strength. Grabbed some scrap from the bin and made a brace as well. When I cleaned up the scrap I realized it was some type of old ruler. I'll paint it all later. The Flex WG exhaust is also a temp. fix. Although having the flex piping clamped to the down pipe also provides support. I didn't run any type of WG exhaust during the clutch break in period.

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[v8s_are_slow]

I actually meant what type of wire, as in 302/321/347 etc.

Oh, I knew that. Lol. But I dunno the answer. I looked at the spool today but there wasn't a sticker or anything on it. Buuuuut, it doesn't really matter anyway. I learned a good lesson when I did it. Don't use a mig welder on thin stainless steel. It'll burn a freakin hole right through it. Even had the heat way down and it STILL burned a hole. Soooo, after filling in some holes and making it look like total crap (sigh....), I started doing a bunch of small tack welds to keep the heat at a minimum. I probably should've just stopped and did it all on the tig when I first started burning a hole through it, but I didn't.

What I did do was had one of the guys do the metal rods with tig, and I did the squares on the mig (the crappy looking part). But I know for next time. Anyway, here's the pics and what I did.

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Annnnd, the crappy part.

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Oh, and I decided not to touch the original welds....for now.

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Just because I don't want everyone thinking I totally can't weld, I'm posting this one up. Lol. Just a practice weld doing my vertical weave Next time I do some welding, I won't screw up like I did this, but I also wasn't thinking about the holes I'd be burning.

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[forcefed86]

Just take a grinder to the ugly welds, function over beauty I always say! Most common is 308L, Not the best choice for welding on 321, but it should work. Wish you the best of luck with it! If I get any major cracks I’ll probably take it off and brace it every way I can think of. I was surprised how thin the manifold was as well. I recall reading these weren’t crazy thin before I bought it. Something oddball like 15g? I’ll have to go re-read the ebay AD. It sure welded like 18g to me! I’d like to get a mic reading on it. If it’s 18g this may be a losing battle.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Not too worried about it honestly. The ugly welds will be on the bottom so just gonna leave it be. Hope you have good luck with yours. I'd prefer an ERL but I can't afford it right now. I'll just duct tape mine together if it cracks, or some jb weld. Haha!

 

[v8s_are_slow]

So I have some good news. I opened up a case on ebay about the manifold and we basically came to a resolution....since I've already modified it some. Basically, they said that if I can drill the mounting holes properly (and I can), that they'd offer me a $49 refund. I accepted it. So bascially, my $170 shipped manifold became a $121 shipped manifold. Definitely not complaining at all now.

 

[forcefed86]

Nothing new to report, so far so good roughly 1000 miles as of today. a good 500+ since welding. Spoolup is still slow, but I'm getting use to down shifting at this point. Hope the valvetrain is happy at 7500... I haden't planned on taking it that high.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Okay I FINALLY have my engine back together. The holes are of course drilled, well, not properly and I have to widen the holes. Right now it's so snug that I can push it onto the head and it'll just sit there, WITH the turbo mounted to it and not need any nuts to hold the manifold on. Also, I can put 2 studs in with the turbo mounted and no nuts, and the turbo will just hang there and not fall off. Just, crazy. Someone at OBX needs to be fired....immediately.

Anyway, anyone have any good ideas to widen the holes? My Dremel with the router bit or whatever ya wanna call it isn't doing it, drill bits don't go sideways, I've been using a round file for hours, and just wanna get this sucker to slide on with ease. Ideas??? Thanks.

 

[99gst_racer]

Carbide bit in an air-powered die grinder.

I had to do the same thing on the OBX ramhorn manifold that I used to run.

 

[jjrock5]

Electric Die Grinder with Long Shaft

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

^ Has worked for all my porting needs. I try to buy cheaper burrs online if I can wait for shipping otherwise your local Sears should have the set above.

Also, use the 20% off coupon for the grinder!

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Thanks fellas. Aside from this, I'm kinda stuck until next GI Bill check so I have money to get the small things I need to get this sucker up and running.

 

[forcefed86]

...also make sure to enlarge the holes quite a bit. You need room for expansion and contraction.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Mine is installed now. Put the engine in the car last night. I'll post up more pics later after I finish my exhaust.

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[doesitonall4rs]

Man that looks great! Good work!

 

[forcefed86]

Nice downpipe.. Looks like it’s right out of a diesel catalog! Wish I didn’t have AC and could relocated my alternator to run something similar. Are you running a complete exhaust system? Or leaving it like pictured?

 

[doesitonall4rs]

forcefed86, have you noticed anymore cracks since the crack on the wastegate pipe? It is wierd because I was looking at the ERL manifold and it has the same type of support for the wastegate protrusion that V8s_are_slow made. What gives? a 30+ pound turbo hangs of the ERL manifold and its fine, and a 1lb wastegate is hanging it place and that section needs extra support? That is confusing to me.

This manifold does look good, I just always have been a fan of cast manifolds, boy do I hope I can get my 70AR hx40 to fit with the treadstone T3 mani I got. I really do not want to spend ~550 for an exhaust manifold not do I want a tubular mani.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Just got the e-mail notifications.

Anyway, nope, not leaving it like that. This is the exhaust system I built. Still have to weld one piece that you can see, but have to test fit it, tack it, then weld it. Posted this in another thread as well but here ya go.

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One with my engine and all dropped in. Although everything's all bolted up now.

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And this one right here is just a test fit of the exhaust coming out.

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Tomorrow will be the 1st time trying to fire it up within about a year. Have a lot of changes that I've made. Currently I have to figure out where to get a vacuum source for my bov (stupid 6 bolt intake manifold....at least 7 bolt manifolds have a lot of ports), figure out why my oil pressure gauge isn't working (aftermarket), add fuel, and start it.

 

[doesitonall4rs]

That looks great! But just one critique, if you are planning to use to O2 sensors, (I am assuming 1 OEM and 1 Wideband) You should not mount the sensors right behind each other like that because it supposedly messes up the reading on the 2nd sensor. This is what I read anyways, I believe the AEM UEGO says it in the directions.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

I had already thought about that. And space is VERY limited. That's why the wideband will be closer to the turbo. Stock sensor will be second. But for now, it's just my wideband until I can get a new stock O2 sensor to throw in there.

And yeah, wastegate on one side, power steering pump on the other, manifold right on top. Limited space. Lol. And it was a PAIN to weld the bungs in the center cause they were so close together, but no choice.

 

[doesitonall4rs]

I don't know if it's like this on a 2g, but on a 1g you can use the widebands narrow Band output (1volt) to provide the o2 sensor reading. In other words you can just use one sensor!

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Yeah, that's the way I've been running it. But I just feel better having both sensors in it incase one of them dies.

 

[forcefed86]

forcefed86, have you noticed anymore cracks since the crack on the wastegate pipe? It is wierd because I was looking at the ERL manifold and it has the same type of support for the wastegate protrusion that V8s_are_slow made. What gives? a 30+ pound turbo hangs of the ERL manifold and its fine, and a 1lb wastegate is hanging it place and that section needs extra support? That is confusing to me.

This manifold does look good, I just always have been a fan of cast manifolds, boy do I hope I can get my 70AR hx40 to fit with the treadstone T3 mani I got. I really do not want to spend ~550 for an exhaust manifold not do I want a tubular mani.

No more cracks yet. I drive the car alot and beat on it quite a bit. Roughly 35miles a day now. The tubular cheap stuff cracks because it uses a thin gauge tubing that doesn't support near the weight. As I said earlier mine may have stressed before I bolted it on. Having worked for UPS you would be surprised how hard those guys are on your packages! Dropping any manifold off a 10 foot loading dock right on the WG flange a few times may cause it to crack...even a cast piece.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

My car runs again. I'll post any updates if I have them. Hoping I don't. Meaning it's working just fine.

 

[doesitonall4rs]

No more cracks yet. I drive the car alot and beat on it quite a bit. Roughly 35miles a day now. The tubular cheap stuff cracks because it uses a thin gauge tubing that doesn't support near the weight. As I said earlier mine may have stressed before I bolted it on. Having worked for UPS you would be surprised how hard those guys are on your packages! Dropping any manifold off a 10 foot loading dock right on the WG flange a few times may cause it to crack...even a cast piece.

All you did was just re-weld the crack right? I might have to give this manifold a shot if my Treadstone doesn't fit, because I really do not want to extract the exhaust studs and risk breaking any of them to run longer studs and a spacer.

My car runs again. I'll post any updates if I have them. Hoping I don't. Meaning it's working just fine.

Man thats great to hear! Keep us updated, I might have to purchase this manifold as well and test it out, Although I think I will brace the wastegate protrusion like you did.

Hopefully forcefeds mani holds up great with minimal bracing!

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Was gonna post up some vids today but then my stupid power steering belt came off. It destroyed my wiring for my oil pressure gauge and since I didn't have my hood on, parts of the belt and my wiring flew up in the air. All over the place. Belt is shredded. The one thing about the Jay Racing alternator kit that I hate is that if you don't have that p/s pulley EXACTLY straight, off comes the belt. I've replaced about 5 or 6 belts now. I have zero dollars in the bank so car is down till around Friday'ish until I can afford another belt.

Kind of annoyed today. But manifold still looks good at least. Guess that's what counts. Of course it's only been a day.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Okay, what did you guys do to install the dipstick? I had to cut the bracket off and bend the tube to get it in and it wasn't easy. The exhaust I have made it more difficult as well. If I weld a bracket on below the manifold, I probably won't be able to get it back on, and can't think of a single way to do it without making it look ghetto. Ideas anyone? Rignt now it's just sitting there.

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