Manifold building adventure

[Zacho]

So after a while of looking around at manifold options I've decided to just build my own. You can all watch it as it progresses. I plan to span this out over ~1 or 2 months. I'm no professional fabricator but I enjoy it. I'll be mounting my 6265 billet to this and beating it on the track come spring.

The plan:
T3 open w/6 into 1 merge
1.5'' ID sch40 steel 1.25 inch pipe
Forward and angled position
1.75'' ID wastegate port

This weekend I got started. I have the engine flange and my t3 flange. I started with the collector. I pondered the design in the back of my head for a few weeks prior. I didn't want to do a "round" 6 into 1 because they seem to give you a lot less clearance for whatever cylinders it is mounted close to. Also welding the last two runners with a round style collector looks like an uber pain.

So what I choose is to make two 3-1's and then I'll make an angled cut in both and merge those (if that makes any sense...)

Off we go.

My old, terrible, awful manifold with the new flange supplied by Mazworx laying on top. Pictured below is my 5/8'' aluminum surface I will bolt the engine flange to as I weld it.


Start with 6 fresh cuts of pipe.


Cut in the jig. Make first cut, then rotate for the second (yes I realize this is PVC, it was for the test cuts. Just to give an idea)


The result


If you measured 10 times and cut once, you will get something like this.


Two finished:


A rough idea of where I'm going. I will "merge" these two together and make one collector. The end runners will be at a fairly steep angle but I think that will give me a good opportunity to make runners 1&6 longer.



Thanks for looking. I'll update as I go.

[ST240]

I will be watching this thread with great interest! Good work. Where'd you get the pipe?

You wouldnt happen to have another flange kicking around youre willing to sell would you ?

[gtrjon]

nice man subscribed.

[ColinR33]

Impressive! I'll be watching how this progresses.

[Dragon Humper]

Good for you, its nice to see people using skills instead of money to get a result. Nice jig setup on the bandsaw by the way .


Jon.

[Zacho]

Thanks. That fixture is version 3.0 at the moment.

All I did today was merge to two 3-1's together. Beleive it or not this took ~2.5 hours to measure, measure, measure, set up and cut.

[speedfreak]

Maybe I missed it but are you making this a "Top mount" or "Bottom mount turbo manifold"
Also where's the wastegate planned to go?
Looks good!!
I did one similar but ended up making it to a totally different
Design.
Cheers!

[M13]

you should make a bunch and sell em. I'd buy.

[RABBIT]

make one so i can build an N/A 26?

[Zacho]

Small update. Progress was halted as the head flange I received was machined completely wrong. Ports & holes didn't line up on a couple cylinders. So I got a refund then got another flange. In the next few days I plan to make some serious progress. Stay tuned.

Also the round 3-1 collectors I decided to chuck that idea as well. Using a flat 3-1 now and will splay two together.

Hooray for Iphone pics, I promise I'll break that habit soon.

New head flange.

Chose a spot for the turbo that I liked, tacked it in.


Made a simple jig so I can remove the turbine flange without things moving where they shouldn't.


Here is what I'm doing with the collector now, just two flat 3-1's that I will merge together.

[support@feastauto]

Some really good insight here. Something of which is rarely seen. Thanks for sharing chief!

[r33_gtst]

Lookin good, keep the pics coming

[DreadedFist]

Holy. Any man who decides he should just build his own exhaust manifold, with a merge collector as beautiful as that, is the greatest man.

No homo and all that.

[Bugsly17]

Zach you're a pro. I love you.


Good job on this project, I bet it'll turn out great

[Zacho]

Well after lots of swearing I've got this to come out. I'm happy with this but the only problem is I miscalculated my blade angle by 1 degree and that compounded through all the pieces. So I've got to take this to a friends place and use his large belt sander to loose the gap between the halves. It's maybe 1/16'' but that is enough to annoy me.

Started with each 3-1


Made a series of cuts to turn them into 6-1


Then everything was cleaned with acetone, workspace cleared and I tacked them together.


You wouldn't know it, but I'm already roughly 6 hours into this collector. Another 2 and it should be all welded up and then I can begin building the runners.