FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Long story short, I need to know if there are any stock exhaust manifolds you can use dumping forward and up, and still use the coils (mounted on a coil bracket) in the stock location.

I need to dump my exhuast forward and up. The passenger side works great with a Cadillac CTS-V manifold, however the driver's side does not leave a path for the spark plug wire to travel from the coil to the plug. The manifold is just too close to the coils.

Does anybody know if there is a manifold out there that I can setup to dump forward and up on the driver's side, and still use the coils in the stock location?

GOOD PASSENGER SIDE USING CTS-V MANIFOLD:




BAD DRIVER'S SIDE USING CTS-V MANIFOLD



BAD DRIVER'S SIDE USING CAMARO MANIFOLD


I also tried the LS1 and LS2 Corvette manifolds. The older LS1 vette manifolds will not clear my hood, and the LS2 vette manifolds are way too close to the coils.

Any ideas what else might work? I have over half the d@mn stock manifolds for this engine type and none of them seem to be working on the driver's side. Maybe the truck manifolds, GTO manifolds, ImpalaSS/GTP manifolds? I don't want to use tubular headers because of heat and durability issues... just my preference.

Has anyone ever treid this before? Does anyone have their engine out and a set of the above manifolds that they can throw on and try for me? I tried this in the FI section but I never really made much ground, so I figured I'd try it here.

HELP!

Thanks in advance... this really sucks! -Dave

Sabre002

iTrader: (7)

Have you looked in the forced induction section? There is a thread in there about stock manifolds with turbo setups.

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Yea, I tried this thread in the FI section - it went on for a while but nobody was able to give me concrete information. None of the threads in the FI section deal (except for mine) deal with the manifolds dumping up and forward.

I think what I really need is:
1) Someone that has done this already to chime in (dumped their manifolds up and forward, and still maintained the stock coil location)
2) Someone that has either a set of GTO, truck or ImpallaSS/GXP manifolds to test fit them on their engine dumping up and forward to tell me if they leave enough room for the coils and plug wires

Thanks! -Dave

Skele4door

iTrader: (1)

I would opt to relocate the coils and make some custom plug wires, but you seem dead set against that. You could try buying a set of the header flanges that GMPP sells and use one or two to space the mani out away from the head and get some plug wire clearance. You could probably get by with just using a gasket between each flange, but welding them together would be a lot cleaner and less likely to leak.

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Thanks for the ideas... each one is definitely a potential fix but also involves compromise. I want to make sure I need to compromise before I actually do. If there is a stock manifold (GTO, truck, ImpallaSS/GXP) that gives-+ me what I need without compromise, then I want to go that route. I am hoping that people with these manifolds can mock something up and let me know how it looks... I would rather not spend $60+ for each set of manifolds just to find out they don't work.

After I have exhausted all of the manifold choices, then I will probably be looking at relocating the coils or exhaust manifold flanges.

Thanks! -Dave

Kenova

iTrader: (4)

I guess it is safe to assume that you don't have enough clearance on the driver's side to run a manifold forward and down . With the alt., power steering pump, and possibly the steering box occupying realestate on the same side, the chances of getting through it all are slim, but you never know.....
Ken

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

That's not a bad idea... I wanted to try to keep they system looking somewhat symetrical with both manifolds pointing up and forward, however one up and one down beats some of my alternatives. I will have to look into that this weekend when I put the engine back in the car.

Thanks, -Dave

RacnJsn95

iTrader: (4)

Most of the people doing turbo setups I've read about are using truck manifolds without any problem.

Here's a guy using flipped truck manifolds on a 71 Chevelle...

https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-swaps/449129-turbo-chevelle-gettin-there.html

Btw, at first glance I thought your screen name was "FatKid"... I laughed.

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Haha thanks for the post. I checked out that guy's Nova project and it is pretty cool. I did PM him to see what the story was on the driver's side clearance. Looking at the pics in the post, he evenutally ran some longer plug wires all the way around the exhaust manifolds to get to the plugs.

Thanks, -Dave

'JustDreamin'

The truck manifolds outlet is spread pretty far (center to center, compared to f-body for example). I know this because in my swap the truck manifolds put the outlets in the middle of the framerail of my S10 Blazer, whereas the f-body ones actually pointed inside the framerails.

I've got a set of 6.0L truck manifolds at the house, but no engine to put it on (engines in the truck, running). Would a dimension or two be helpful?

'JustDreamin'

LS1NOVA

iTrader: (12)

I have an engine on the stand and both manifolds. Give me an hour.

LS1NOVA

iTrader: (12)

Here ya go. The clearance on the truck manifold is tight but if you ziptied the wires up near the coils it would be fine. These are truck coils, brackets, and wires. I do not know how they compare to the others.

LS1NOVA

iTrader: (12)

w-body

LS1NOVA

iTrader: (12)

Im not sure if it will clear f-body power steering pump.

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Thanks a lot, that is EXACTLY what I needed to see.

It looks like the driver's side truck manifold is the winner. As long as there is a clear path for a plugw wires, a set of custom wires will take care of the rest. Some 45* boots on the plug side and either 90* or 45* boots on the coil side and a shorter wire should keep things where they need to be.

The W-body manifolds looked good but they were a little close to the coils and would prob interfere with the PS pump like you said. The flanges don't look meaty enough to support a set of turbos, either.

I think it's the truck manifolds for the win! Now I need to find a driver's manifold and check the hood clearance.

Thanks again, -Dave

shifty`

iTrader: (3)

sorry if this has been mentioned before - and i realize it may not answer your question - but, I would personally use a coil relocation kit? they are realy inexpensive, open things up for you to use nicer valve covers, and would totally solve your problem.

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Haha yea, right now the coil packs are hiding my ugly valve cover paint job... didn't turn out that great but it's done. I'm at the point now where I really just want to move forward and keep as much stock as possible. The project has been raging on for almost 3 years and I still have so much to do!

Even if I relocated the coils, I would still want to run the wires down between the primaries... so part of the problem of finding the right manifold would still exist. Some people run wires under the manifolds, but that's where my downpipe will be, so the wires would get hot traveling that route as well.

Thanks for the thought though! -Dave

'JustDreamin'

I've got a set of 2004 6.0L manifolds in pretty nice condition. I think I've even got the "stubs" where the yard torched off the downpipes, so you'd even have the flanges. $50 for the set.

Let me know if you're interested, I'm in the Baltimore area.

'JustDreamin'