Sheet Metal Intake Manifold (rework)
09-10-2014, 10:31 AM
#1
Sheet Metal Intake Manifold (rework) So we had a customer bring us this very promising (ebay) sheet metal intake manifold last week for an LS3. It looked really nice, except when you looked inside the plenum. Horrible slag, extra welding rod and the runners were all different lengths.
So we cut the throttle body opening off and then proceeded to cut it length wise. Ported it and deburred everything. Then TIG welded it on up.
Doesn't look too bad at all! If I do say so myself.
So we cut the throttle body opening off and then proceeded to cut it length wise. Ported it and deburred everything. Then TIG welded it on up.
Doesn't look too bad at all! If I do say so myself.
09-14-2014, 01:19 PM
#4
TECH Enthusiast
I'm in the middle of making my own custom intake myself.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-intake-2.html
According to some research, different cylinders can respond better to varying length runners, though we all know this was not the case here.
Bell mouths slightly raised above the floor are a preferred way to get better flow into the cylinders, but any kind of radius entry into the runners is far better than none.
May also want to check fitment against heads, no telling what their quality was there either, coupled with the extra heat of being re-welded.
Good luck on the project & wish me luck on mine. If I do make more power, at least I'm good to go with my stage 3 clutch assembly & light billet flywheel from you know where.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-intake-2.html
According to some research, different cylinders can respond better to varying length runners, though we all know this was not the case here.
Bell mouths slightly raised above the floor are a preferred way to get better flow into the cylinders, but any kind of radius entry into the runners is far better than none.
May also want to check fitment against heads, no telling what their quality was there either, coupled with the extra heat of being re-welded.
Good luck on the project & wish me luck on mine. If I do make more power, at least I'm good to go with my stage 3 clutch assembly & light billet flywheel from you know where.
09-15-2014, 11:28 AM
#6
Well thank you!
This is not a comparison of a $2-$4000+ manifold, simply some "fabrication work" we did in house on a manifold that was purchased off of Ebay. I just try to show some of the more interesting fab work we get in the shop and show what we can do.
We will be making some fuel rail brackets and what ever else it may need to get it on the car and running.
We would have loved to put velocity stacks inside the manifold, but restraints are always part of a build. Time, money, etc.... They are deburred at the top of the runner as much as the material will allow without much modifications, cost or parts involved.
We will be dynoing it on a LS3 car, with just a couple of bolt-ons, before and after and vs a FAST 102.
This is not a comparison of a $2-$4000+ manifold, simply some "fabrication work" we did in house on a manifold that was purchased off of Ebay. I just try to show some of the more interesting fab work we get in the shop and show what we can do.
We will be making some fuel rail brackets and what ever else it may need to get it on the car and running.
We would have loved to put velocity stacks inside the manifold, but restraints are always part of a build. Time, money, etc.... They are deburred at the top of the runner as much as the material will allow without much modifications, cost or parts involved.
We will be dynoing it on a LS3 car, with just a couple of bolt-ons, before and after and vs a FAST 102.
09-15-2014, 11:27 PM
#7
TECH Enthusiast
Yea I got that it was a demonstration of projects & I know just how time consuming they can be.
Against a standard fast 102, the typical expected result would be a loss of lower rpm power & a small gain somewhere north of 5000 rpm. Should be an excellent manifold for boosted race applications.
The cosmetic cool factor over a plastic intake goes without saying, part of my reason for building my own vs something ugly like an lsxrt intake.
Curious to what the ebay price was? For someone else wanting to split one of these open to cleanup, the existing runner ends probably could be bent outwards & then radiused some more with burr bits/sanding.
Against a standard fast 102, the typical expected result would be a loss of lower rpm power & a small gain somewhere north of 5000 rpm. Should be an excellent manifold for boosted race applications.
The cosmetic cool factor over a plastic intake goes without saying, part of my reason for building my own vs something ugly like an lsxrt intake.
Curious to what the ebay price was? For someone else wanting to split one of these open to cleanup, the existing runner ends probably could be bent outwards & then radiused some more with burr bits/sanding.
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09-16-2014, 10:43 AM
#8
The Ebay price I believe is $799 shipped.
The reason we cut it open was there was a TON of slag and extra welding rod in the manifold that could not be deburred by hand without cutting it open. (we could not reach it) If the manifold was sold with no slag or deburring required it would have never been cut open. The pictures don't show how really bad it was.
It was 6 hours of fabrication/porting time.
We are looking into some velocity stacks, or bellows for the intake in the future.
The reason we cut it open was there was a TON of slag and extra welding rod in the manifold that could not be deburred by hand without cutting it open. (we could not reach it) If the manifold was sold with no slag or deburring required it would have never been cut open. The pictures don't show how really bad it was.
It was 6 hours of fabrication/porting time.
We are looking into some velocity stacks, or bellows for the intake in the future.
09-16-2014, 11:17 AM
#9
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a buddy bought the same one, they are horrible inside, look nice enough outside but the inside is just asking for chunk to break lose and take out your motor. he did almost same exact thing , except he added extra weld at mouth of each runner to smooth and round off. of course its boosted so he figures not huge diff as the turbo will force the air in anyway.
09-16-2014, 03:53 PM
#10
TECH Enthusiast
Last similar name brand intake like this I saw was about 3k, so $ 8oo shipped isn't a bad deal for those of us with a syncro 200 & some skill. Good bell mouths can run around 40 to 50 each times 8 of course, so I'd say putting a large weld bead around the outside of each runner ( from the inside of plenum)& then carving a decent radius would be the most cost effective way to have some what of a raised velocity stack.
From my research,with bell mouths , like many other items, takes a lot more cost & effort for small gain past the basic decent size & shape.
BTW, I got some good general advice from an afr engineer & a gm engineer involved with the LS7 intake project. not just guessing .Advice from people like that always helps.
From my research,with bell mouths , like many other items, takes a lot more cost & effort for small gain past the basic decent size & shape.
BTW, I got some good general advice from an afr engineer & a gm engineer involved with the LS7 intake project. not just guessing .Advice from people like that always helps.
09-17-2014, 10:04 AM
#11
Yeah, from the outside of the manifold, "WOW this thing is awesome"... look inside, instant sad face!
We could have did a few different things to this to make it even better, but not really what the customer had in mind. Budget, Budget, Budget. So for less than half price of similar manifolds, its worth giving it a shot.
Hopefully in the up coming month we can do the dyno testing on all the different manifolds and see how it works.
BTW, Smurfkiller how did the manifold work out on your buddies turbo car? Any pictures of it all set up?
We could have did a few different things to this to make it even better, but not really what the customer had in mind. Budget, Budget, Budget. So for less than half price of similar manifolds, its worth giving it a shot.
Hopefully in the up coming month we can do the dyno testing on all the different manifolds and see how it works.
BTW, Smurfkiller how did the manifold work out on your buddies turbo car? Any pictures of it all set up?
09-17-2014, 10:32 AM
#12
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Yeah, from the outside of the manifold, "WOW this thing is awesome"... look inside, instant sad face!
We could have did a few different things to this to make it even better, but not really what the customer had in mind. Budget, Budget, Budget. So for less than half price of similar manifolds, its worth giving it a shot.
Hopefully in the up coming month we can do the dyno testing on all the different manifolds and see how it works.
BTW, Smurfkiller how did the manifold work out on your buddies turbo car? Any pictures of it all set up?
We could have did a few different things to this to make it even better, but not really what the customer had in mind. Budget, Budget, Budget. So for less than half price of similar manifolds, its worth giving it a shot.
Hopefully in the up coming month we can do the dyno testing on all the different manifolds and see how it works.
BTW, Smurfkiller how did the manifold work out on your buddies turbo car? Any pictures of it all set up?
09-17-2014, 10:46 AM
#13
Gotcha, so it's not a finished project just yet.
I am wanting to see the difference on an all motor car between 3 different manifolds. Stock, Fast 102, and this Ebay manifold. Would love to see 4 different manifolds tested... ( $3000+ manifold )
I am wanting to see the difference on an all motor car between 3 different manifolds. Stock, Fast 102, and this Ebay manifold. Would love to see 4 different manifolds tested... ( $3000+ manifold )
10-12-2014, 03:34 PM
#18
9 Second Club
bump, any performance results ?
Often wondered about using the cast alloy base from this sort of setup ( if available separately )
It could be used to build a crossover style intake ? Just add some trumpets and plenum instead of the individual throttles
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111466017517?lpid=82
not as awesome as the carbon picture on the thread linked above...but it could work ?
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-intake-2.html
Often wondered about using the cast alloy base from this sort of setup ( if available separately )
It could be used to build a crossover style intake ? Just add some trumpets and plenum instead of the individual throttles
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111466017517?lpid=82
not as awesome as the carbon picture on the thread linked above...but it could work ?
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...-intake-2.html
