vr4 manifolds

[Colin Wiltshire]

Having a thought about my kkr280's I have in the garage. Started to wonder how easy the vr4 manifolds are to work with.
Thought about cutting bottom off, just to leave bit that bolts onto engine, and welding in some pipes to change the angle (eg having tubs over nearer gear box).
What size and type of pipe to use?

It's dangerous for me to start thinking.

[miller]

existing ones are cast iron....pig to work with.....cheaper and easier to start from scratch

[Fully]

They are not that bad to work with.
This is what I have done so far =)

Front bank first pic, they others are rear bank.

[miller]

they look good! Is cast iron not hard to weld? Reason I ask is one of the branch on my manifold has a crack which obviously I would prefer welded rather than replace the whole unit...

[Louis]

You can weld Cast, but due to heating up and cooling down so often, they tend to crack again after a while. The other issue is not just getting them to fit, but hotspots when they are running, I think GOWF Hadissues with manifolds he made for TD04's, they looked great and worked, but the centre pipe on his design went much hotter than the other pipes, I am sure someone else will come on with the full story.

[Colin Wiltshire]

Looking great, I take it, they're original base's with old pipes cut off? what pipes you using?

[Fully]

Cast is very easy to weld =)


Looking great, I take it, they're original base's with old pipes cut off? what pipes you using?

Yes the flange is original, I cut it off the manifold, kept the flange and threw the rest away. I am using 48mm or 52mm * 6 Meter seamless boiler pipe, with 12 of each of the following 45 and 90deg buttweld matching mild steal elbows. Cost less than $100.
Turbo flanges will be made out 25mm * 75mm mild steal. Turbo gasket side will be milled.

http://www.ccengineers.co.nz/mc_images/butt%20weld%20fittings_lg.JPG