Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

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Barneyboko
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Model of Car: 99 VVC
Location: Perthshire

Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by Barneyboko » Mon May 08, 2017 4:41 pm

beefio wrote:Is this likely to give me any performance gain over the standard item...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150645232994
I fitted this very downpipe in November, I went the whole hog and replaced the entire exhaust. It went on fairly easy, I would advise writing of your existing oxygen sensor in the old manifold and go for a new one, they almost never come out. Its best to get the sensor without a plug and reuse the plug you have as there are quite a few variations and with an O2 sensor if you open the bag they wont take it back.

Cant say I feel much of an increase in power but it does look and sound better.

Barney

ZSx
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by ZSx » Tue May 09, 2017 10:58 am

Barneyboko wrote:I would advise writing of your existing oxygen sensor in the old manifold and go for a new one, they almost never come out. Its best to get the sensor without a plug and reuse the plug you have as there are quite a few variations and with an O2 sensor if you open the bag they wont take it back.
I completely agree with this!! I managed to get the old sensor out and fit it to the new manifold, but after a few days of driving it became apparent that the manifold was getting red hot, the engine and ancillaries are fine its just he manifold. I have had a look and believe this to be due to too lean a mix of fuel to air, caused by damaging the O2 sensor (although it looks fine it is the only thing I have moved and can affect the Air to Fuel mix).

Strangely on my 1996 VVC no warning lights have been thrown and the only way I noticed it was a "hot smell" and when investigating it was obvious the manifold was overheating.

So I have ordered a new sensor and will fit when it arrives, until then the car will not be driven as I don't want to cause any\more damage.

Lesson learned, for the sake of an extra £30, replace the sensor!!

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Rob Bell
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by Rob Bell » Tue May 09, 2017 7:14 pm

The Mike Satur manifold with the long-branch primaries and secondaries have a chance of making another 5-10bhp, the stainless ToyoSport one won't. Perhaps 2bhp? But I'd love to do some more back to back testing (it'll be like the good old days! :D)

beefio
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by beefio » Tue May 09, 2017 7:27 pm

Rob Bell wrote:the stainless ToyoSport one won't. Perhaps 2bhp
That's interesting Rob, why do you think it'll give some power gain if it's the same designed as the original, due to the smoother welds?

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Rob Bell
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by Rob Bell » Wed May 10, 2017 11:38 am

Smoother welds - depending on whether you got a "good one" or a "bad one" from the factory! The pipes are internally welded, and the weld can significantly reduce the diameter of pipe! Which is why you can probably get most of the advantage of one of these s/s manifolds in a standard item through judicious use of a grinder :)

beefio
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by beefio » Wed May 10, 2017 11:45 am

Rob Bell wrote:you can probably get most of the advantage of one of these s/s manifolds in a standard item through judicious use of a grinder :)
Again excuse my ignorance but how can you grind the welds on inside of the pipe?

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Rob Bell
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by Rob Bell » Wed May 10, 2017 1:50 pm

A Dremel-type tool, or a carbide burr on an electric drill should do the job :)

ZSx
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by ZSx » Wed May 10, 2017 3:22 pm

Rob Bell wrote:Smoother welds - depending on whether you got a "good one" or a "bad one" from the factory! The pipes are internally welded, and the weld can significantly reduce the diameter of pipe! Which is why you can probably get most of the advantage of one of these s/s manifolds in a standard item through judicious use of a grinder :)
Just to add to this, what it doesn't show in my photos earlier, is that the carbon build up on my OE manifold is actually quite considerable when you look at it close up.

Weather or not a new OE manifold would give the same gains as the Toyosport, I would suggest that the Stainless Toyosport will give some good improvements over a 20 year old, carbon filled, OE part.But on the flip side, so would just putting a brand new mild steel OE manifold on, probably.

Will look at getting photos of the carbon build up later on :)

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Rob Bell
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by Rob Bell » Wed May 10, 2017 5:30 pm

I wonder whether a good "Italian tune-up" to get the manifold properly hot would help clear this carbon? Certainly does a good job on the cylinder head! :lol:

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mgrv8boy
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Model of Car: TF 160 ZR 160 ZTT160
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by mgrv8boy » Sat May 13, 2017 3:29 pm

have fitted the mike sature 4-2-1 and backbox to my TF 160 and it made a huge difference it now revs quicker and is far happier at the top end (sounds brilliant too) compared with a friends race F VVC it does rev quicker and feels faster too.

beefio
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Re: Stainless Manifold/Downpipe

Post by beefio » Sat May 13, 2017 4:26 pm

Yeah that's the one to go for, if only I had a spare £900 to spend I'd be all over it...

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