Anyone ever build their own turbo manifold? - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

240sxDann · 12-30-2008, 08:56 PM

Just curious, has anyone ever custom fabricated their own turbo manifold? Or assembled a kit? I need a turbo manifold, but I don't really want to spend $500+ on a peak boost or JGS. I was thinking of picking up the kit that JGS offers for you to build your own. It comes with a flange for the head, 2 90* bends, 2 T bends, the two pieces to mount the turbo flange, and a tapped external wastegate flange to fit my wastegate. Its only $180. So yea, anyone ever built one, and if so how difficult was it for you? What kind of experience do you have with welding?

Odobenus rosmaru · 12-30-2008, 08:58 PM

Just spend the money for a good manifold. You can prob find a good used one cheap. This is for a 240 right?

Vr-4-Life · 12-30-2008, 08:59 PM

You will usually spend the same ammount getting a shop to weld one up for you. Buy a brand name one and dont do ebay

240sxDann · 12-30-2008, 09:01 PM

But thats the thing, I dont want to spend a large sum of money if I can build one myself. And ebay ones are so/so, some people actually have decent luck with them after some initial modification. I wouldn't have a shop weld it, I would be welding it. And yea its for my 240. Looking for some input from anyone who has done this, or attempted it even lol

**TROLL** · 12-30-2008, 09:03 PM

I think if you're not confident and know what you're doing, you shouldn't be attempting it. Manifolds get extremely hot and are prone to cracking... its really for veteran welders only as far as i am concerned.
Sorry, but cars are expensive and going cheap is a waste. If you don't feel like spending any money then modding isnt for you.

Odobenus rosmaru · 12-30-2008, 09:06 PM

^^ what he said... I'm a bit older and can tell you after building many cars that the cheap way is ALWAYS more expensive. Drop the coin on a good manifold, if you need help sourcing a good deal PM me and we can discuss you budget/goals and I'll see if I can help.

240sxDann · 12-30-2008, 09:08 PM

Well shoot you gotta start somewhere, but I guess that's not here then lol

Adam496 · 12-30-2008, 09:09 PM

Why not just get a sr manifold?

Odobenus rosmaru · 12-30-2008, 09:11 PM

A turbo manifold is NOT a beginner project and you will waste time and money on it only to most likely fail. We are just trying to point you in the right direction. Whatever you do, good luck.

**TROLL** · 12-30-2008, 09:17 PM

yeah i'd say thats like the last bit of fab you'd want to do, aside from a cage or something. start with a catback, then a downpipe, then ic piping, etc etc.

DPancoast · 12-30-2008, 10:11 PM

gonna have to agree. if you're not confident... might not work out. could go bad in 1 pull... or 20 pulls.. either way you might break something and end up shelling out the cash anyways.

manifolds are an important part of the setup... don't cheap out.

ScubaSteve · 12-30-2008, 10:39 PM

I don't think its as bad as most of you guys are making it out to be since its a log manifold made out of thick steel but its still not a good time to practice welding.

TurboTagTeam · 12-30-2008, 11:00 PM

A manifold is probably the hardest thing to weld correctly. Thats why they cost so much. About 50% of my job used to be fabing/welding custom manifolds. It's defiantly something takes alot of time/skill to do correctly.

The runners have to be fabbed PERFECT. Even 1/8in of a gap will cause the weld to go too deep. To have proper penetration the welding all has to be TIG as well. Especially since the manifold should be back-purged while welding.

You'd also need a negative headport flange made up to hold the manifold's head flange flat while you weld each of the runners to it. Otherwise the flange will end up hella crooked after everything cools down.

240sxDann · 12-30-2008, 11:13 PM

Understandable. Thanks for the input guys!

JSpecV03 · 12-31-2008, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam496

Why not just get a sr manifold?

he has a ka.

240sxDann · 12-31-2008, 08:40 AM

haha yes indeed I do. You can get an SR manifold and weld a KA flange to it but meh, if I'm gonna spend the money, I'll just get one for my car lol.

frosti108 · 12-31-2008, 12:03 PM

Dan why don't you just find one used on one of the forums? People get rid of these things cheap sometimes when they're in a pinch.

JSpecV03 · 12-31-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240sxDann

haha yes indeed I do. You can get an SR manifold and weld a KA flange to it but meh, if I'm gonna spend the money, I'll just get one for my car lol.

really, i didnt know that, but it comes down to the welding thing and then your right back at square one again.

240sxDann · 12-31-2008, 02:39 PM

well yes and no. with that, your just cutting the sr flange and welding the ka one on. Thats not quite as bad, because all the bends, and the wastegate and turbo flanges are already tune. But you can modify any sr manifold to work. (stock, log, or tubular), because they use the exact same positioning of everything, just a different flange.

TurboTagTeam · 12-31-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240sxDann

haha yes indeed I do. You can get an SR manifold and weld a KA flange to it but meh, if I'm gonna spend the money, I'll just get one for my car lol.

You'd have to braze the manifold on too since the stock manifold is cast. Brazing is like a welding dark art. Not alot of people can do it. I know I suck at it.

Honestly...besides the turbo, the manifold is the most important part of a turbo kit. I'd wait and shell out some dough for a nice manifold with a lifetime warranty. Peakboost or lovefab or the allmighty full-race. I have a HKS GT manifold on my SR and it's worth every penny of the 1000$ it costs. The welding is superb and I don't think it'll ever crack.

12-30-2008, 08:58 PM	#2
Odobenus rosmaru Tri-State Training Wheels Join Date: Aug 2008 Member #8374 iTrader: (0)	Just spend the money for a good manifold. You can prob find a good used one cheap. This is for a 240 right? __________________ My slow build: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

12-30-2008, 09:06 PM	#6
Odobenus rosmaru Tri-State Training Wheels Join Date: Aug 2008 Member #8374 iTrader: (0)	^^ what he said... I'm a bit older and can tell you after building many cars that the cheap way is ALWAYS more expensive. Drop the coin on a good manifold, if you need help sourcing a good deal PM me and we can discuss you budget/goals and I'll see if I can help. __________________ My slow build: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

12-30-2008, 09:11 PM	#9
Odobenus rosmaru Tri-State Training Wheels Join Date: Aug 2008 Member #8374 iTrader: (0)	A turbo manifold is NOT a beginner project and you will waste time and money on it only to most likely fail. We are just trying to point you in the right direction. Whatever you do, good luck. __________________ My slow build: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. Last edited by Odobenus rosmaru; 12-30-2008 at 09:14 PM.

12-30-2008, 10:39 PM	#12
ScubaSteve Tri-State Addict Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Montgomery County Member #2599 My Ride: 1993 s13 coupe Ka-t; 2005 Legacy GT Ltd iTrader: (1)	I don't think its as bad as most of you guys are making it out to be since its a log manifold made out of thick steel but its still not a good time to practice welding. __________________ TempleTuners To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

12-30-2008, 08:59 PM	#3
Vr-4-Life Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philly PA Member #1961 My Ride: BMW E60 M5 V10 6 Speed --- Ducati Monster 696 iTrader: (4)	You will usually spend the same ammount getting a shop to weld one up for you. Buy a brand name one and dont do ebay

12-30-2008, 09:09 PM	#8
Adam496 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern Jersey Member #906 iTrader: (0)	Why not just get a sr manifold?

12-30-2008, 11:00 PM	#13
TurboTagTeam Tri-State Post Whore Banned Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cell Block F Member #275 My Ride: constantly changes iTrader: (2)	A manifold is probably the hardest thing to weld correctly. Thats why they cost so much. About 50% of my job used to be fabing/welding custom manifolds. It's defiantly something takes alot of time/skill to do correctly. The runners have to be fabbed PERFECT. Even 1/8in of a gap will cause the weld to go too deep. To have proper penetration the welding all has to be TIG as well. Especially since the manifold should be back-purged while welding. You'd also need a negative headport flange made up to hold the manifold's head flange flat while you weld each of the runners to it. Otherwise the flange will end up hella crooked after everything cools down.

12-31-2008, 12:03 PM	#17
frosti108 Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: norristown Member #5883 My Ride: Track- RB S13. Street- 2J SC300 + SR S14 iTrader: (10)	Dan why don't you just find one used on one of the forums? People get rid of these things cheap sometimes when they're in a pinch.