Cody Lovelace (Lovefab)

[sepulchralx]

Are there any good friends of Cody Lovelace on here that can smack the s*** out of him for me?

This guy has been screening the f*** out of my calls, lying constantly about shipping info, and being a total douche to me at the moment.

For those of you that don't know, i got his lovefab manifold for my RB25, it hit the block on one runner, sent it back to get repaired.

So I get it back, then it hits the oil feed fitting, so i had to shave the banjo down.

Then i blew my manifold gasket because his flange is warped.

So now he claimed the flange warped when he repaired the thing, because he couldnt fit it in his already f***ed up manifold-jig because i opted to go with another wastegate flange.

And to top it off, i can barely bolt the thing onto my head because he has the runners 90-ing down right off the flange rather than coming straight out some first.

So i sent it back a 2nd time, and he "supposedly" resurfaced the flange, claimed he shipped the manifold back, but it hasnt arrived. He won't answer my calls, won't answer texts, won't provide tracking info.

So he's basically trying to get rid of me/ignore me saying hes been "Busy". Even when i do get it back, it will now hit the already shaved banjo bolt because the head flange will now be trimmed some. He claimed he would provide me with a oil feed kit to tee into my pressure sending unit, but of course doesn't have a damn thing in stock though he said to me "i build turbo kits for a living!." No s***?

So the manifold is supposed to arrive tomorrow, a day later than it should have arrived, while I'm having to borrow cars from people, and i won't be happy with this piece of s*** regardless. I mean who wants to pay $1500+ for a non fitting manifold? The thing is he offers to refund me shipping costs ($30 to ship the manifold back every time) and he doesn't even send me any money..

He really needs to refund me or build me a new one to make this right, this is f***ing bull s***.

**I have not exaggerated the truth in any way **

[Yellow4g63]

Well I know they build NSX turbo kits? Maybe try and find him on one of those boards.

[DrifterProdigy85]

Threaten him with the Better Buisiness Bureau. No company likes getting a hit from them.

[74260zt]

Wow, never heard anything like that before about the Lovefab manifold.... Is this the one you have, like this one in my for sale thread? zer...52149

[GTRs13]

If you spent that $1500 on this, a head flange from BMC, and $200 in 304l stainless elbows, you could have made your own, and be able to make a few others for he same money.

I can appreciate your frustration, especially for that kind of money.

But After Full-Race's run of stainless manifolds, everyone thinks they can just charge $1500 for a manifold just cause Full-Race did.

Well, Full-Race has CNC Robot TIGs, there's the difference.

And sorry, but because of this, I don't have any sympathy for people that pay that much for a manifold, and then complain that it doesn't fit.

Good luck.

[RBcoupe]

yea they kinda suck, he did the same s*** with me and one of my friends when we got manifolds for our sentras....

[StricNyne]

i disagree, i sympathize (spelling ?) with them, because they are spending a good amount of money for something they were told would be perfect, thats why they spent the extra money. Fabrication, espically an exhaust manifold is not an over night ordeal. For the amount of money spent, i would assume that the person making would of had accounted for runner length, exhaust pulses, and many other things, that your average mechanic is not proficient with. A comparison to what your saying is that i could pick up a book and do brain surgery because i bought a medical book and a scapel. In a perfect world we all would be perfect mechanics, have 10 second running cars, but not all of us have the time or opportunity to learn, let alone become master fabricators and mechanics, so thats why we go to professionals.

[sxracerb25]

i disagree, i sympathize (spelling ?) with them, because they are spending a good amount of money for something they were told would be perfect, thats why they spent the extra money. Fabrication, espically an exhaust manifold is not an over night ordeal. For the amount of money spent, i would assume that the person making would of had accounted for runner length, exhaust pulses, and many other things, that your average mechanic is not proficient with. A comparison to what your saying is that i could pick up a book and do brain surgery because i bought a medical book and a scapel. In a perfect world we all would be perfect mechanics, have 10 second running cars, but not all of us have the time or opportunity to learn, let alone become master fabricators and mechanics, so thats why we go to professionals.

+1 and TIG welding isn't exactly something that everybody can do. Yea I'd like to learn, but I would have to take classes or something because I don't personally know anybody that knows how. Then, as stated above runner length/angle isn't something you can just put some pipes together and hope it comes out alright. Making a downpipe or turbo elbow is one thing but a exhaust manifold isn't something everyone can do.

[GTRs13]

+1 and TIG welding isn't exactly something that everybody can do.

Actually it is. Its cleaner then MIG and easier to do. Its all about fitment in TIG. I.E. no gaps at all.

Easier to do well? That part will take practice.

And Brain surgery? C'mon that's not even the same league as this. Its not even the same sport.

A better analogy would be

-You expect me to learn to breakdance, by watching "Americas best dance Crew"?

http://www.millerwelds.com/res...s/tig/

So if this manifold is constantly hitting the block, do you really think "Runner length" was put into account?

People are just spoon-fed on the internet.

If an instant "Buy-it-now" solution isn't apparent, then most people just look else-where until an easy answer is found.

Nobody wants to "Learn" anything anymore...

As I said before, Good luck.

[Logan76]

I saw your post on Honda-Tech about him, that is why Im buying my own Tig and doing my own work, I hope it all works out for you man.

[BHFR-GTR]

that is one reason i got the full race mani, it doesnt even come close to hitting anying on the motor, i got there s13 and it does come close to the shock tower with one of the 50mm synchronic wg's, and as far as bolting goes i switched all mine over to allen head bolts that way everything was easy to tighten you should try that

[SullivanRacing06]

hit up your c/c card company, or paypal however you paid for it, they have a 180 or 365 day money bk protection thing to protect the card holder, i know ive gotten my money back a few time because companys tryed jerking me around,

haha i got a r32 gtr motorset for 500, needed rebuilt but the engine company said i could have all the money bk besides 500 for shippin and some other b/s crap, worked out for me very well.

sorry to here that manifold setup isnt going the rite way, hope things turn around for ya!

if not go the guy or call off a diff phone

[l0nestar]

ding ding ding! No more calls please, I think we have a winner!

There are a _LOT_ of good resources on the Net. Spend $200 and take a course at a local community college or trade school.

You won't be a craftsman or an apprentice, but it will get you going in the right direction. Heck, check if your local B-N has a copy of 'Tig for Dummies' to get an idea. You can even read it (in-store) without buying it!

Actually it is. Its cleaner then MIG and easier to do. Its all about fitment in TIG. I.E. no gaps at all.

Easier to do well? That part will take practice.

And Brain surgery? C'mon that's not even the same league as this. Its not even the same sport.

A better analogy would be

-You expect me to learn to breakdance, by watching "Americas best dance Crew"?

http://www.millerwelds.com/res...s/tig/

So if this manifold is constantly hitting the block, do you really think "Runner length" was put into account?

People are just spoon-fed on the internet.

If an instant "Buy-it-now" solution isn't apparent, then most people just look else-where until an easy answer is found.

[font size=5]Nobody wants to "Learn" anything anymore... [/font]

As I said before, Good luck.

You are preaching to the choir man.

[StricNyne]

not that i am disagreeing with you guys that when u teach a man to fish he will eat forever, but u make it seem like joe schmoe can goto vocational school and start fabricating exotic manifolds, first off it takes time and money to do both of those which is not a luxury many of us have. if u said fabricate something simple like a throttle bracket or replace a section of rust on the floorboard i would be in agreement, but like i said making a really top notch manifold is a science not whipping a bunch of 45degree bends on a flange and labeling it a manifold, we arent building legos....

[sxracerb25]

not that i am disagreeing with you guys that when u teach a man to fish he will eat forever, but u make it seem like joe schmoe can goto vocational school and start fabricating exotic manifolds, first off it takes time and money to do both of those which is not a luxury many of us have. if u said fabricate something simple like a throttle bracket or replace a section of rust on the floorboard i would be in agreement, but like i said making a really top notch manifold is a science not whipping a bunch of 45degree bends on a flange and labeling it a manifold, we arent building legos....

I agree with StricNyne. If everyone could do it and it were as easy as you guys make it out to be, then why wouldn't more people do it and sell them for 800 dollars since the materials as stated by GTRs13 are about 200 dollars? Like I said, I'd like to learn to TIG someday, but at the time I'm going to school at least 15 credit hours a semester, 6-10 credit hours over summer, and working 20 hours a week. I don't know of a time I'd have available to learn how to TIG weld to make one manifold for myself.

[Kansei240sx]

To understand flow and the dynamics of how it works, and then actually building it just comes to trial and error, and you aptitude to how much you REALLY want to do it. Thats how we have manifolds in the first place. There are buyers and there are creators, im glad everyone is not a creator because we'd all be poor. Leave the design and fabrication to the people who decided that paying 1500 for a manifold is or isnt worth it and decide to go it alone and create something for themselves and maybe share it for what it's really worth.

[GTRs13]

Stricnyne- You just don't wanna defy convention do you? If you sit down and pay attention, even YOU can build a manifold for yourself, and not pay through the nose.

Sxracerb25- I'll tell you though, in your busy life you definitely don't have the time sending a $1500 manifold back and fourth a few times to make it fit, that's for sure.

Kansei240sx- I think I understand what your saying...kinda...? (Not really)

Here's the "secret"

Step one:

Get a 6-cylinder collector from vibrant performance. $140.

Step two:

Depending on your runner length get enough stainless elbows and straight made from 304l 1.5" Sch 10.

Straight is $8/ft, elbows are $5 a piece.

Step Three:

Get a head flange from http://www.bmcrace.comStainless headflanges are available, to make the whole mani SS.

Around $80 for Mild, and $160 for 304l SS

Step Four:

Get a turbine inlet flange. This one is $20 and SS.

Now that you have your materials you need some tools.

-110v MIG welder to tack everything together.-Chop saw, to make cuts. If your a baller, Metal Bandsaw.-Grinder, cut-off wheel

Now, you want between 12-16" of runner length from the head flange, to the turbine inlet.

Cut all your pieces so they fit FLUSH. Tack them together with the MIG. They must stay flush for the TIG to work. This will take the most time.

Since your collector is already built, and the Exhaust flange is CNC'ed to 1.5" on every hole, piecing your manifold together w/o welding should be easy but take your time.

As I said before there must be NO gaps. If there are any gaps the TIG will not be able to weld.

Now before welding your manifold should look *something like this tacked up:



Now the rest is up to you. You can:



1.Finish it yourself. (You have a TIG, can borrow one, or if you have access any other way)

2.Pay a shop to TIG for you. Either way its much less expensive then paying retail.

Backpurging: To cover the inside of a piece to be welded with Argon 100%, then finish welding.



TIG welding is so easy its ridiculous. The fine Arc control makes precision welding easy and comfortable. There is no spatter or arcing with TIG. You could technically TIG weld with your Sunday clothes on.

When your pipe fits with no gaps, and you are backpurging, and can run a decent TIG bead with or w/o filler that's all you need to make your own manifold.

It takes the same amount of skill to TIG weld a simple bracket, as it does to weld a schedule 10 piece of pipe.

And it saves your precious time from chasing down some guy for $1500...

/End welding lesson.

[Carl H]

^ what he said...now to find a reasonably price tig welder.

[240z4u]

Ill buy a 6 boost, I sure as hell don't have time to build a manifold! Cool as it would be.

[sxracerb25]

Looks nice GTRs13. Nice write-up for sure. I'll keep it in mind when I do need an exhaust manifold. Maybe by that time I'll be far enough into my engineering classes to actually apply some flow analysis to it as well lol. Thanks for the lesson. I admit it does look a lot easier than I originally had thought.

[Yellow4g63]

Ill buy a 6 boost, I sure as hell don't have time to build a manifold! Cool as it would be.

The 6boost has the best merged collector I have seen.

Mig? Tig is sooooooooooo much bettar.

[sxracerb25]

Mig? Tig is sooooooooooo much bettar.

He's saying to use MIG to tack them together then TIG for the actual welds.

[Carl H]

for the price the 6boost manifold is a killer deal and the only difference is its made of steel not SS.w/e tho they're coated bling bling black and fit ALL cars regardless of setup.

[Yellow4g63]

for the price the 6boost manifold is a killer deal and the only difference is its made of steel not SS.w/e tho they're coated bling bling black and fit ALL cars regardless of setup.

No kidding no way you could get someone in the US to make it for that price. unless they wanted to work for peanuts.

[BoostFab]

make a post at honda-tech; either the fab or the forced induction forum. he's well known there.

[Logan76]

The only part that sucks is a quality Tig is 1500+ You could Mig that whole manifold, It's not like it wont hold because it was migged, it just wont be baller status.

[GTRs13]

Not true.

Miller just came out with the "Diversion" AC/DC TIG unit. Its the picture I posted a few posts back.

It retails for $1395, so you can get one for $1200 easy.

I think I should just go make a real writeup over this, save some people some money, and headaches.

[Logan76]

I was looking into the diversion personally, but once you buy a bottle (if you dont have one already) and a hood (if your super new, because in reality you can start out on whatever welder you like) your over 1500 easily. Though the diversion will be my first Tig once I buy my house this summer.

[imotion s14]

No kidding no way you could get someone in the US to make it for that price. unless they wanted to work for peanuts.

Prison labor ftw.