stock exhaust manifold

[JNM240]

To all those of you who are using the stock exhaust manifold:

How the hell do you do it??!?!?!?!

Ive been using these cheap tubular stainless steel manifold off of eBay for the last 3 years, i have 4 of them in my garage now, 2 with broken studs from changing turbos (it was cheaper to replace it then to have the broken stud drilled and tapped), one which actually lasted a year before some of the welds came off and cracked, and the latest one, which the turbo seperated TWICE from (even with locking nuts and lock tabs!!), which i ditched to try using the stocker.

Now no matter what i try, i cannot get a downpipe to work. At first, the downpipe wouldnt clear the frame rail, then i remember i had it heated up and bent at an exhaust shop 3 years ago to sit better, figuring it was the different angle of the tubular manifold, so i ordered a new one for the CA off eBay. Got that in, then realised that for the last 3 years, ive been using a SR elbow and downpipe, so the new CA downpipe wouldnt bolt up to the SR elbow, and even tho i have the stock cast iron elbow, it only fits a T25, not a T28 (or GT2871R in my case), so i ordered a new elbow for the CA. And i STILL cant get the downpipe to clear the frame rail. Im off by over a half an inch!

How the hell do you guys run the stock manifold?!?!

I havent driven my car in over a month now, and ive only driven it 5 times THIS YEAR!! I am beyond frustrated now, and i dont want to use the tubular manifolds if i dont have to, because i now commute to work 25 miles each way on the interstate, and i know that those cruising AFRs and EGTs, these weak stainless steel pieces of crap wont last long at all and ill be pulling the turbo AGAIN.

[zenki-S13]

so you have the stock down pipe and elbow and hitting your frame?i have the stock elbow and a HKS downpipe and i have no clearance issues what so ever.

maybe your turbo is clocked a little off for your fitment

[sjbsuperman1425]

what brand manifolds are you using?

[JNM240]

so you have the stock down pipe and elbow and hitting your frame?

No, i cannot use the stock elbow, it is only for a T25, will not fit a T28. I never had the stock downpipe, it didnt come with my motorset.

maybe your turbo is clocked a little off for your fitment

You cant clock the exhaust side, its what bolts up to both the exhaust manifold and the elbow.

what brand manifolds are you using?

Every one of the 4 tubular eBay manifolds i have used were exactly the same, but different "manufacturers".

I guess when i get home from work im going to try and drill out the 1 bolt hole on the stock cast iron elbow that prevents it from working with a T28 and seeing if that maybe fixes it. Otherwise, its pulling the turbo AGAIN and putting it back on this crappy manifold.

[float_6969]

It's due to the cheap O2 pipe and Down pipe you're using. They're all designed to work with that manifold, and that manifold doesn't put the turbo in the same place as the stock manifold.

If you want to use the stock manifold (you'll be glad you did) you'll either have to drop some serious dough for a true name brand, O2 pipe and Downpipe combo. OR you can just have your Downpipe modified to work, which is what I would probably do. Take the car to an exhaust shop w/just the O2 pipe hooked up and have them fix the fitment problem.

[sjbsuperman1425]

exactly why i didn't get rid of the stock manifold. If my CXRacing one breaks or something happens like this, I'll switch back and get the downpipe modified, which I already had bent because it didn't line up with the catback..

Good luck with this JNM, hopefully it all works for you in the end.

[JNM240]

Is there any differences between the FWD and the RWD exhaust manifolds?

[JNM240]

SUCCESS!!!!! MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, secret is: use stock exhaust manifold, drill out the one bolt hole on the stock cast iron elbow to use for T28. Then add a downpipe.

I used this downpipe: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ories

AWESOME!!! Almost ready to fire it up for the first time in over a month!! AND i wont have to worry about cracking a cheap eBay manifold! HORRAAYYYYY!!!!!!

[dhessian]

and your turbo is going to come online quicker and there will be more area under the TQ curve with the divided unequal length runners

enjoy-

(ks13)

p.s. the stock 02 housing is farily restrictive and I think you are going to see pressure building in the exhaust post turbo. If you would like to know how much of a compromise you are making with the stock elbow, plumb a boost gauge into your downpipe and see if you arent making positive pressure in the exhaust pipe !

[sjbsuperman1425]

glad to hear you got the issue solved. But im with ks13, you should try and source a CA18DET o2 housing as well and drill it out.

[JNM240]

The O2 housing i JUST bought was an SSAutochrome one, and it wasnt even CLOSE to fitting. It is literally 3 inches shorter than the stock one and the downpipe flange is at like a 20 degree angle towards the frame. Im not even sure their downpipe could work, its such a big angle. At least i can rock this for the time being.