So, I should get the tweaked maniflds today and will install them on Friday. I would love to hear about your experience, problems and tips on doing this installation no matter how trivial it may seem to you. Thanks in advance!!

 

So, I got the Needswings tweaked manifolds today and will install them on this weekend. I would love to hear about your experience, problems and tips on doing this installation no matter how trivial it may seem to you. Thanks in advance!!

 

Just getting the hoses on correct to the Y-pipe, and I would use new metal gaskets. Take your time lining up the gaskets and torqueing them down.

 

Thanks Doc, I'm a bit concerned about how to get to the ring clamps on the y-pipe. What did you use to get down there without leaving 1/2 pound of skin behind?

 

I put a little vaseline on the manifold to Y pipe hose, slip in on and then carefully twist it down into position. No skin lost. 20nm is what I remember for the torque or 15 ft lbs. Use new metal gaskets please, a little copper spray will insure no leaks but isn't imperative. I have lock washers on the bolts and use locktite blue. Probably overkill but I prefer to be sure. Put good gas in your tank. The manifolds lean out the mixture a fair amount. A retune should be part of your plan. Above all take your time and have fun doing the work. Les's key to success.

Les

 

Thanks Les, Vaseline is a great idea which I will definitely use! Re the gaskets, Rob supplied them with the kit and he says the current composition solves the earlier problem. Thoughts? Are the original bolts long enough for lock washers? I have already reached out to Jerry for a retune appoinment:-)

Thanks guys for the help!!

 

If Rob says they're ok I'd believe him. The bolts are long enough for a thin lock washer. I believe Rob sends the stainless bolts with lock washers now.

Les

 

I would use a little copper spray as Les suggested. I use blue locktite as well....but the main thing is take your time to line up the gaskets and torguing them down.... I didn't have a lot problem with the y-pipe, but you want a good seal, and they do move around until you get the t clamps tightened. You want to keep an eye on them as well...and recheck them after you put a few miles on her....I have had more problems with boost leaks there until I finally got them tight and right....let us know what you think, even with out the retune....lol I was surprised how much more low end they create....

 

thanks for the advice. what brand of copper spray do you recommend? As an aside, I plan to wrap the inlet tubes with aerogel sheets since my FLIR ONE shows that there is a tremendous hot spot back there from the normal tubes. My readings show mid-high 200s at the y-pipe/manifold feed pipes when the outlet of the intercooler should by design be around 125 degrees F...? I know that the temps are super high here because this is where the firewall heatshields are positioned. It's clear that the intake air is moving at very high velocity, but because it's super cheap to wrap I'm going to go ahead with the project since it's easy to do prior to installing the new manis. In any case I will wrap the aerogel (10mm) with high temp aluminum reflective tape. I will try to do an infrared before/after for posterity.

 

3M or equivalent. As far as wrapping ..... I don't know what to tell you. My Y pipe is thermal coated. My intercooler is thermal coated. My dual CAI is coated with insulation, wrapped with header wrap and covered with Aluminum heat reflecting material. (no change in IAT's) I wrapped my thermal coated intercooler in a thermal wrap and the IAT's went up a few degrees. Air enters the front underneath the supercharger snout and exits under the Y pipe at the rear of the engine so it's hot, hot, hot. When I lost the seal between my supercharger and intercooler and was sucking air from between the cylinder banks (remember that stress?) the IAT's were 165º at cruise. When I entered boost they dropped to 120º in seconds. So right there is an indication how hot the air is under there. Give it a try and report back. I've almost given up trying to lower IAT's. The most I've accomplished is gaining time before they reach the same too hot temperatures.

Les

 

So, I checked the hot temps with a laser IR gun and the manifold intake tubes were 148 degrees after a hot run. This means they were just 25 degrees hotter than the air exiting the intercooler, and of course the air is moving so fast there's not much heat transfer - so, I decided to not do the insulation thing. Not enough potential. You were right.

So, I installed the tweaked manifolds. The advice to use vaseline on the tube ends was awesome. thanks. So, now I can see why folks get tickets after this "final" intake mod. When I hit the gas, this is the first time I noticed the front end lifting a bit and getting light. It's so fast now it's hard for the mind to register that you've already hit 60 in no time flat. Wow Doc, you were right about the grunt. Now to get it retuned in a couple weeks, and I think I'll give my piggy bank a rest :-)

 

If your done spending for a while I won't mention the cat delete pipes ..... oops! Once you pull the stock pipes with cats and install the downpipes you'll find it can be done in 2 hours with the car on jack stands. Something to think about. The gains are equal to the manifolds, if you dare.

Les

 

Oy!! I think paddle shifter are next for me - sometime in early February so it'll be ready for spring:-) i already have the kit and paddles.

 

I really, really, really and REALLY want the paddle shifters but you know what? Every time I try to take something apart in the interior of any car, I break it. No problems with brakes, engines, exhaust, etc. but I'm no good with interior/flimsy/illogical/breaks easily/NOOOOOO stuff.

Les

 

Haha...I'm trying to limit the paddle carnage by having the developer of the kit do the kit installations while I will just remove/replace the wheel and shifter modules. Would that approach work for you?

 

I had RUDY install my paddle shifters, but I watched really really close...lol It didn't look that bad, but again, Rudy was doing it. Les I think in your situation, you would like them, but the old drag racer, prefers the lever.... Now not to knock Rudy's work, but it turns out he has longer fingers than me....so guess what......lol