My Reangled Downpipe

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Fitted my exhaust and downpipe tonight to see roughly what room there was down there.

 

It was reangled and used previously on a GTi6 conversion, so should be right.

 

Just wanted a few experienced people to have a nosey and see what they think.

 

 

 

 

It is close to the gear linkages, but I imagine when they are connected up they won't move around as much as they do now.

 

Seem about right?

[welshpug 1,661]

impossible to tell till you have the engine sat on its mounts, the RS manifold is a lot longer than most dont forget.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

True, I never had the 1.9 manifold fitted so not sure how they sit originally but yeah the GTi6 is a long manifold

 

I hope the common thing to is shorten as well as reangle, then I will be alright

 

I've been putting off lining the engine up until the bay has been welded and painted, but it is being sorted this Sat hopefully, so I will test fit everything Sunday and see where I am.

[Masekwm 2]

Looks like where mine is, I still have nightmares about doing the bolts up.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Looks like where mine is, I still have nightmares about doing the bolts up.

 

agreed nigh on impossible by yourself.

 

It looks in the right place tbh. If your have a look at the pic on Miles website of his reangled manifold, it looks like it'll meet in the right place.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Bit of an update on this.

 

I fitted the engine with the manifold last night and it seems as if the person who used the exhaust/downpipe reangled it to meet the manifold it it's original position with the bulkhead cut:

 

 

The angles of manifold/downpipe seem to fit fine:

 

 

Now my worry is cutting and bending the manifold and then the joint not sealing. I wonder how much of an angle at the gasket ring I can get away with.

 

Or am I left with no real option but to get the bulkhead modified?

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

mate these are a nightmare to get right, almost everyone is different.

 

after getting mine right in the tunnel area i had trouble with the bolt lugs catching on the gear rod so in the end done this:

 

 

bit extreme, but now i have masses of clearance all round plus i have no need to worry about the joint leaking or having to get to the bolts for the downpipe.

 

you might be able to 'bend ' the seam over and gain enough clearance for it? depending on what mounts you are using you shouldnt have too much movement if you have bbm ones fitted.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I can cut/bend the seam out of the way past where it is spot welded, but if I cut it so the seam opens up, I will need to get it welded and worried about heat transfer.

 

A friend told me to quit worrying and get a socket extention and hammer out and beat it back. But I have done everything else properly to this stage and want to make sure I make the right choices.

 

I have a solid rear mount, and using 306 buffers on the top engine mount which isn't going anywhere. I think the engine will rock down and back under load, and should avoid the bulkhead if the seam is moved. I'm obviously unsure how much movement I will have at this stage.

 

That is an extreme method, but no different than a magnex 4-2-1 manifold really.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Just cut slits on the seam and bend them down, this is common practise on these conversions.

Just add some sealer to the inside and extend/ protect with existing heat shield

[Cameron 16]

I cut the seam back and welded it up as I didn't want to re-angle the manifold, got tonnes of clearance but then I'm also using the shorter Mi alloy block.

 

Personally I'd avoid re-angling the mani unless you know someone you can trust to do a proper job of it! It's thin wall stainless so you either need to TIG it or MIG very carefully with the right wire.

[welshpug 1,661]

I'd just send it to Miles, there's a few others that have done them as well, I think Maxi and AlistairH may be able to help.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Just cut slits on the seam and bend them down, this is common practise on these conversions.

Just add some sealer to the inside and extend/ protect with existing heat shield

 

Cutting slits is a good idea

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I'd just send it to Miles, there's a few others that have done them as well, I think Maxi and AlistairH may be able to help.

 

One from Miles or the likes will solve this clearence brilliantly, but gives me another problem of having to get my downpipe modified again.

 

If I need to do something with the manifold, I am far better off cutting it myself, bending it to where it needs to be exactly for my requirements and taking it to a trusted local engineering firm.

[Cameron 16]

If I need to do something with the manifold, I am far better off cutting it myself, bending it to where it needs to be exactly for my requirements and taking it to a trusted local engineering firm.

 

+1

 

It depends how confident you are with a grinder, but try not to cut the manifold off if you can help it, instead use a thin 0.8mm cutting disc (or a hacksaw) to cut almost all the way through from the underside, then you can adjust it using the remaining 5mm or so of material as a pivot to keep the thing together. You can then cut little slivers out of one side until it's at the right angle. It will make it a LOT easier!

 

A bit like this:

Edited September 30, 2011 by Cameron

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

+1

 

It depends how confident you are with a grinder, but try not to cut the manifold off if you can help it, instead use a thin 0.8mm cutting disc (or a hacksaw) to cut almost all the way through from the underside, then you can adjust it using the remaining 5mm or so of material as a pivot to keep the thing together. You can then cut little slivers out of one side until it's at the right angle. It will make it a LOT easier!

 

A bit like this:

 

this is exactly what i did, worked a treat

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

+1

 

It depends how confident you are with a grinder, but try not to cut the manifold off if you can help it, instead use a thin 0.8mm cutting disc (or a hacksaw) to cut almost all the way through from the underside, then you can adjust it using the remaining 5mm or so of material as a pivot to keep the thing together. You can then cut little slivers out of one side until it's at the right angle. It will make it a LOT easier!

 

A bit like this:

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

I have a 1mm cutting disc which I think should do the job and then keep checking and file away if needs be so the gap closes nicely without a gap.

 

I will see how I get on with moving that lip first, I may be able to gain enough clearance that way. Otherwise reangling it alone may not meet up nicely to the downpipe flange.

[Cameron 16]

Yeah your downpipe won't line up properly if it's been built to a standard manifold. You've kinda done it in a funny order!

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Funny order yes, but I figures it would be better for someone like me without a welder to get an exhaust that had been done, and then I could cut and bend the manifold to meet that. Rather than buy a reangled manifold, and then struggle with lining up the downpipe which is welded to the exhaust and too big to fit in my lunchbox like the manifold to take somewhere to get welded

 

I just wish the person had reangled the downpipe to fit a reangled manifold, but doesn't look that way.

 

Will give it a go, I have a few spare manifolds. So will cut one and bend it ever so slightly to see what clearance I can get with the bulkhead lip gone, and if that doesn't give enough room, well I won't be happy

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Looked under in the light, and I really don't want to cut the bulkhead or do anything with the lip unless I have to. It would be a shame to start cutting and asking for rust to take hold on the area.

 

It's looking like good news, the manifold doesn't actually sit flush with the downpipe, so it must have been mated to a reangled downpipe in the past

 

It won't need moving much, so I will go very steady with the grinder and not bend it too much.

 

 

 

[Cameron 16]

You'll probably find one slot from your cutting disc will be all you need.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

You'll probably find one slot from your cutting disc will be all you need.

 

The 1mm disc gave a decent slot earlier, but I only roll with a 6 inch jobbie and I blatently need a larger grinder to get the way though. Tried all angles, but the body of it kept failing. Got through some parts with a hacksaw, but will borrow a large grinder and carry on tomorrow.

 

Think I will get away with a 2-3mm slit

[pugpete1108 62 1 Cars]

The 1mm disc gave a decent slot earlier, but I only roll with a 6 inch jobbie and I blatently need a larger grinder to get the way though. Tried all angles, but the body of it kept failing. Got through some parts with a hacksaw, but will borrow a large grinder and carry on tomorrow.

 

Think I will get away with a 2-3mm slit

 

i just used 3 hacksaw blades in the saw at once and it cut the perfect slit, just couldn't get in there with a 115mm grinder