S3 eBay Exhaust manifold - no dissing please :)

[Stuart B]

Hi,
Okay so my head was off and I noticed the standard manifold was cracked so I bought a stainless ebay manifold, which is probably a mistake.

I am tempted to put the cracked one back on. my main issue is I cannot see how I can get to the bolt hole under the pipes?

I have not put it back on the car but I don't see how I will be able to do up either a bolt or a nut on a stud from the turbo hotside? I have simulated C spanners - my friend suggested a "crows foot" which is the closest I can imagine will fit as it is open rather than ring (as a ring wont fit) and tiny.

Is this a faulty version of their manifold eg the pipes not in the right place - they have sold hundreds of them - or is there a special tool?

to be honest from the outside it looks okay, but I am sure the bolt hole was more visible on the advert, and also reaching inside the collector box I can feel one of the pipes which seems a little inefficient to me.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Stuart B]

Okay so this is basically what I have - (I actually got my downpipe and cat from team-2-fast) and their advert says "Includes Special Key" the ebay seller I got my manifold from advised an "external triangle wrench" whatever one of those is.

When I got the manifold it came with 3 bolts and nuts as if it was for bolting through something else - which obviously isn't the case with a K04 which is threaded, and in actual fact a different thread pitch than the bolts provided.

 

[idnan]

I have a used oem manifold which I bought thinking my manifold was cracked if you're interested?

 

[Stuart B]

Thanks for the offer, but I hope I will manage to get this on.

I think this exhaust is a copy relentless v2 ? the flange is not warped and I have found the special spanner needed, from another post on here it looks like a bent stubby 17mm with a third of the ring chopped off?

Luckily I tried on the rocker cover whilst the head is off the car as the manifold was pushing on the heat shield meaning the rocker cover could not go back on, I would have smashed something if I got as far as putting the head back on the engine - before find this out!

so my question is - have people somehow put a heat shield back on or split the charge pipe bracket from the heat shield and only put that but on? Most of the photos of these manifolds from a few years ago have pictures with the heat shield off.

its this part, I am talking about.

Thanks

 

[superkarl]

You need all the heat shielding you can get back there

 

[Stuart B]

thanks karl, I will modify the plates - I don't really want it touching the manifold as I reckon that will be worse.

 

[<tuffty/>]

I find this a little ironic that you are replacing a cracked OE manifold with this (relentless clone or whatever)... these have been known to crack in weeks...

I would get practicing taking it on and off again whilst the head etc is fitted as I fear you may be revisiting this sooner rather than later

I would also suggest you look into getting the extra heatshield to protect the turbo outlet hose... these manifolds are renowned for cooking them causing them to split...

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/s3-8l-heat-shields-coil-pack-cover-inlet-manifold-cover.252253/

<tuffty/>

 

[Stuart B]

Thanks Tufty, I might put back the original one back on then, I definitely don't want to remove this in situ, even with new studs and nuts, some of the access is only an 8th of a turn per nut.

Do you know if people were getting problems for normal driving around on stage 1(.5) or on track cars? the inner bolt is possibly hours to get on due to access, instead of 5 minutes, for a standard or badger's posh version.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Most are road cars... its not a case of 'if' it will crack its more 'when' it will crack... even the v4 ones are cracking and falling apart in some extreme cases

<tuffty/>

 

[badger5]

Thanks Tufty, I might put back the original one back on then, I definitely don't want to remove this in situ, even with new studs and nuts, some of the access is only an 8th of a turn per nut.

Do you know if people were getting problems for normal driving around on stage 1(.5) or on track cars? the inner bolt is possibly hours to get on due to access, instead of 5 minutes, for a standard or badger's posh version.

road cars,..... fail. a lot
chinafold off aliexpress, + porting mods is the far more reliable version to use

 

[Stuart B]

Thanks for your help, I will put back on the old one for the time being rather than add to the headache, I did let the seller know I had to remove the heatshield and shave off a little of the centre stud for the rocker for it to fit.

 

[badger5]

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Exha..._2&btsid=89782c9e-e0ed-41b4-b138-9eaa83fd9b85

+ machining + porting = reliable high flow, non-cracking k04 manifold which supports 400bhp like our lupos hybrid manages

 

[scotty_24]

If only someone would do the porting .....................................................................................

 

[badger5]

nope

 

[Chris90]

Would all be good if it had a merge collector in which wouldnt cause it to misfire like made above 6000rpm because the gases are getting caught up effectively exiting the engine.

Relentless pro 4 has a warranty on it anyway, so providing it was installed right....just send it back for a replacement.

 

[badger5]

Would all be good if it had a merge collector in which wouldnt cause it to misfire like made above 6000rpm because the gases are getting caught up effectively exiting the engine.

Relentless pro 4 has a warranty on it anyway, so providing it was installed right....just send it back for a replacement.

Not applicable when ported to look like this.

given the hassle of fitting k04 exhaust manifolds, the lifetime warranty has to be balanced with the hassle of it cracking and having to be refitted. Not a financial issue for those who diy their own stuff but a PIA costly experience for the majority who pay garages to fit them..
the "fitted right" bit has little baring on their failures... you dont want one ending up looking like this>>

^^^ Appears to be something missing above.... ^^^

 

[superkarl]

Not applicable when ported to look like this.

given the hassle of fitting k04 exhaust manifolds, the lifetime warranty has to be balanced with the hassle of it cracking and having to be refitted. Not a financial issue for those who diy their own stuff but a PIA costly experience for the majority who pay garages to fit them..
the "fitted right" bit has little baring on their failures... you dont want one ending up looking like this>>

^^^ Appears to be something missing above.... ^^^

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lavis89]

^ i saw that then decided it's bed time. enough internet for me tonight.

 

[badger5]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

lol

 

[Mav190sline]

 

[IPG]

with porting a china fold out - is there a specific measurement you want the openings to get to??? how do you know when to stop/keep going?

 

[Stuart B]

I assume from badger's comment on the aliexpress link, these chinafold cast stainless exhaust manifolds are a good base but cannot be used out the box. unless of course there is another "bill b"

 

[IPG]

I've read it causes misfires?

 

[superkarl]

I've read it causes misfires?

In stock form. No porting

 

[badger5]

I've read it causes misfires?

the originals from jbs did.. yes. cyl 2
open out the ports as I have described they flow well.. lupo 402bhp k04 hybrid runs one. Gen2 version I modified chinafold

 

[Stuart B]

just out of interest - can someone tell me how it is machined inside the manifold, is it like a long floppy drill or some sort of dremel? or is the machining limited to what you can reach with a file and wet n dry?

thanks, as I said just out of interest - in case I still have a working car these long winter nights

 

[Tom93]

just out of interest - can someone tell me how it is machined inside the manifold, is it like a long floppy drill or some sort of dremel? or is the machining limited to what you can reach with a file and wet n dry?

thanks, as I said just out of interest - in case I still have a working car these long winter nights

Die grinder with carbide burrs.

 

[IPG]

and what size flex hone would you want to use to be able to reach deeper into the runners??

 

[badger5]

the runners dont need the attention. the collector outlet does and a tickle to the head runner inlets.
example pictures below:
outlet bore is machiend 47mm x 22mm deep
then the outlet ports are ported to blend into it, opening up as far as you can.

 

[scotty_24]

So much want ^

Living with the pro 4 is like living with a ticking time bomb

 

[Stuart B]

$250 seems responsible 190+60 - like I said for a long winter night - also the original must be easier to remove that the fake relentless tubular pipes.

I wonder if there is any difference with these variants?

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Exha...id=f943ee15-a72c-4b34-bbe0-0054fe660c84&tpp=1

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Cast...id=f943ee15-a72c-4b34-bbe0-0054fe660c84&tpp=1

 

[badger5]

same foundry no doubt just different resellers..