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Turbo Manifolds: The Break Down on them

38K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  justYncredible 
#1 ·
This a breakdown of several of the more popular manifolds that I've witnessed discussed and on the T-I Forced Induction Forums. This is simply a discussion and break down of the more popular manifolds, and not a how-exhaust-flows Technical analysis of each and every type of these manifolds. This is simply a synopsis of quality, cost, availability, and use of auxillary equipment such as A/C and power steering, utilizing an EXTERNAL Wastegate..Going into how each particularly flows is too much of a debate.



Hopefully this can settle down all the questions and concerns that have constantly been brought up as to "which manifold is better" and "what do you think of this?" It's gone on long enough and it's time to go back to the beginning and get some technical info on here, and no offense, but stop the dumb ass questions, and lax responses of "search: this has been covered many times.." No sh*t!!! Time to get real!.. If I've missed any particular company, it's only because A) not enough interest had warranted in the discussion B) Hell, NO one knows all the companies...



Please add to this if you feel as though I've missed some terrible error, for I put a lot of time into this post, and am only writing it for the benefit of others.. so Feel free to add.



With that in mind let's begin.



SS AutoChrome / OBX Tubular Manifold "eBay Special": $200



Let's get the bullsh*t out of the way, shall we?
This is by far the best scam I've witnessed for younger would-be turbo enthusiasts everywhere. Now, please don't get me wrong, for the fact is they make very quality Oil Pans, pick ups, inexpensive mufflers, and filters. If you need something cheap and quick to replace an item that needs replacement, honestly this is the company for you. But for those that are going into the turbo realm (and 95% of you guys have the Integra as a daily driver, and don't have the time to have extensive repairs, have a lot of tools and a garage to build it in, get held back from going to work/school, or whatever. This manifold, though it is very attractive-looking, has very thin walls in its tubing and cannot support the weight of even a decent-sized turbo upon its flanges. Even with bracing. This causes the a hot spot in the manifold, and thereby makes it prone to cracking on a regular basis. So unless you have a MIG/TIG welder handy, count on this manifold dying on you very quickly. Most stainless steel tubular manifolds have a short life span anyway, but this is the shortest life. They even come in black such as the one below:







It is T3 flanged, and supposedly can allow for A/C and Power steering. I've seen the wastegate literally fall off of the manifold even after a flange is welded because the material is so unreliable. This is the worst on my list so far.







MAX-REV Log Style Manifold $420-$450







This particular manifold is a bit of an oldie-but-goodie.
Most of the time they are very unattractive (this one above was actually polished which comes as an option.)
This particular manifold is a log style that has been rather capable of about 500hp, before its efficiency reaches its limits. It's one that comes as 304 stainless steel, and has the flange in between runners 3
and 4 that can house a 38mm Tial wastegate or similar.
This manifold has been out for about 3 years, and has a good record. It's best to purchase the Max-Rev manifold with the whole kit, but not a requirement. This allows for A/C, and I've had several reviews and situations where the block did not necessarily have to be shaved for fitment.



FULL RACE Manifold - $1099 - $1399











This is actually one of the BEST Manifolds that have been created for B-Series and H-Series Motors. The one shown above is not A/C compatible, but a new A/C compatible version has been developed. The walls on the manifolds are so thick, they Guarantee their work for life. They use 8 gauge forged stainless steel, use equal length designs, increase spool time by approximately 800 rpm, huge midrange and peak power and torque gains. Their equal long-radius bends result in equal frictional flow coefficients, balancing flows from runner to runner.
Low angle merge collector designs minimize collector fluid friction. It even allows for Air-to-air or air-to-water intercoolers. They're flanged for either T3 or T4 turbos, and any wastegate you choose.
Runners flow ~245 CFM individually.
This manifold is for the truely hardcore, and though it can be used on motors that utilize stock internals, However, the full potential for this manifold can be found when the motor is fully built internally for boost, and I've personally seen 700whp out of a motor with one. (That sounds crazy, but I didn't believe it until I saw it.)



Here's an example of one installed:







Here's The dynos to prove it:







The price on this manifold is Firm. Don't expect any deals with this. The only one similar to shape, quality, and durability for a little less is from LoveFab, which is called the SST
The Sidewinder from Lovefab is below.







Inline Pro $480-$599







This manifold is actually one of the most reliable, well-placed, durable, and requested manifold for Hondas and Acuras. Inline Pro is located in Virginia, and contains about 3 of the fastest street-classed FWDs in the country. They use a similar 304 or 321 Stainless steel design, that is short enough to be durable and allow turbulence, but long enough to allow flow for the top end. This manifold is capable of over 650whp for efficiency. These also come in a T4 design in which the flange for the wastegate is DIRECTLY in the middle for peak performance. I'm so stoked about this manifold that I decided to potentially make them as part of STC's Design Kit. The T3 Flanged unit shown above allows for the use of A/C and power steering while the T4 version shown here..







Does not allow for A/C but can retain Power Steering. These are one of the few manifolds that does not require any Jet Coats or ceramic coating (from what I've experienced) as to prevent rusting from the intense heat that many suffer over time. These are highly recommended, and I'd put these over most "equal length" setups any day. Availability is regular, and you shouldn't have to wait long in order to get one, but don't expect the price to vary from what I've listed. They are very strigent upon it due to constant low-balling and the quality of the product.



LoveFab Sidewinder Design $799 for all types












This company is one of the only companies that actually has a guarantee on its manifold FOR LIFE. This is much more worth it than any Cheap style manifold. It allows the use of a full three inch downpipe and the full AC system. It will require the use of a slim-fan, or pusher-style radiator fan. Also, the upper radiator hose will need to be converted to a metal unit because of interference/heat issues, but your installer can do this. This works fine for the DC2, and for a few dollars more a DA6 2nd Gen integra body as well. This manifold also allows a great place for dumptube placement
They also make one that is very similar to the MAX-REV, and only costs $299 for the "SHORTY" that is for the T3/T4 crowd. Considering that they have a lifetime warranty, it's a great consideration for either one. They may look ugly, but nothing that a good ceramic or Jet-hot coat couldn't solve. I don't recommend that you try to use "high temp" paints or others, for most types of these paints are a bandaid and simply distort, and alter the original color of the manifold indefinately after it has chipped off. I understand that there are a few spray paints that work even in the long run, but they are difficult to find, though I know they exist. If nothing else, polish it down..



Rev Hard Tubular and Iron Tubular $600 - $680







This is like many other quality tubular manifolds. Nice design, great flow, and a perfect wastegate location of it facing downward to channel of the exhaust flow. But one thing that I must warn, and even KEICHI TSUCHIYA (a.k.a "Drift King") states that getting Full race equipment that was designed for a race course or track should not be used for a street tuned machine. There's a lot that the everyday person forgets. 1)The equipment is made to fail, and teams have the resources to replace them on a regular basis 2) Driving in everyday traffic has different characteristics than driving for laps at a time.



With that being said, these manifolds have a life of about 2 years before they WILL crack, and will need to be rewelded in order to continue w/ maximum performance, based upon the materials used. They are a quality manifold, but don't expect it to last forever, and you can forget about A/C, but may maintain Power steering.



A better alternative would be the Iron tubular manifold that Rev Hard creates combines the durability of a log style manifold, with the flow characteristics of a tubular







I use one of these personally myself, and I suggest Jet Hot coating or Ceramic coat in order for it to look its best.



The Shodan's Engine Bay.



(I have a similar post to this currently for those looking at other Rev Hard Manifolds, I'd thought I'd post them anyway.) This starts below.



For those who need to know the difference between the 2 main Cast Manifolds that Allow for A/C..and the one without A/C



O.k. Let me see if I can break this down for those that want to know about Rev Hard Manifolds. Rev-Hard creates two different manifolds that are A/C compatible and one type that is not..




This first one here,




Is one of their first compatible A/C manifolds that are used. Notice how the flange opening on the manifold is "crooked" to allow the turbo to set itself slightly away from the block to reduce the need to shave the webbing on the block (I'm Assuming you're using a T04E Compressor cover. With a T04B cover, it may eliminate the block shaving all together).You'll know the difference because the placement of the wastegate flange on the manifold is set right btween runners 1 & 2. This could cause a problem in which you would need to create an elbow to the flange in order to change the direction of the wastegate. This is only necessary on DC2 Integras (USDM) that are utilizing an electronic boost controller due to the fact that the "nipple" in which the hose for the EBC would fit may possibly not allow clearance of the hood. But if you don't use the "nipple" it will work on the DC2. The Electronic Boost Controller can utilize the side nipple setup.



Now this second one,




is their second manifold that is A/C compatible, and is considered to be the DRAG replacement. Same design, but because they moved the flange 2mm to the left of the 1st runner, it doesn't cause any boost creep like the DRAG unit. This one has the wastegate so that DC2s can close the hood w/o the need of an elbow to relocate. It gives a little more clearance on the hot side, but because the flange outlet itself is parallel w/ the rest of the manifold, and you're using a T04E on a B-series motor facing the passenger side, you may have to not only shave the webbing on the block, but also purchase an additonal Head flange and longer bolts to "push" the manifold further out from the block.



To eliminate this, especially if you're in the market for a new turbo, You could get the turbo that you want and possibly house it in a T04B housing, which is slightly smaller, but you can still use the same size compressor and turbine wheel combinations as you had before.



The 3rd one is the log manifold w/o any A/C







does not allow for A/C at all, and in many cases, in order to eliminate the need for additional pipes and dumptubes for the wastegate placement, allows the compressor to be facing the driver's side. (Many people consider this backwards, but in actuality it allows for a more direct angle for the downpipe, and can allow for the wastegate tube to be merged with the downpipe itself.)this is used for those that don't plan on keep A/C (naturally)and is efficient to over 650hp for efficiency and flow. Most of these are T3 Flanged, but have options for T4 flange as you can see the 2 sets of bolting holes in the pic above.



The Last one is for K-SERIES motors, including RSX/CIVICSI/ and Honda Element







This manifold is for use on a T3 flange, and is capable of about 500hp, and is made specfically for that engine bay which is REALLY cramped. I believe it allows for A/C and Power steering w/o a problem.







When people talk about a "Rev Hard" Log Style Manifold, people should get as specific as possible as to which one they use, are curious about gettting, or have general questions. If they're not sure, please post a pic, and state what chassis code they're using. (For us, mainly DA6, DC2 and DC5) It would help so that people can make sure when we help them out we're all on the same page of information.




Well... That's it for the breakdown. For those that need to know about these manifolds READ THIS FIRST.. Go to the other technical articles in order to explain about exhaust flow, efficiency, and design of each type of manifold.



Thanks...



THE SHODAN
 
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16
#7 ·
notice that the high end tubular style manifolds still retain the 304 stainless steel rather than the 321 grade that slot of people belive would be a better choice.
i have said this before, but when a manifold is thinker it will loose its heat energy before it reaches the turbine, faster than a manifold with thinner walls. the reason is that since the walls are thicker they will have more surface area to dispurse the heat. since the turbo works on otherwise wasted heat energy from the exhaust the more heat you loose before it reaches the turbine will result in a less efficiant turbo. However the trade off with this would be the fact that the thicker gauge steel would hold up better, and last longer.

the theory with the tubular manifolds is that since you will get equal pulses of exhaust hitting the turbine rather than a sputter of unequal intervaled pulses hitting the turbine. this will in turn cause your turbo to experiance less stress.
The runner length, and internal smoothness will cause the exhaust velocity to increase through the manifold. so as your exhaust will leave the head and into the manifold at one speed it will continue to increase as it get further down the runner. this results not only in quicker initial spool up, but also you will reach your boost threshold at a quicker pace as well.
full race uses equal long radius bends and friction coeficiants to balance out flow chracteristics from runner to runner because each cylinder flows differently.
since stainless steels does heat expand, idialy the flanges should have cuts through them so that you wont strip out the manifold studs the first time you run the car.
 
#14 ·
Nice collection of information here.

I personally have the Drag3 manifold (on wife's car) and the A/C compatible Full-Race manifold and 3" downpipe. The Drag3 has cracked and it will be replaced with the Full-Race one. Full-race is one of the best, hands down.

flip.
 
#18 ·
not really anything in particlular, if there is anything you can comment on and add to your first post it would make it more comprehensive.
 
#20 ·
It's hard to say, based upon what I stated in the begining of this breakdown, NO oNE knows the quality and durability of ALL the manifolds, especially those that are from proprietary companies that happen to make those as well. I literally went through the ones that have had major success and failures throughout the last couple of years based upon their creation process, their warranty, tech support, etc. If you're truely interested in it, pick it up..
 
#25 ·
I can hit up Shodan and see if he would do it.
 
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