[alt]

Is there any special tool required for this? Would love to do it on my mk3 214

 

[technozen]

Doubt if it would make the least bit of difference!

The are various tungsten carbide mandrels for this sort of work, I have used them on an air powered die grinder.

I expect you would need to weld the outside of the pipe/flange area or the weld you have ground away will eventually crack.

 

[alt]

Didnt think it would make a diff on the 1.4 k alright.. thanks for the info anyway

 

[ashy]

Actually it does make difference. I have done mine. There was a crap load of excess weld in my manifold and the downpipe. I'll post some pics up tonite.

Car feels better when accelerating and it gave me an extra 10 mph at top end.
The car wouldn't even go over 110mph before, but just last week it managed 117 mph and still had a bit in it before red line.

Just make sure you do the downpipe though or it will be pointless and make sure you get that tungsten bit or you'll go through loads of grinding bits.
You probably won't need to get it welded on the outside. I found it isn't necessary.

 

[alt]

Did you get it done or DIY?

 

[E_T_V]

Unless you've already done all the breathing mods you can to the car on the air intake and exhaust then you'd be better off spending your time and money doing these first instead.

 

[1955diesel]

The most I have seen from a full clean-up and matching of the entire intake and exhaust was 5 PS. This was dyno checked then track tested and found to add 2 mph to the top speed, matching the calculated result.
Worthwhile for racing, but there are easier ways for the road.
A top speed increase of 10 mph would require an addition in the order of 20 PS.

 

[jdrysdale]

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=41609&highlight=deburr
Theres a good thread on this one here. Never got around to it myself though,,,

 

[Godalmighty83]

with a good cold air induction kit and a gas flowed head (seems to be the best mod for a K) then it should help a fair bit.

but if your talking exhaust restrictions then the cat sat in the middle is the true bottleneck.

 

[Orion]

I think you should do it.

The gains will be minimal but there's nothing so worthwhile than a cheap or free mod that you did yourself.

You can weld, can't you?

 

[alt]

I think you should do it.

The gains will be minimal but there's nothing so worthwhile than a cheap or free mod that you did yourself.

You can weld, can't you?

No, but I have minnions who can

 

[Orion]

Then sir, I suggest you grind away! :hyper:

 

[alt]

Whats the procedure though?

 

[Orion]

1) Take off manifold, ensuring the cat isn't stuck to it still.
2) Grind away.
3) Curse when you grind too much off.
4) Weld
6) Replace, with new exhaust gasket.

That seems to be about it. Though obviously I'm not taking into account the tears you will shed with the manifild-to-block studs. Cos I'm sure they'll be nicely rusted in.

 

[Orion]

Finally got a look at your website, alt. Got a couple of comments, if I may.

Right, where do I start? Oh right - lower it. Lower it. Lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it.

Well, unless the roads in Galway are as bad as they were in Donegal last time I was there. In which case, why are you not driving an M1A1 Abrams?

I won't comment on the styling cues - they're yours alone. It's nice and pretty though. Good work, fella.

 

[alt]

Finally got a look at your website, alt. Got a couple of comments, if I may.

Right, where do I start? Oh right - lower it. Lower it. Lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it, lower it.

Well, unless the roads in Galway are as bad as they were in Donegal last time I was there. In which case, why are you not driving an M1A1 Abrams?

I won't comment on the styling cues - they're yours alone. It's nice and pretty though. Good work, fella.

LOL.. Galway roads are WORSE. TBH I should be driving a land rover. I've removed those naff Ultra lexus lights and replaced them with ABC ones... look much better.

When you say grinding the manifold... you mean the internal obviously.. but how do you grind the internal pipes? Or is it just the top bit that connects to the engine block?

 

[Orion]

Gah. The Ultras are made better than the ABC ones. Each to their own of course, sir!

As for the rest, I believe you grind off as much as you can reach. No, this doesn't help lower down in the pipe but I think that the biggest "intrusion" is at the ends anyway, because of the way that welding works and because of the nature of the piece.

If you're Really That Bothered(tm) I do know that Janspeed do a stainless, mandrel-bent manifold. But I have mailed them about it a couple of times including my mortgage details and credit limit and they have not responded.

 

[alt]

Gah. The Ultras are made better than the ABC ones. Each to their own of course, sir!

As for the rest, I believe you grind off as much as you can reach. No, this doesn't help lower down in the pipe but I think that the biggest "intrusion" is at the ends anyway, because of the way that welding works and because of the nature of the piece.

If you're Really That Bothered(tm) I do know that Janspeed do a stainless, mandrel-bent manifold. But I have mailed them about it a couple of times including my mortgage details and credit limit and they have not responded.

LOL nah wouldnt be that bothered, nor can I afford. Might go for a de-cat in the future. In the meantime im going to sewttle with a Magnex 6x4 oval backbox

 

[Orion]

When it comes right down to it, unless you are planning on caning the holy hell out of other motors, the best mods to make are the ones you can afford and make you happy.

This is especially true if you can do the work yourself.

One thing I will say - don't bother de-catting unless;

a) you can afford a sports cat that will pass an MOT
b) you can be bothered replacing the cat for every MOT.

It's not a legal requirement to have one per se, but if you get caught without one, you'll get sent for an MOT and you'd better hope your car can pass emissions without it. And it won't.

 

[ashy]

I'll post the pics up tomorrow, haven't got time tonight just got in from work. You'll see why it's worthwhile doing then.
I do have an enclosed induction kit so that will be helping in addition to the deburring and to the guy who said that it wouldn't be possible to get an extra 10mph at top end, why then could I never get above 110 mph no matter what I tried even going down an incline yet now on exactly the same stretch of road the car managed 117mph?
When you see the weld then you'll understand what is restricting your car.

Also I doubt you'll grind too much weld off by accident, the weld is mega tough and takes a good bit of grinding to get off.
I took all mine off right down to the inside surface of the pipe and it is fine. If your worried about it cracking then leave a millimeter or two of weld on the inside and you've nowt to worry about.
To get the manifold off just put some WD40 on the nuts on the block and the downpipe then run the engine for 5 mins, keep adding WD40 every couple of mins then let it cool until as hot as you can stand then undo the nuts.
Mine came off easy, however a few of the studs themselves came out of the block rather than the nuts. It's not a problem though they just screw back in.