Tubular Manifolds For a 119 V8

[JeffR]

Can anyone recomend a maufacturer of tubular manifols for my 110 V8. The stainless ones (Made by SS) have gone and broken again, so not interested in stainless manifolds, I am now convinced that mild steel manifolds are the way to go, but who makes good uns!

[need4speed]

Jeff, is it possible there is an underlying reason that the stainless manifolds are breaking ie too much play in engine/gearbox mountings etc.. Its just that i know of a few peeps with stainless V8 manifolds and none have had any breakage problems... Dunno if they were made by SS mind you... Just a thought.

[FridgeFreezer]

Personally I went back to stock cast 3.9 manifolds as they're supposed to be reasonably good design and don't suffer the issues tubular ones do. I doubt it makes any great difference to performance.

[Bowie69]

Ditto to FF, I just went with stock 3.9 manifolds, no cracking them!

[JeffR]

This is the second time the buggers have cracked, and always in the same place. I did notice that , on their website, they have changed the design slightly, on my set,each primary is separate, and needed to be "persuaded" to fit the individual exhaust ports, whereas the ones on the web site appear to have a spreader plate linking the pairs of primaries. All the exhaust/engine and gearbox mountings are new (false economy for a few quid), so I don't think bad vibes are to blame. Just could do without having to spend another 300 quid on apair of heades, then throw in some thermal wrap and it's nearly cheaper bu8y ant entire system ! Besides, the thought of having to unbolt those bloody manifolds ........

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

SS can crack if hot and then dunked in water

Tubular headers are nearly always 4>1 which are poor for Bottom and Mid range torque, 4>1 is for revs and top

end sacrificing Bottom / Mid etc, you really want 4>2>1 and 3.9 are damned good

Nige

[FridgeFreezer]

The main reason for ditching mine was the heat-wrap that was on them when I got them - hateful stuff, got in your skin when tinkering in the engine bay, absorbed mud & water and steamed the truck up massively. Oh and because of all the pipework the manifolds were an absolute b***er to bolt on/unbolt.

[JeffR]

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment regarding exhaust wrap, I'd rather roll naked in stinging nettles in public. But the bloody stuff works, and have you seen how much it costs for ceramic coatings?

Just not looking forward to swapping em out, looks like I've found someone who will make some up so that they include flexi pipe to the y-piece, which should negate any bad vibe effects. And at an affordale price in stainless!

Most of the companies I've spoken to today wanted nearly as much for the headers as they did for an entire system including headers!!!!!!

[ajh]

If you're getting cracking have you considered fitting a flex joint in the two legs of the Y-pipe to reduce the stress a bit?

[JeffR]

Stangely enough, the company I'm about to order them from do just that!

[JeffR]

Major change of plan just occurred, putting standard 3.9 manifolds on instead,if I can find some that is, and stainless downpipes. The thought of shredding my skin to buggery and back swapping tubular manifolds out has swayed the arguement.