Tubular manifold

[F8LDOSE]

Has anybody ever fooled with trying to make a tubular header? I'm in the process of trying to make one, I'm using 1. 75od stainless tubing. I wonder if you can go to big? If I make it the same design as a stock manifold it should work, should'nt it????

 

[Reb.B]

i was toying with the idea as well. The problem with the tube type is u will get stress cracks from the welds, the header will brake from heat, weight of the turbo, shrinkage. U need to compensate for shrinkage. The best way to make one is to follow the three piece design, and make it out of cast stainless.

 

[OO]

Here's a thread about the one I made. All the pictures are gone. Header

They were on photopoint but this is a pic of it installed.

 

[Steve Campbell]

OO....

What are your thoughts and observations in the year since the makeover?

 

[OO]

It works good. I have twin turbos hanging off of it and no cracks yet. It doesn't seem to move around like the stock header does. My header bolts have never loosened up. The parts are cheap but there is about a $1000 worth of labor in it. I had some small gaps in the pieces I welded together which caused it to shrink a little even though I used a jig made out of 1" steel.

 

[Lsfarm]

Type and size of tubing?

Hi OO, what wall thickness and id or od is the tubing you used? How does this compare to stock cross section? Did you just use mild steel, or is it some specific alloy?



Did you find a cource for the flanges or did you make your own? If you made them, did you flame cut them or Plasma cut?



Your manifold looks great! Very well done.



Greg L

 

[HEMI®Dart]

OO Did a beautiful job on the header. I remember the original thread.

 

[OO]

I used standard schedule 80 1 1/2" pipe and the 1 1/2" inside diameter extra strong elbows from weldbendMcmaster carr also caries weld L's in stainless and aluminum. The flanges are just flame cut. After all the welding I had to run the header across a monster belt sander to get it perfectly flat all the way across.



One of the guys I work with is building an equal length header out of stainless. I'll try to get some pictures.