baby xe powerbox manifold questions... [Archive] - Performance Nova Group

mowgli

22-09-12, 05:45 PM

ok, i really don't want to put the original manifold on this engine of mine (some sort of 1600 ecotec, see my other threads)...

i have been looking at all the various powerbox intake manifolds on the bay & they are either crap looking, overpriced or both...

i really don't like the look of a lot of them & definitely can't see the point of all those long screws in the way inside the plenum.

i am seriously tempted to get some 3x3 ally box tube & make my own, or if i can find a plenum with a length of 30cm & faces the rh side, i'd be seriously tempted to make it fit.

questions..

1. can anyone measure up the gm 2.0 8v inlet plenum & post some pics with dimensions??

2. does anyone have any other ideas for a donor plenum??

3. has anyone actually bothered to make one themselves & have you any pics...

i'm quite taken with the idea of keeping it vaguely stock looking..

the 4 mounting holes for the TB are approx 65mm x 65m & 6mm dia, in a square

thankyou

mowgli

22-09-12, 06:32 PM

to add, i have found a c24ne inlet plenum on the bay, off a frontera, it looks big enough & std enough. anyone got access to one for a measure up?

Balley

22-09-12, 08:01 PM

What about a c14se or E16se manifold. Easy to find and cheap! The only major problem would be making the ports for round to oval but I am sure you could some how make it work with moth manifolds.

mowgli

22-09-12, 08:05 PM

What about a c14se or E16se manifold. Easy to find and cheap! The only major problem would be making the ports for round to oval but I am sure you could some how make it work with moth manifolds.
i thought the very same, so i measured up my spare one... and unfortunatelyits about an inch too short. thats why i'm on the hunt for a bigger vauxhall one... i think the 20ne/seh one is also short as the 4 inlet tracts are very close together whereas the baby xe ones have a gap.

Will F

22-09-12, 09:12 PM

Can't help with your measurements, but you could, as an alternative, look to make your own... Get the flange off eBay and some silicon hoses and you could prob get most things to fit...?

mowgli

22-09-12, 10:34 PM

i have got a bid on a second 'top half' of a manifold at the moment.. i plan to cut it off at about 3/4" above the flange & smooth out the ports into more of a trumpet profile, find a decent plenum, then get some flat ally cut (there is a firm up the road that has an aquajet) & then have a word with a bloke i sold a rover v8 to a while back & get him to weld it all up. if all goes to plan, i'll have it up & running in no time.. with no silly con hoses to be seen..

Andy

22-09-12, 10:43 PM

Make sure it stays reasonable power,there would be more welds to blow there..............

Will F

22-09-12, 11:32 PM

Count Vaux Alot

23-09-12, 12:22 AM

I made this one

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg167/Count85/Kadett%20Saloon/4df3465b.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg167/Count85/Kadett%20Saloon/211715b5.jpg

Look like this on the engine

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg167/Count85/Kadett%20Saloon/DSCF7488.jpg

It would be possible to make the inlet turn in towards the engine like the 'power box' manifolds do.

mowgli

23-09-12, 08:00 AM

count, what was it off?

Will f, i am trying to find out if anyone else has done it & if i'm on the wrong track or not.

SimonTW

23-09-12, 08:11 AM

Looks like a vag 1.8t manifold.

I thought about using an old small aluminium diving cylinder ( small and lightweight with a rounded end . Have the side machined with the holes for the lower manfiold and the top of the cylinder cut off at an angle. Get a machined throttle bodie flange welded onto it and have the cylinder seam welded to the lower inlet.

mowgli

23-09-12, 08:26 AM

i did actually look at a fire extinguisher casing, but thought it would need too much work for the vac & servo pipe fittings etc, let alone how to mount it.

mowgli

23-09-12, 08:35 AM

then i saw this.... mx5 1.6.

its got the kink in it & looks long enough...

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/MAZDA-MX5-EUNOS-MK1-1989-97-1-6-INLET-MANIFOLD-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$(KGrHqN,!h8E9bk0JcMiBP(z53F7F!~~60_12.JPG

scott.parker

23-09-12, 09:38 AM

Take a look at the one I bought for my x16 In my loon project I got it off here, the lad had it made using the c16 bottom inlet section

mowgli

23-09-12, 09:43 AM

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/1741/dscf4160l.jpg
interesting, it looks like it would cost a few bob to make one

Graeme

23-09-12, 09:45 AM

I thought Beardy's looked well made and cheap

mowgli

23-09-12, 10:11 AM

I thought Beardy's looked well made and cheap

pics. links???

Andy

23-09-12, 10:13 AM

If you have a trusted welder,then surely your best bet is to go to a scrappers,armed with an original mani and have a look whats about,offer them up etc.
Gotta be summat very similar about.

Graeme

23-09-12, 10:21 AM

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=639520&page=1

mowgli

23-09-12, 10:23 AM

my problem is finding a decent scrapper in my local area. round here, they simply crush cars & send them off, as the scrap price is still quite good, i have to drive 15+ miles to get anything & am working 6 days a week. only have one car on the road & she has taken it to visit her mum in oxford hospital today.

mowgli

23-09-12, 10:28 AM

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=639520&page=1

ta.

scott.parker

23-09-12, 10:29 AM

That one in the link looks ideal Mike

mowgli

23-09-12, 10:31 AM

apart from the fact that i don't actually want a metal power box type manifold with bolts running right thru the middle & still want a vaguely factory look to it.

Count Vaux Alot

23-09-12, 11:58 AM

Details are in my kadett build thread. It was a 1.8 225bhp BAM engine code TT manifold (selected for the bend in the direction I wanted) some of the other VAG fleet fitted with the 1.8 t engine have the bend the other way.

My advice would be to keep it as simple as possible.

mk1nova_rich

23-09-12, 10:47 PM

I find the Mantzel type boxes work very well Mowgli, the only thing I'd ever swap it for would be individual TBs

mowgli

24-09-12, 06:45 PM

i know people have been using them for ages & are pleased with them.. but i really don't like the long bolts sticking thru the plenum. they must play hell with the airflow, so i want to make something with a bit better flow that still looks vaguely factory, cos if i ever get this thing running, it may well end up in my nova.

mowgli

29-10-12, 06:31 PM

ok, i'm on the home straight with this manifold... i hope.

has anyone got mantzel type instructions as to just what emissions crap i can bin, and what needs blanking off etc?

John

29-10-12, 06:51 PM

Mike I'm sure the bolts sticking through the airflow isn't a massive problem tbh. What's it got 110 bhp? There gonna cost what .5 bhp? :)

mowgli

29-10-12, 07:00 PM

they block 10% of the plenum cross sectional area per bolt, and i don't see anyone else in the tuning world sticking bolts thru a performance plenum, and they don't exactly have a trumpet shape to help with flow either, they just stop.. when the engine was originally prototyped, it made 150 hp.. then it got strangled with the horrendous factory manifold, and tbh, i've not seen such a bad manifold since BL were in business, its like the old saying about tuning fords of the 70's, 'it's impossible not to make an improvement'

mowgli

03-11-12, 10:50 PM

yet again, has anyone got any powerbox instructions that detail just what emissions crap can get binned????

ps. the manifold should be finished by monday night (with a bit of luck)

turbojolt

03-11-12, 11:27 PM

when i read up on them, it was just a case of removing the egr valve and associated pipe work, making up a blanking plate templated on a egr valve gasket

not sure how it doesn't throw up the eml light tbh, might be better having a look on corsa b forums mate

Liam

03-11-12, 11:59 PM

I was going to say, if you don't fancy a powerbox with the bolts going through it try and find a Dbilas Dynamic one like I have. It looks stock and OEM too!

http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/536306_10151115011981451_1104667606_n.jpg
http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/60712_10151094802856451_371698664_n.jpg

mowgli

04-11-12, 07:56 AM

thanks for that.

re the egr, it wouldn't be too difficult to hide it under the manifold & keep it connected. but i'll only bother if it throws up a fault.

mk1nova_rich

04-11-12, 08:26 AM

I have my Mantzel removed from the bottom part of the inlet with all the pipes still attached to it...pic of that any use?

mowgli

04-11-12, 10:11 AM

that would be useful, thanks.

jiel

19-11-12, 12:05 PM

Hi,
If you make a sandwich plate to fix the throttlebody, select the throttlebody from an astra or vectra (horizontal mounting).
It's possible to rebore this one to place a 54 mm butterfly .:thumb:
This is impossible with the throttlebody from the corsa or tigra (not enough material)
Good job
jiel

novalovingned

19-11-12, 06:36 PM

You would hate the "powerbox" I've made for my c16 lol but its cost me nothing and it's 100x more solid than the fleabay tins!

What did you end up going for? Ever think of the valver/Williams Clio inlet manifold? It's very direct and looks superb imo.

mowgli

19-11-12, 07:09 PM

i've used a frontera 2.4cih one as a starting point. the throttle fits straight on, and it looks std-ish. i need to chase up the lad who is doing it for me.. i've had rather a few hectic weekends since i dropped it off.

novalovingned

19-11-12, 09:23 PM

Sounds interesting, you'll have to let us know how you get on.

therealnovaboy

20-11-12, 07:55 AM

I made mine from scratch. Cost £20 and that was buying enough steel for two. It fits on a x16xe. I binned the EGR, aux air pump and air con. With a polished head (mainly cleaned up and port match), 4-2-1 manifold, de cat pipe and complete rebuild it made 109hp and 145lb ft. Was absoloutley briliant to drive (which is the main reasion i no longer have the car). The dyno hp print out was a completly straight line. incl the rebuild i think i spent about £250

If you delete the EGR you can use a resister to fool the ECU its still there. Otherwise you will get the light on. You can also just remove the bulb, if there is somthing up with these engines you tend to feel it.

heres the vid of it, if you want more info let me know. I still have the complete engine and mods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhGGbblUnTA

SimonTW

20-11-12, 09:10 AM

Is that the one with the round ports in the bottom of it and the throttle body held on with two screws that are for sale on corsa sport or one you have made from scratch yourself?