This is just part 1 since it`s pouring rain and I don`t want to go out and get pics right now.
I recently installed an ST intake manifold on my Pu after getting the engine built, and a big concern was not paying an unreal premium for custom piping that really isn`t that fancy. I used the Damond kit and I do have a throttle body spacer for methanol (some said it wouldn`t fit. It did, without issue).
The manifold itself was very easy to install, it goes on just like the stocker (note: if you`re coming to this thread as a walk through, I`ll just say be mindful there is a nearly hidden "last bolt" attaching the stock mani to the motor. Nearly dead center, front, down low. You`ll miss it and wonder why the mani won`t come off). The ST mani has o-rings around the ports but you`ll still need to use a gasket between the adapter and the cyl head. I used an oem gasket. There is a small corner of the ST manifold that needs to be ground down because it hits. It took me about 30 seconds with a dremel and I`ll post a pic (HERE) later.
Bolt the TB onto the manifold before you put it in the car. Have the PCV piping ready from the motor since the connector just snaps into the manifold. Regarding the remaining two vacuum lines (brake booster and whatever the hell the other one is for. I don`t recall), I just took them out of the receptacles in the stock IM and ran them as-is with a short piece of vac hose to the vac block that bolts over the symposer hole (you`ll know exactly what that is when you have it in hand). It kept me from having to source check valves or cut them out and reuse them. Again, the manifold itself is pretty self explanatory. But you WILL need and EGR delete of some sort since the ST manifold doesn`t have provisions for one at all. There are a couple of ways to address the missing egr, detailed in other threads.
On to the important part; the piping.
I didn`t want to spend $300 on a custom cold pipe. Just....no. Didn`t want to spend $200 on one. I wanted to spend zero dollars on piping. Like many of us, I had the CX kit, and I just had a feeling it could be reorganized to do what needed to be done. Yes, I made it work. If you check out the Speed Solutions offerings you`ll see they have a solution that swaps sides and puts the hot side of the intercooler on the driver`s side (yes, they can flow either direction. Doing it this way also relieves the interference issue with the oil cooler assembly)). I would imagine most other piping kits would work with the glaring exception of the Cobb kit. All I did was turn the hot pipe out of the turbo toward the driver`s side and dropped the pipe down to meet up with the 180* out of the IC. There is a small 45* piece in the existing piping to join them together. Leave the couplers loose until you`ve confirmed the routing. It`s not going to be perfect, but it`ll do until the next phase.
As for the cold side, it`s simpler but takes a lot more holding of the breath and prayer. Take the not-quite-90-degree pipe that has the BOV on it and finagle it onto the TB so that the valve itself doesn`t interfere with anything. I strongly recommend tightening the TB end of the coupler beforehand. Pursuade the other end of the pipe to find its home in the coupler off the IC. Again, not pretty but quite functional and zero dollars. Once everything is lined up and seated, tighten the couplers. You`re done (for now). The car should run, go test drive it.
I ended up buying a couple of couplers and a 2.75" 90* (and untapered coupler for it as well) to come off the TB for better alignment. Spent about $30. It enabled me to move the BOV pipe to the hotside and cut off about 18" of excess piping total.
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Now the piping is short and clean, few bends. You may need/want to put a 30 or 45* coupler in the hotpipe to arch it over the HPFP/spill valve, but even with that you`re still in for under $50 vs $300+.
If there are pertinent details I left out or anyone has questions, obviously ask. Pics can be found in my build thread. I`ll move the appropriate ones to this thread and get new ones of the area needing to be ground off ASAP.
I recently installed an ST intake manifold on my Pu after getting the engine built, and a big concern was not paying an unreal premium for custom piping that really isn`t that fancy. I used the Damond kit and I do have a throttle body spacer for methanol (some said it wouldn`t fit. It did, without issue).
The manifold itself was very easy to install, it goes on just like the stocker (note: if you`re coming to this thread as a walk through, I`ll just say be mindful there is a nearly hidden "last bolt" attaching the stock mani to the motor. Nearly dead center, front, down low. You`ll miss it and wonder why the mani won`t come off). The ST mani has o-rings around the ports but you`ll still need to use a gasket between the adapter and the cyl head. I used an oem gasket. There is a small corner of the ST manifold that needs to be ground down because it hits. It took me about 30 seconds with a dremel and I`ll post a pic (HERE) later.
Bolt the TB onto the manifold before you put it in the car. Have the PCV piping ready from the motor since the connector just snaps into the manifold. Regarding the remaining two vacuum lines (brake booster and whatever the hell the other one is for. I don`t recall), I just took them out of the receptacles in the stock IM and ran them as-is with a short piece of vac hose to the vac block that bolts over the symposer hole (you`ll know exactly what that is when you have it in hand). It kept me from having to source check valves or cut them out and reuse them. Again, the manifold itself is pretty self explanatory. But you WILL need and EGR delete of some sort since the ST manifold doesn`t have provisions for one at all. There are a couple of ways to address the missing egr, detailed in other threads.
On to the important part; the piping.
I didn`t want to spend $300 on a custom cold pipe. Just....no. Didn`t want to spend $200 on one. I wanted to spend zero dollars on piping. Like many of us, I had the CX kit, and I just had a feeling it could be reorganized to do what needed to be done. Yes, I made it work. If you check out the Speed Solutions offerings you`ll see they have a solution that swaps sides and puts the hot side of the intercooler on the driver`s side (yes, they can flow either direction. Doing it this way also relieves the interference issue with the oil cooler assembly)). I would imagine most other piping kits would work with the glaring exception of the Cobb kit. All I did was turn the hot pipe out of the turbo toward the driver`s side and dropped the pipe down to meet up with the 180* out of the IC. There is a small 45* piece in the existing piping to join them together. Leave the couplers loose until you`ve confirmed the routing. It`s not going to be perfect, but it`ll do until the next phase.
As for the cold side, it`s simpler but takes a lot more holding of the breath and prayer. Take the not-quite-90-degree pipe that has the BOV on it and finagle it onto the TB so that the valve itself doesn`t interfere with anything. I strongly recommend tightening the TB end of the coupler beforehand. Pursuade the other end of the pipe to find its home in the coupler off the IC. Again, not pretty but quite functional and zero dollars. Once everything is lined up and seated, tighten the couplers. You`re done (for now). The car should run, go test drive it.
I ended up buying a couple of couplers and a 2.75" 90* (and untapered coupler for it as well) to come off the TB for better alignment. Spent about $30. It enabled me to move the BOV pipe to the hotside and cut off about 18" of excess piping total.
Now the piping is short and clean, few bends. You may need/want to put a 30 or 45* coupler in the hotpipe to arch it over the HPFP/spill valve, but even with that you`re still in for under $50 vs $300+.
If there are pertinent details I left out or anyone has questions, obviously ask. Pics can be found in my build thread. I`ll move the appropriate ones to this thread and get new ones of the area needing to be ground off ASAP.
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