Anyone had problems with their 6 branch manifold?

[vr6madforit 0]

Ive just had one fitted and am getting mixed views off people. Some people are saying they are a waste of time and overheat, and others say they are well worth it and shouldnt get any problems in performance or breaking.

If anyone has any comments please let me know as the engine bay is hotter than before. Hopefully this is normal and nothing to worry about.

Cheers

[badboyV6 4]

Ive heard a few people say they get really hot, and they have used some kind of wrapping to stop the heat transferring to the engine..... Im sure someone will elaborate :-)

[Ultimatetune 0]

the manifold needs to be wrapped really in heat wrap...available from your local halfrauds

[cadguy77 0]

seems a shame to wrap up a shiny exhaust manifold !sad

[Ultimatetune 0]

yeah it does, but the heat is not doing the engine bay any favours

[mightyvr6 0]

Apparently the heat helps draw the exhaust gasses through the manifold so it's good to keep the heat in by wrapping it. In addition, it prevents secondary heating of other engine components.

[Ultimatetune 0]

it speads up the airflow from the exhaust and so should exit the gases quicker

[vr6madforit 0]

am being dumb but is it an easy DIY job or should i take it to a garage?

Cheers

[Ultimatetune 0]

yeah you can wrap it yourself, it can get a bit fiddly and some of the fibres fall off the wrap onto you and make you itch like hell, but no real need to pay a garage

[cadguy77 0]

I guess wrapping before install is the best option then?

[Ultimatetune 0]

if possible then absolutely and means you can clamp the wrap properly rather than trying to get screwdrivers in awkward places

[beetle.jim 0]

I'v had mine fitted about 6 months now witn no problems.Notice an increase in engine bay temp and am going to make a healt sheid to go under the t/b.If you use thermo wrap them damp it down with water to stop you itching. Uprated engine mounts are a good idea as well to stop the manifold cracking.

[Eat this 2]

have you noticed any performance increase and more importantly does it sound any better??

[antera309 3]

I've just bought one of the Raceland 6-branch manifolds off eBay.

The build quality looks fine, but (from asking around on VWVortex and other sites) it seems there are a few things to be aware of when fitting any 6-branch manifold to a VR:

1) Uprated engine mounts are ESSENTIAL. Most breakages have ocurred as a result of excessive engine movement on tired old stock mounts, not the build quality of the manifolds themselves.

2) The manifold should be covered in heat wrap to avoid radiated heat transferring to the inlet tract above. The stock manifold uses a metal heat shield to stop this from happenning, but the Raceland manifold doesn't have one of these. Of course, if you want to be flash and fabricate your own metal heatshield to go above the manifold, so much the better!

3) To get a decent power increase from a 6-branch manifold, you need to ditch the cat. Fit a cat replacement pipe (Ultimatetune do these for about

[Eat this 2]

my stock engine mounts r totaly fooked (ask ingham or vr6pete hehe) i already have a decat and should be getting 268 cams firtted at the same time so fingers crossed

[Col_M 0]

What engine mounts would people recommend that are up to the job?

I'm tempted to get a 6 branch and i don't wanna put it under excessive stress with crappy mounts

[cadguy77 0]

VRPete is gonna post discounts for the 6 branch mani, & engine mounts from vibra-techniks !lol

[Col_M 0]

yeah the post in the premium members forum made me consider the manifold in the first place

sounds good to me

[beetle.jim 0]

have you noticed any performance increase and more importantly does it sound any better??

Got a noticed increase in power,made 199.9bhp and 186lb/ft of torque with just this and an induction kit. Engine noise is slightly differnt now but not really noticable.Sounds awsome now iv fitted an inlarged t/b though, get a whisling sound from the air filter. Mine is the raceland manifold btw.

[Eat this 2]

is the racel;and an worse than standard manifold for breaking??

[VR6Pete 1,455]

I'd imagine so, as the raceland doesnt have the flexi joints like the standard one, hence the need for some good mounts!

[Ciaran 4]

iv got the raceland 6-2-1 manifold and to me it seems to have alot of rough edges right at the top anyone think this worth porting before i fit it??

also my front engine mount is away and was planning on fitting just fitting a standard one again as it costs

[beetle.jim 0]

Mine was already smoothed inside. Worth doing, every little helps.

[Eat this 2]

if its totaly smooth it restricts airflow!!

[Valver 0]

Does the standard manifold heat shield not fit with the 6 branch?....