Topic

I am about to buy a VVC inlet manifold but it doesn't have the injector rail with it... can i use the injector rail from Megs nasty plastic MPi inlet manifold on the new VVC one?

Ta in advance!

adamelphick wrote: wrote:

I am about to buy a VVC inlet manifold but it doesn't have the injector rail with it... can i use the injector rail from Megs nasty plastic MPi inlet manifold on the new VVC one?

Ta in advance!

Yeah, no problem the injector diameters are the same.
I fitted my mpi injector rail to the alloy head i got.

cool ta - didn't think £30 was bad for an alloy inlet and throttle body (not sure of VVC had alloy throttle or not though!).

adamelphick wrote: wrote:

cool ta - didn't think £30 was bad for an alloy inlet and throttle body (not sure of VVC had alloy throttle or not though!).

48mm alloy, I think.

Oh well - better than 48mm plastic heheh

adamelphick wrote: wrote:

Oh well - better than 48mm plastic heheh

I think the Trophy was the first one with a 52mm throttle body.

Well due to my impending redundancy, and the lack of pay for a month (and so not doing ANY work for my crummy company till I get paid!) - I decided to swap the manifold today.

Yesterday I had put the manifold and the throttle body in my dishwasher on 'thorough wash' - works wonders on car parts as they come up like new! I took the injector rail that I had taken off Fleur (she looks so sad now - just a shell and subframes) and cleaned it up with some brake cleaner before fitting it to the manifold.

Glorious sunshine and a light breeze - perfect car DIY weather. It's a pity Meg was not in a good mood as she made the job as hard as was humanly possible!!!! The plastic inlet was an absolute pig to get off - you name it, it was seized, or wrong size nut etc etc. Anyway after managing to get it out of the engine bay (via the hole left by taking out the canister thingy and the air filter!) I poured petrol everywhere as the line dropped down ... mmmm lovely petroly driveway!

The alloy one was easier to get in as it is in two parts BUT the nuts were a pig as they were so tight to the alloy body I had to grind my 13mm socket down so it was thinner just so it woudl go on the bloody things! GRRRR Took me a whole HOUR just to do up the 7 nuts! Then discovered that there was only one little vacuum point on the drivers side of the plenum, so I found a windscreen washer splitter and tee'd it off (botch-come-mod methinks!). The throttle body was plastic but in nice condition so I used that (assumed that as it came from the car the manifold came off it would be set up correctly.

Everything else went back OK if a little more fiddly as there seemed less room now (maybe my imagination?).

I then refilled the expansion tank with plain water to the brim and opened the engine bleed screw - splutter splutter then nice clean fluid. The heater one was fine and so was the rad. I let almost the whole expansion bottle out (being careful not to go so low as to let air in) and then topped it up with neat OAT (as I had topped up a few times with water over the last few months). I left the cap OFF for now.

Then with anticipation I popped the alarm fob and turned the key to first position to let the fuel prime, then turned it to starter and ............ woosh she started immediately! Smooth as a nut! I was shocked as I had expected some setting up would be needed or something wouldn't work...

The coolant was recirculating properly, and it warmed up nicely (even in the heater)... then when it had just started to show on the temperature gauge I put the cap back on and let it heat up properly. No air locks, no level drop no nothing! I almost fell on the floor in amazement. So I let her run for 20 minutes or so and all seemed well. There were no dull spot on pressing the accelerator either.

So I cleaned all my tools up and switched her off, and went for shower. Came back out expecting a level drop where an air lock had freed itself etc, but no still stable! So I took her for a run - OH MY GOD - even with the plastic throttle body she is a different car! Smoother, punchier and generally nicer to drive. I am so happy I did it now and the scrapes on my arm are worth it!! I guess Fleurs injectors must have been in better condition to Meg's as well to make such a difference?

All in all a great mod, and the best of it is it only cost me £30!

Tomorrow the oil change and the new filter housing with oil temp sender!

Just noticed part 9 on Dieters site - am I supposed to have this strut?

adamelphick wrote: wrote:

Just noticed part 9 on Dieters site - am I supposed to have this strut?

I fitted my alloy inlet manifold without this strut too. So far, I've had no issues.

david aiketgate wrote: wrote:

I fitted my alloy inlet manifold without this strut too. So far, I've had no issues.

Phew that's a relief! Though it might just kamikaze through the bottom - although how it would get out is anyone guess!

adamelphick wrote: wrote:

david aiketgate wrote: wrote:

I fitted my alloy inlet manifold without this strut too. So far, I've had no issues.

Phew that's a relief! Though it might just kamikaze through the bottom - although how it would get out is anyone guess!

I think the alloy inlet and the brace, are maybe MGR's 'belt and braces' effort to cure the inlet manifold problem.

david aiketgate wrote: wrote:

I think the alloy inlet and the brace, are maybe MGR's 'belt and braces' effort to cure the inlet manifold problem.

I think you're right - nothign like skimping to start with and then goign over the top to fix it! LOL