Cracked Flat Top Intake Manifold
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From: Orlando, Florida
Cracked Flat Top Intake Manifold
Hi Gents,
I have cracked my Flat Top Intake manifold on the corner closest to throttle body. I think I may have reversed the Hondata Teflon gasket. Regardless as soon as torqued it down to 18 ft-lbs, it cracked. You can see the pictures. Any suggestions on how to fix it?
Thanks.
I have cracked my Flat Top Intake manifold on the corner closest to throttle body. I think I may have reversed the Hondata Teflon gasket. Regardless as soon as torqued it down to 18 ft-lbs, it cracked. You can see the pictures. Any suggestions on how to fix it?
Thanks.
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How soft it that spacer? It looks deformed from compression. Looks like less torque is needed when using it.
Weld it up while bolted up to a flat plate, then check the flange for flatness.
Weld it up while bolted up to a flat plate, then check the flange for flatness.
Last edited by 99mx5; Oct 11, 2015 at 03:39 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 18,643
Total Cats: 1,870
From: Beaverton, USA
Bad torque wrench?
Something stuck underneath it?
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Take your IM and a scrap cylinder head to a competent welder. Bolt it down and weld it back up, then throw that silly phenolic spacer away.
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I put one of those gaskets on my wife's RSX several years ago and tested the temps before and after. The gasket definitely makes a difference in IM temps and while that may not show significant gains I can't imagine it's hurting anything. Added bonus on a miata, it gives you another 1/4" or so of room to get your rerouted coolant return past your intake piping.
I don't know if they're worth running out to buy, but I certainly wouldn't throw it away if you already have one.
I don't know if they're worth running out to buy, but I certainly wouldn't throw it away if you already have one.
Hondata IMG temp variations
Not sure if anyone has done this before, but I figured I'd post up my results. I took some before and after temperature readings from the intake manifold to see how the gasket would affect manifold temps. All tests were done mid-day in south FL, similarly hot as hell for all 4 tests (2 before, 2 after) on a type S with only raceheader, no other mods. Along with the gasket I rerouted the coolant lines to the throttle-body as described in hondata's instructions with the gasket.
Temperatures were taken from 3 points that were marked on the manifold and taken with a infra-red temperature gun. Sample points are seen below:
Before temperatures:
Point 1: 157, 159
Point 2: 138, 140
Point 3: 137, 137
After temperatures:
Point 1: 144, 146
Point 2: 132, 133
Point 3: 131, 131
Temperatures close to the head were down 11-13 degrees. Farther away from the manifold temperatures are less drastic (as expected), 6-7 degrees. The test made me curious what kind of difference would be seen where the manifold mates to the head, I'd expect an even wider margin in the results there.
Not sure if anyone has done this before, but I figured I'd post up my results. I took some before and after temperature readings from the intake manifold to see how the gasket would affect manifold temps. All tests were done mid-day in south FL, similarly hot as hell for all 4 tests (2 before, 2 after) on a type S with only raceheader, no other mods. Along with the gasket I rerouted the coolant lines to the throttle-body as described in hondata's instructions with the gasket.
Temperatures were taken from 3 points that were marked on the manifold and taken with a infra-red temperature gun. Sample points are seen below:
Before temperatures:
Point 1: 157, 159
Point 2: 138, 140
Point 3: 137, 137
After temperatures:
Point 1: 144, 146
Point 2: 132, 133
Point 3: 131, 131
Temperatures close to the head were down 11-13 degrees. Farther away from the manifold temperatures are less drastic (as expected), 6-7 degrees. The test made me curious what kind of difference would be seen where the manifold mates to the head, I'd expect an even wider margin in the results there.
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This thread is about a guy who cracked an ear off his $600 Squaretop while trying to install one of these gaskets, so I'm pretty sure he hurt something.
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Hi Gents,
I have cracked my Flat Top Intake manifold on the corner closest to throttle body. I think I may have reversed the Hondata Teflon gasket. Regardless as soon as torqued it down to 18 ft-lbs, it cracked. You can see the pictures. Any suggestions on how to fix it?
Thanks.
I have cracked my Flat Top Intake manifold on the corner closest to throttle body. I think I may have reversed the Hondata Teflon gasket. Regardless as soon as torqued it down to 18 ft-lbs, it cracked. You can see the pictures. Any suggestions on how to fix it?
Thanks.
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The temperature of the manifold is irrelevant. What matters is the temperature of the air entering the engine. The air entering the engine is traveling very quickly, and most of it never comes in contact with the intake manifold in the first place. Reducing the intake manifold's temperature will have virtually no effect on the temperature of the air entering the engine. The "gains", if any, would be virtually impossible to measure.
This thread is about a guy who cracked an ear off his $600 Squaretop while trying to install one of these gaskets, so I'm pretty sure he hurt something.
This thread is about a guy who cracked an ear off his $600 Squaretop while trying to install one of these gaskets, so I'm pretty sure he hurt something.
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I'm sure you knew that and did multiple back to back testing to disprove this......................................right?
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 817
Total Cats: 20
From: TAMPA, FL
I've been running a squaretop with one of those gaskets for years now. Is this a reliability issue?
The manifold is off the head for now but I'm wondering if I should just omit it when I reassemble everything. Also, besides the reliability improvement (ie, the broken tb issue), are there any other real upsides to doing the skunk2 throttle on a squaretop and porting the intake to match?
I mean, if I'm running 18 psi of boost measured at the intake manifold, won't I just be reducing the pressure ratio further up the line (ie, less restriction for the compressor to push against to make that level of manifold pressure)?
The manifold is off the head for now but I'm wondering if I should just omit it when I reassemble everything. Also, besides the reliability improvement (ie, the broken tb issue), are there any other real upsides to doing the skunk2 throttle on a squaretop and porting the intake to match?
I mean, if I'm running 18 psi of boost measured at the intake manifold, won't I just be reducing the pressure ratio further up the line (ie, less restriction for the compressor to push against to make that level of manifold pressure)?
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Elite Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,285
Total Cats: 883
From: Santa Clara, CA
AIUI, the throttle body's flow is not a major restriction for a turbo because you're compressing the air before it flows through it. It is a lot more significant on a positive displacement supercharger where you have to suck a larger volume of lower pressure air through it.
--Ian
--Ian
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