I was gifted a S4 manifold from bell a billion years ago. Braced in a similar way to the kit it cracked. I patched it back up with ye ol metal caulking gun and after a while it cracked again. While waiting for a replacement from bell I purchased a ebay manifold to hold me over, I welded in tons of bracing to keep it from cracking. My turnbuckle that was holding the rear of the turbo broke and the flange came off the collector. Patched it back up with ye old metal caulking gun and it was running awesome with the exception that the studs would almost constantly back out. I finally got the replacement from bell (with some fancy new hardware to brace the turbo) and I was keeping it as a spare for a trip out to new york. On the way home I had a stud snap in half and mess up the threads on the ebay manifold (they looked and felt like they were tapped by a 3 year old anyhow) and I had to swap in the bell unit.
This was last weekend. Pretty sure runner number two has cracked at the head already as I can hear it leaking.

What do I do, have a custom manifold made, buy ebay manifolds in bulk or scrap everything and go with a new setup? It would cost me about $350 in stainless pipe to make new charge pipes and a downpipe for a new manifold + the cost of the manifold. I'm really getting tired of ******* around with it.

 

Damn I hadn't heard of an S4 manifold cracking.

But you might me jumping the gun. Just because you hear an exhaust leak does not mean the mani has a crack in it. double check that.

 

is your exhaust like hard mounted to the body?

 

i have the same problem. and a couple days ago i was wondering why there isnt, and if there should be a flexible section in the exhaust on my car?

 

Seriously, you do not have a flex section anywhere? If not, then yes, you want one between the downpipe (from the turbo) and the exhaust. It will be roughly located under the driver's footwell.

 

I have a flex just after the downpipe. The noise started about two days ago, its hard to see but it looks as though there is some carbon under runner number two. I need to get a mirror in there.
The downpipe is braced against the block, the turbo does not move when you remove the manifold.

 

would you think a reputable muffler shop would have put in a flex? they obviously saw the turbo too.

 

most muffler shops don't take that sort of thing into consideration

 

Yep runner number two is cracked at the head, number one is starting to go.

 

That is the first S4 failure I have heard of. Have you talked to BEGI?

 

Nobody else has a cracked S4 manifold, now you've cracked two. I think that says something about your installation.

Also, why would you use stainless for charge pipes?

 

Its funny when I drove to new york I met a guy with a full s4 kit that was having the same trouble. I'm sure there are more then a few people that don't post about their problems. The install is not the problem. The welds on the manifold cut into the material leaving very little to hold the thing together. I had the chance to show my old manifold to a guy that built headers for dirt track racers, he commented on the welds not being built up enough and how material from the runners was missing due to the metal crystallizing from heat. The welds on the inside of the manifolds are "ported" making the material even thinner.
Plenty of people have cracked the ebay manifolds. Having held both in my hands I can tell you they are one and the same.

I used stainless for the charge pipes because I don't have a way to weld aluminum. Its better then PVC and stainless does not rust.

 

The first manifold broke because it was not supported properly. You were not using our support brace. Did you use it on the second manifold, in the manner in which it was intended? If not, the manifold will crack. It seems kinda of strange that of ALL the S4 kits we have shipped, yours is the only one to crack EVER, and now it has cracked a second time?
Stephanie

 

Metal doesn't crystallize from heating, it crystallizes from cooling. Anyone that attributes HAZ as a failure source on an EXHAUST MANIFOLD is a *little uneducated.

Having held both in my hands...I can tell you they are most definitely not. To the casual observer it may be easy to say this, but there is a large difference in the materials used and the workmanship.


When I first read this thread the other day I thought about replying that even the best welders can have bad days...but the above comparison just boggles my mind.

 

stephanOWNED!!!!

 

I love it when you make assumptions. My brace for the turbo was exactly like the one you sent me. The turbo does not move, did not move, never has moved. The guy I talked to in new york is probably still trying to get a new manifold from you. You might remember him, his kit was the one where the downpipe did not fit, one o2 sensor bung was welded onto the inside and he could not get a sensor in without cutting a hole in his trans tunnel and the other o2 sensor bung was facing directly at the ground. I do remember him saying his manifold had cracked. He probably lives in the Newburgh area if that helps at all.
The ebay manifold and the one sent to me by bell are the same. Look, feel and smell the same in every fashion. Don't ******* insult me I have sold enough Taiwanese **** in my time to know that this is not even up to those standards. If they made the manifolds the guy that wanted to buy a stainless flange from bell would have had himself a stainless flange.
The ebay manifold at least lasted 3000 miles to new york without cracking, Your lasted 5 days of around town driving with your super duper brace connected EXACTLY like it should be.

 

Lets play spot the ebay.





and the second candidate is






manifold one or two?

 

uno nuno.

 

maybe you should just stop using crush-type exhaust manifold gaskets....

 

I've got an S4 kit on my car making about 375hp and I have had zero trouble with it. In fact I loved it so much, I ordered another S4 manifold for a track setup I am making. If you brace it right, then you should have no problems. YOU have obviously done something wrong.