want to change exhaust manifold

[mk3jetta-man]

i have a 92 cabriolet and it had a c-clamp exhaust manifold and i want to change it to a bolt on one so i can have more down pipe and exhaust options where can i find a bolt on manifold that will fit

[twinair]

Www.techtonicstuning.com or a mk2 golf at a junk yard

[briano1234]

Well you can do it 2 different ways 3 if you want to stay single.

The "C" clamp manifold or toilet bowel as it is affectionately referred to as is a stronger manifold, than the "bolt together" single that they started using mid 90.

The single down pipe manifold is weaker by design. I have had 4 of them on my cabbies and all 4 have cracked to the enth.




Now they make a header for the car that is cool, and I have modified a Pacesetter manifold, and had it on my 90. The Raceland one that you can get cheap will work, but also has to be modified, as in the length has to be shortened if you live in a emission state as well as a bung to be inserted for the o2 sensor. Both would require a heat shield which wasn't to hard to fab for the manual transmissions.

You will also need to add a vibration mount (ball type) so that as the engine flex's you will not have the pipes break. ( I know as I have one on my shelf) as I was going to install that but opted not to for the Cutting and fitment issues.

What I also have done is to buy the g60 manifold and dual down pipe from TT tuning, about 450 and change. It was a good thing as I picked up HP, the exhaust was opened up, the car seemed more responsive.

The down side, cost and the dual down had a bung on the "wrong side" so the o2 sensor had to be extended. And a heat shield for my starter and power steering had to be made to prevent premature failure.

Just last month I had to replace a manifold on my 93, and the tt down was a little too much for me to choke down. What I opted to do was to take a g60 manifold from a wrecking yard that I had to "create" a dual down using parts. I too had to have a bung welded on the "wrong" side for clearance, and I made a new heat shield out of a bent up license plate.

There is the how to on the TRF.

What a g60 looks like off of a car from the yard with the crushed down pipe:


What my Muffler guy and I had to chop off, and rework for our needs.


What it kind of looks like installed


Caveats:
You need to remove the Intake Manifold and injector rail, along with the starter if a automatic.
Remove your o2 sensor prior.
Spray the Exhaust manifold bolts with pb-plaster, Kroil, Deep Creap, or CRC-Freeze off a couple of hours prior.
Using a impact gun is a must, you will either have the nuts come off or the studs back out. Using hand tools will probably break the studs.... Then the head will have to come off and take for Professional help.

If the studs back out you can get stainless Steel replacements at Napa or your favorite help section, that have 1/4 drive on the one end that make re-installing them a breeze. Go back with new copper, brass, or stainless steel nuts and plenty of never-seize... You need to get studs that are 8X1.25 pitch

[BerryB]

I have learned recently after joining the vortex. Briano1234 Will have my answer to anything.

May I just send you pms if ever needed? Why even waste interwebs making a post?



I feel obligated to send you a christmas card after seeing how much and how well you contribute to this forum.


Back on topic now; Brian is very correct I've had nothing but pains in the ass coming from forged single pipe manifolds. Your best bet is to find something that works to a point, and then fab the rest.

[Kevin Rowley]

My setup is a little bit different. I have a bit over $300 in the entire system. Bear in mind that it took almost a year of searching for me to get these parts.

From the VW Vortex classifieds, I bought a used dual outlet exhaust manifold and down pipe that was originally fitted to a Rabbit diesel. Downside: no oxygen sensor bung. Cost - $50

Also from the Vortex classifieds, I bought a used Techtonics dual down pipe sized for a catalytic converter and fitted with an oxygen sensor bung. Cost - $50

I purchased new head to manifold gaskets, new manifold to down pipe gasket, new down pipe to converter gasket and new hardware. Cost - about $25 I think.

I have them connected to the factory catalytic converter and a EuroSport 2" cat-back exhaust with the optional resonator that I bought when they had them on discount.

[calituner]

Why wouldnt an Aba exhaust manifold and modified down pipe work?

[gtidaddy]

obd1 aba manifold. obd2 needs alot of work to fit. aba downpipe will also need some mod.
you can also use a 16v rocco downpipe and cat with the mk2 /obd1 aba dual manifold.