islingtonaudi

This is the conclusion of a project that I started on nearly a year ago, having purchased a used manifold really cheaply and proceeded over the past summer to get it ready to install.
Since I've had little or no garage space until recently. I put it off for months but with Super Bowl weekend in Phoenix I decided to hang out at my Mom's and finally install the ported and polished manifold I finished up last summer:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/_MG_7620-1.jpg">

Though I have done a lot of projects on my car the idea of having to change out an intake manifold was a bit intimidating but with a lot of reading from the forum archives, a few emails to Mance and others and making sure I had the right tools I dug in....

Getting the old manifold out is a matter of disconnecting the electrical, vacuum and fuel system connections. You also have to disconnect the EGR valve from the manifold, a bit of a bitch since the 10mm bolt heads are pretty hard to get to. It was a struggle but with a universal joint on a 1/4" drive they came out. I was amazed at how loose many of the bolts were when I put a breaker bar on them, some were only a few pounds of torque max so I'm sure my vacuum readings were pretty abysmal before the swap...

Here's a pic of the heads and valley pan area right after removal of the manifold:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9613.jpg">

Definitely plan to change the valley pan gasket, I had a lot of oily grime down there and I read over Mance's post a while back on lapping the valley pan gasket and cover on a flat surface ( I used a sheet of sandpaper taped to glass):

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9620.jpg">

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9622.jpg">

After a thorough cleaning of both surfaces with brake cleaner and fine steel wool I reassembled using Dirko sealant and torqued to 7 ft.lbs. The end result:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9623.jpg">

The next stage was cleaning the intake ports in preparation for gasket matching. I was shocked (!!) at how much oily residue was in both the old manifold as well as in the intake ports:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9614.jpg">

My two year old SXTB was surprisingly clean inside though I'm thinking strongly of using a catch can to eliminate this oily residue. I spent way too much time getting this new manifold super sanitary to see it resemble an oil-slicked beach....:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9604.jpg">

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9605.jpg">


Once I got the intake ports cleaned up a bit I was able to lay out the new gaskets and create a pattern using a black magic
marker. I didn't use scribe lines (I know Mance, I should have...) but the marker gave me a good visual to work from.
I reinstalled the gasket a few times to check my progress:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9627.jpg">

After initial work on the driver's side bank:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9635.jpg">

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9631.jpg">

To protect the intake valves I stuffed rags down the ports. I realized quickly though that you really should tape off the work area completely to avoid aluminum shards and ABSOLUTELY WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION WITH DIE GRINDERS AND CARBIDES! You don't want any shavings in your eyes or you'll be one sorry dude.

The Audi operating room:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9641-1.jpg">


After rough grinding is complete it's time to move into the abrasives such as flap wheels, Kay Rolls and finally cross-buffs to smooth out the grinding and to give the intake walls a better surface:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9649.jpg">

All of this grinding/polishing probably took 3-4 hours or so to complete. Since I had done my manifold last summer I had a good feel for the die grinder. I absolutely recommend the Makita die grinder with available rheostat and abrasive from Mondello.com, great folks to deal with!:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/_MG_7545.jpg">

With the gasket matching and clean-up completed it was time to install the completed manifold. I spent a lot of my free time the last few weeks prepping this manifold for installation including lapping the top and bottom halves and using light Permatex sealant on both surfaces when installing the new gasket. I also heat-cycled the entire manifold (minus
throttle body) in the oven at low temp (200 degrees) a few times for an hour or so and allowed it to cool down slowly to
develop a good seal before a final torqueing of all bolts to 8-10 ft. lbs using Loctite 242 sealant. As Mance had stated in a previous post months back there's a problem of some of the manifold bolts loosening once the manifold is reinstalled at the higher torque specs found with the manifold to head bolts. Since I couldn't employ Mance's method of using a spare set of heads to retighten the bottom manifold bolts I thought I could develop a good seal this way.
I installed the SXTB (a rare Plus model I believe) with a new gasket and sealant, the now clean ISV assembly and the switchover mechanism beforehand. I also was going to try some rebuilt Bosch fuel injectors that are supposed to consume slightly less fuel (pictured) but they don't seem to work with my engine, it wouldn't turn over until I put back in the originals.
The black elbow pictured didn't clear my firewall even with major trimming so I'm back to using my old Cobra Head elbow with my silicone intake:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9656.jpg">

Getting the new manifold back in was actually pretty easy, just make sure you reconnect everything, replace bad vac hoses and tighten everything to spec WITH a torque wrench, this is too important to guess. Here's the manifold installed but the fuel rail not yet in place:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9659.jpg">

After some nervousness of hoping I hadn't wrecked my engine and having to swap out the injectors it managed to come to life and man, it runs great! You really feel like the car has added a cylinder or two, this is the culmination of my desire to maximize the efficiency of the intake tract and adding real power without any reliability issues. It's truly a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the (very well-made) parts.
I couldn't have done it without Mance's intake manifold workshop, his encouragement and great products that really make my car a lot of fun to drive. I'd say my mechanical skills have improved a lot in the last couple of years by just diving in and not being afraid to do it myself.
Just remember: at the end of the day no one will ever care as much about your stuff as you!


Shiny Audi joy:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/IMG_9661.jpg">

austinado16

Bentley says if the intake manifold is removed, the head bolts have to be torqued down tighter.

Any validity to this, and if so, why?

islingtonaudi

might be putting them at risk by cranking down on them. I could be wrong but just a hunch.

EDIGREG

It looks so good without those covers though! Look at that bling!

Now all you need is the 5-speed sitting in my garage and you'll have one hawt avant

islingtonaudi

If it fits my car I might think about it....

EDIGREG

You have quattro right?

It will fit, you just have to do the swap. Pretty big job but it would be worth it.

Skribbs2000

I'll be at the salvage yard this weekend, I have been eyeing up a intake manifold on a 96' 12v for weeks now. After reading/seeing this post I must pull it and start the process after the DIY TB ( edit VAP) is done, you have inspired me!


Once again, stellar write-up and uber clean engine/interior/exterior!

islingtonaudi

Send me an email with some more info. and do you still have your catch can?

EDIGREG

It is fully degreased, bead blasted, and prepped for the workshop. Never got around to doing it before I got rid of the 12v.

Let me know if you want it, I have the butterfly plates removed, a can of glyptal, all required hardware, etc.

EDIGREG

I'll shoot you an email tomorrow, gotta hit the sack.