Greddy stainless manifold cracking problem!

[Trev]

Wonder if anyone has a cure for manifold cracks?

My Greddy TD06 kit stainless manifold has cracked for the fourth time now and is getting to the verge of me binning it - only a desperate lack of ££££ has saved its life!

Having had it wielded 3 times and cut in half (block facing) to spread the load of the turbo weight, I'm at a complete loss as what the next move (other than wielding again) to stop it happening again.

I hear "wrapping" is a bad idea but can it be "coated" in heat resistant material etc?

Any ideas?

[HeavyDuty]

You could fashion a steel bar relief strap welded to the turbo flange then over to an existing bolt hole in the head or block. I've seen them made over the top or under as a cantilever. I wouldn't do it to a new manifold, but if you're ready to bin it, it couldn't hurt.

.02

[Trev]

Not a chance mate, I've seen blocks get cracked in extreme cases of braces to block instances!

[HeavyDuty]

Wow! Well, just curious, how's that any different than the manifold & turbo hanging off the head?

Since you're dead set against a cantilever, is there enough room to weld a strain relief strap from the turbo flange to the manifold flange? Anything to take a little load off of the pipes themselves.

It's hard to believe tubular manifolds last for any time at all given the weight, leverage & heat.

[Sub Boy]

And why I will never buy another stainless manifold....

[TAZZMAXX]

Stainless steel hates high frequency vibration. Guess what sort of vibration a turbo generates. A header that is made from nominal bore pipe rather than thin wall tube maybe better but you then have the added weight and strain on the manifold studs. Also, once you start doing weld repairs, you'll never stop doing them. I've repaired no end of pump pipework that has failed like this and it's a losing battle, believe me. Stainless steel isn't the be all and end all like some people think.

[R32 Combat]

Stainless steel reacts with carbon at high temperatures, goes brittle and cracks.
If you weld stainless steel,you need to use the correct grade of welding wire or filler. Then you need to heat treat it after it's been welded.
It's a bad choice of material.

[neilo]

Not the cheap option but i could have you a bespoke Inconel manifold made performs well up to 1000 degrees C, 200 degrees more than stainless. Still would always advise a turbo and wastgate crane/support.

Cheers
Neil

[gtr-loz]

I used to always get cracks on my pulsar manifold until I used a brace to the block

[Trev]

Seeing as this was part of the TD06 25G kit I didn't have a choice of manifold!

It's been on the car since 2004 and cracked 3 times now, so a brace (in the right way) and another wield is the only option then with the current manifold?

[scoooby slayer]

ive got a full hks t51r spl kit on my 2jz, so far no cracks anywhere touch wood !

[freak4speed]

I've had 2 Greddy manifolds on my GTS-t and they boyh split at the collection area just below the twin port flange. I think they need bracing to hold the weight of a big single turbo. exhaust and external wastegate and screamer pipe on it and there must be a fair bit of high frequency vibration fron the turbo and from the exhaust gasses coming from the engine.
They could probably do with some reinforcement just under the turbo flange where the different pieces of pipe are welded together.

[RIDGEY46]

No manner of bracing and welding will rescue the manifold. I have a Greddy TD06 20g on my 200SX and the manifold has just cracked for the 3rd time. I took it to Hayward and Scott and they welded it up for me. As they were welding it it was cracking. I asked them about braces etc and they told me that unfortunately the material is so crap you'll never be able to stop the cracking with braces. So it's not even the weight and vibration that cracks them it's the heat generated. I asked them how much they'd want for making a new one, £1200 I bought this kit 2nd hand and it didn't cost me that much. I'm not sure what to do now myself. My car is used on track a fair bit so I can't see it lasting too long.

[Trev]

Originally Posted by RIDGEY46

No manner of bracing and welding will rescue the manifold. I have a Greddy TD06 20g on my 200SX and the manifold has just cracked for the 3rd time. I took it to Hayward and Scott and they welded it up for me. As they were welding it it was cracking. I asked them about braces etc and they told me that unfortunately the material is so crap you'll never be able to stop the cracking with braces. So it's not even the weight and vibration that cracks them it's the heat generated. I asked them how much they'd want for making a new one, £1200 I bought this kit 2nd hand and it didn't cost me that much. I'm not sure what to do now myself. My car is used on track a fair bit so I can't see it lasting too long.

Thank you!!!

This is what I have been saying! (No one seemed to listen).

Sadly, I bought the kit new in 2004 and paid £3700 for the kit!!!

So it seems, only real answer is to buy another.

[R.I.P.S NZ]

We've had no problems with stainless manifolds cracking and we always support the manifold if a medium to large turbo is being used, the trick is to support the weight without stopping it from moving all together.

Rob