Clark Performance Fab 135i
- Thread starter Steven@ClarkPerformanceFab
- Start date
I love seeing the process of fine craftsmanship. It could be wood working, metal working, paint work, whatever. It's just fun to see craftsman working.
Thanks for all the support guys. I know jig making isn’t exactly the most exciting thing ever but I like to share everything that I’m doing so everyone can see how much goes into building and designing something like this. I started tacking the runners but I’m going to hold off posting pictures till it comes together a bit more. My bandsaw also didn’t like all the cutting and snapped two blades today! I’m going to grab a couple new blades tomorrow and keep making pie cuts.
So what is the alternative to doing the labor intensive pie cuts? Do they do mandrel bent piping of the same schedule, etc? I find it hard to believe that increased material cost off sets the extra labor involved in tigging every one of those suckers
Yeah the alternative is mandrel bends. That is the plan if I make another manifold. The pie cuts are only for this one so I can get an idea of how I want my runners to go. I’m also going to change the angle and length of the cuts to not have to use as many. These are 9* each. I’m going to switch to 18* and make each one 1/2” at the inside of the radius. So I will only need 5 instead of 10 and it will cover a much loner distance. The only downside is the added turbulence but I’m not too worried about it on this one. Back purging with all those small pieces was a nightmare too. I did a single elbow and it sucked.
Picked up an oil cooler so I can replace the stock one and get the stock lines out of the way of the turbo inlet. Mounting it behind the kidneys and attaching it while retaining the thermostat just to help the oil heat up faster than a deleted system. The temps stayed fine last season just using the BMS valve and they will most likely be even better with this. I also sold the MMP PI and ordered a BKC/Sharp manifold that should be here in a few weeks and a pair of Tial MVS wastegates for the kit. Still need to source a few bits and pieces like a MAC solenoid and oil and coolant fittings. Also making a fuel line for the BKC rail and need a new set of injectors. Everything is coming together slowly.
I’ve been on a business trip the last two weeks. Getting back to the shop tomorrow night. Updates this weekend. I have a big pile of stuff waiting for me that showed up while I was gone
Just got home from my trip and found a ton of stuff waiting for me to work on. Everything is here to do a fitting for the new “$100” oil cooler and my aluminum showed up for my merge collector and T4 flange purge blocks.
Haven’t made any posts in a while about the turbo manifold but I’ve finally been making progress on it this weekend. Made one of the merge collectors and I’ve been trying to get the back purge setup correct. I also started my T4 purge/chill block. Just need a couple barbed fittings and to drill out the argon ports and its ready to go. Hopefully this whole manifold is done this month and I can start the exhaust work. My BKC intake manifold should be here Thursday too and I’ll be fitting the BMP fueling kit used in the group buy. Should be a cool week.
Been working on the turbo manifold this weekend and test fitted the BKC manifold.
BKC manifold unboxing video:
BKC manifold installation video:
BKC manifold unboxing video:
BKC manifold installation video:
Absolutely awesome, I love seeing this stuff come together!
Thanks for the videos! I’ll PM you for some extra manifold gaskets and AN blow off valve line!
Yeah its for sure been a learning experience as I go. But you can see how I did the first three by tacking everything then welding and purging them on the bench individually. That seems to be the best route to go. That arm on the jig is also removable which will give me more room on the backside. And after the runners are welded to the flange I wont need the jig at all.
Looking great. And people think single turbo kits should be cheap! The work that goes into something like this looks extremely extensive.
Where are you drawing inspiration for the manifold? Every company seems to have a different approach.
Where are you drawing inspiration for the manifold? Every company seems to have a different approach.
