Exhaust system

[lg9000]

What exhaust systems are people using for there XE's. Has anyone bought a maniflod and rally system from Yukspeed? Is it any good or would the SBD ones be better.
Thanks for any info

[Quarterless]

I have a BTB manifold (sbd rds1) have to say it is really well made. Not tried it out yet though.

[lg9000]

How much did it cost you if you don't mind me asking because i cannot get the price list from their website.

[meXEco]

I have one of the 'cheaper' manifolds-(see sig pic below)there seems to be 2 different types-the cheaper version as a lot of people sell-between £150-175, and the 'proper' SBD ones-which cost i believe around £450, but give a lot more power etc., and look very well made. Mine will be fine as i'm not going mad on power-pretty standard actually.

With regards the system i'm looking for a crossflow system in 2 1/2", as this is on the correct side-unless someones used the Yuk one-dont want to use an Ashley as heard these dont fit too well??

HTH's.

[lg9000]

I won't be going to mad on power straight away either, probably very similar to what you are doing by the sound of it, but thats just because i can't afford it yet. I will run it for a year or so then rebuild the engine and go for some proper power.
Not sure if i should go for the cheaper option and get a better one when i rebuild the engine or just the better one straight away. But then it may not suit my engine as well with less power.

[meXEco]

From what i've read if you dont yet have a rwd manifold then get the best one you can as its one of-if not the-most important aspects for this engine. Go for it i say!!!

[lg9000]

Maybe it is worth going for it as it would save money in the future when i upgrade the engine as well. I think i will give SBD a call tomorrow and see what they have to say about it.

[Quarterless]

BTB make them for SBD give them a ring. http://www.racecar.co.uk/btb/

[lg9000]

Thanks i will try them direct before SBD then.

[Barn]

From what i've read if you dont yet have a rwd manifold then get the best one you can as its one of-if not the-most important aspects for this engine. Go for it i say!!!

Probably the best quote for an XE in a long while.

The manifold you choose has a massive difference on the XE, basically, anything other than a standard engine will be ok (ish) on the Ashley or the cheaper items. If your looking for more power in the future then you need the SBD item or alike.

As an example, my rally engine delivered 214BHP with 171Lb Ft Torque on a cheapo manifold on the rollers

When the manifold was swapped for a "proper" unit, the engine was then up to 239BHP and 181Lb Ft torque.

So thats a 25BHP, and 10Lb Ft increase just by swapping manifolds

[Quarterless]

Wow Barn thats a great gain. Which manifold did you put on? Are you sure you didn't change anything else?

[lg9000]

I had read a few places that manifold choice on the XE was important, which is why i posted on here first but i didn't realise it could restrict the engine quite so much.

[Barn]

Wow Barn thats a great gain. Which manifold did you put on? Are you sure you didn't change anything else?

Nope, was well restricting. my engine builder showed me that even adding an inch to the tail pipe made the dyno jump. The mind boggles, my engine could breath more easilly when it was new. I am now down on power as the engine has done a bit of work now so i can now feel the difference etc....

A good manifold makes the world of difference.

[lg9000]

BTB make them for SBD give them a ring. http://www.racecar.co.uk/btb/

Did you buy yours direct from BTB because they said they cannot sell the that manifold direct to customers because of a contract with SBD.

[Quarterless]

I got mine from SBD as I didn't know BTB made them at the time. Just thought it might have been worth checking with BTB. Other options, you could ask them if they would make one in stainless, or it might be cheaper for someone to copy my manifold.

[4bangerford]

the sick thing is the cost of just the manifold for this conversion is more than enough to by a driving jap motor for transplant with same or more power! even sicker is the fact iv allready done that (twice) but am now removing it to fit an xe so the car will sell easier when the time comes
engine fashion live n learn i guess

[4bangerford]

so out of all the -£200+ manifolds wich is best bet?

[Quarterless]

Just read in Retroford that the engine was originally designed to produce 170bhp and the exhaust manifold was made smaller to bring the engine inline with the emissions regulations and to produce more low down torque. Hence the big gains that can be made from changing it.

[4bangerford]

Just read in Retroford that the engine was originally designed to produce 170bhp and the exhaust manifold was made smaller to bring the engine inline with the emissions regulations and to produce more low down torque. Hence the big gains that can be made from changing it.

ye i also just read that bought the mag hoping to learn something 1st mag i bought in years but seems like a re run of cf,s contradictions and send a blank cheque to (delete as appropriate) write ups
ime guessing the 150 - 200 range manifolds are all the same ones with different prices? do any of these cheaper ones stand out as ,,better,,?

[Gary Wright]

I bought an ashley manifold and single box system for my mk2 which looked like a realy nice bit of kit when it arived but when i tried to put it on the car it was as if it had been made for something completly different. The manifold didn`t fit the head i had to open the bolt holes slightly, the tail of it pointed to the floor, the rest of the system was running to the back of the car at the wrong angle and it didn`t have any hanging brackets to mount it with. So 10 hours of cutting and welding later it finaly fitted. Unless you pay lots of money for a taylor made item i think the ashley manifold is the only one thats made for an xe engine thats mounted upright and not at 7 degrees.

[neilm]

You will probably find that SBD have an agreement with BTB that they wont sell manifolds to other people, I know we do that with our supplier.

We are looking at doing an XE manifold in conjunction with a well know magazine editor which will be like all our other exhaust products, bit more expensive than the cheap stuff, but much better quality, but not up near the £400 mark.

Quality for the masses

[meXEco]

Do you have/plan to have a 2 1/2" system to go with it Neil?

[neilm]

Yep just sorting a car for development at the moment

[meXEco]

[Quarterless]

Do you want any measurements off my btb one?

[neilm]

Do you want any measurements off my btb one?

Is the BTB one 4 into 1 or 4 into 2 into 1 ?

Cheers Neil

[Quarterless]

It's this 4-2-1:

[neilm]

Thanks for the picture, they do some shit hot stuff those boys

But ours will be a 4 into 1 design

I cant see why a modern 16v engine which makes all its power over 5000 rpm warrants a 4 into 2 into 1 manifold

People say its for better torque but this was the case back in the day when you had fixed advance curve distributors where mid range torque was always compromised for top end power and 4 2 1 manifolds were used to bring back some of that lost low down torque

But with modern engines and management that 'lost' torque can be mapped back in.

Lets face it, if you had a crossflow that made all its power over 5000rpm you wouldnt put a 4 into 2 into 1 manifold on it now would you....

Be very interesting to see how it pans out.