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Thread: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

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    Bodger

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    Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    Is there a reason for inlet manifolds generally being made of Aluminium rather that stainless or mild steel?? Apart from the weight difference?

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    Racer Decade Plus User

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    Casting a mani in alloy is a significantly cheaper option than cutting flanges, bending and cutting pipe and then welding even using robots especially for something that doesn't need high temp strength.

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    If your talking about fabricated bike carb jobs etc I think it's just fashion and it sells for higher price ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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    Bodger

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    It didn't even occur to me about the quicker/easier process of casting! What a nugget! So if I were to make my own inlet in stainless there wouldn't be any adverse affects due to the different material??

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    Mechanic davemk1's Avatar

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    Quote Originally Posted by Rustyspoon View Post
    It didn't even occur to me about the quicker/easier process of casting! What a nugget! So if I were to make my own inlet in stainless there wouldn't be any adverse affects due to the different material??
    None that I know of. I made mine from a flange and steel tube.
    Just cheaper to cast Ally ones for mass production

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    Quote Originally Posted by Rustyspoon View Post
    It didn't even occur to me about the quicker/easier process of casting! What a nugget! So if I were to make my own inlet in stainless there wouldn't be any adverse affects due to the different material??
    sort of
    stainless warps 6 x more than steel when welding

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    Mechanic davemk1's Avatar

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    Quote Originally Posted by alladdin View Post
    sort of
    stainless warps 6 x more than steel when welding
    Agree about the stainless!
    I bolted my flange to the head when I tig welded mine(mild steel) and there was minimal distortion stainless

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    Mechanic davemk1's Avatar

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    Don't know how the 'stainless' word got on the end of that!

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    Pole Position Decade Plus User M11rf's Avatar

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    Re: Inlet manifolds in mild and stainless steel???

    It happens sometimes stainless.

    I used to make 4age inlet manifolds for ITBs, from steel... They all seem to work fine and no one has ever complained.
    Last edited by M11rf; 04-08-2017 at 02:33.

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