Tight Engine Bay, 6Boost Manifold Doesn't Fit - Help Please

[G37Sam]

So I have an RB30/26 swapped into my Left Hand Drive Infiniti G37 aka Skyline 370GT.

When I started the project, I was on a tight budget so I grabbed a cheapo RB26 turbo manifold that I sourced locally:

Had no fitment issues with it, but of course it cracked everytime I pushed it at 1.6bar. So I decided to upgrade to the sexy 6Boost manifold. And what a work of art these are. Had one built and shipped to me to Dubai:

It unfortunately didn't fit in my tight engine bay, the pipes and wastegate outlet sat too low and touched both the body and engine mounts. My mechanic said there's no way to make it fit. So now I'm in the market for a turbo manifold that won't crack and of a similar geometry to the cheap one I have. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Merry Christmas!

Sam

[GTSBoy]

Sorry, my only suggestions are;

a) pay a decent fabricator to make one. It is a completely custom fitment you are doing so your chances of getting any off the shelf manifold to fit are essentially random. Give the fabricator both manifolds and say "I want it to look like this one (the cheapo) in terms of layout, but I want it to look like this one (the 6BOOST) in quality.

b) Refit the VQ37 and turbo that. I must say, why the hell did you pull that lovely engine out and fit a 900 year old shitter (by comparison) 30/26? It beggars belief.

[GTR_JOEY]

Maybe try using an internally gated EFR turbo so you don't need an external gate manifold ?

[G37Sam]

Sorry, my only suggestions are;

a) pay a decent fabricator to make one. It is a completely custom fitment you are doing so your chances of getting any off the shelf manifold to fit are essentially random. Give the fabricator both manifolds and say "I want it to look like this one (the cheapo) in terms of layout, but I want it to look like this one (the 6BOOST) in quality.

b) Refit the VQ37 and turbo that. I must say, why the hell did you pull that lovely engine out and fit a 900 year old shitter (by comparison) 30/26? It beggars belief.

I think option a is the best way to go, now I need to find a decent fabricator that will do this and offer a lifetime warranty against cracking.

I switched to RB because:

1) They're bullet proof

2) VQ's are untuneable thanks to the beloved VVEL

3) My VQ37 was mated to a 5speed AT which reduced my life expectancy every time I drove it.

4) I have an RB-fettish haha

Grass is always greener on the otherside I guess

Maybe try using an internally gated EFR turbo so you don't need an external gate manifold ?

That won't solve the problem because the manifold pipes are also touching :'(

[Sub Boy32]

You should have told 6boost that you were running an RB30/26, they are 38mm taller than a RB26.

I had Sinco Customs (NZ's version of 6boost) custom make me one, and it started with a modified version of their RB26 - T04Z one, and they tacked it together and sent it to me to check fitment before they finished it, it had to go back and forward a couple of times as the RB30/26 with my EFR8374 IWG was a bit of a tight fit, but they did a beautiful job.

[G37Sam]

You should have told 6boost that you were running an RB30/26, they are 38mm taller than a RB26.

I had Sinco Customs (NZ's version of 6boost) custom make me one, and it started with a modified version of their RB26 - T04Z one, and they tacked it together and sent it to me to check fitment before they finished it, it had to go back and forward a couple of times as the RB30/26 with my EFR8374 IWG was a bit of a tight fit, but they did a beautiful job.

6Boost unfortunately has one design (mass production) which is what helps keep the costs down.

[KiwiRS4T]

Send your shiny stainless manifold to Sinco Customs along with some pics of your engine bay and he will make you a manifold equal in quality to the six boost. When he made mine I took my car down and gave him the turbo and W/G and everything was custom made.

I realize you can't give him your car but if you give him enough info you should be able to get a quality manifold that fits.

But hopefully there must be a fabricator near you who could do the job.

[89CAL]

Photo of how it fits (or almost fits on the engine)?

[GTRPSI]

6Boost unfortunately has one design (mass production) which is what helps keep the costs down.

Not exactly correct, they asked us the body, the turbo etc to make sure it will be adjusted to fit in the engine bay with the bonnet closed.

We also requested split manifold with 2 individual seperate gates which was adjusted to work around the rest of the engine bay, most were with 1 gate on the divided manifolds.

When you ordered it, did you tell them the engine bay it was going into?

If you did and they didnt know if they had a manifold to work in it they would have warned you of it.

[G37Sam]

You're right, but I don't think they get a lot of RB inquiries from G37's so I had to somewhat wing it. Here's a pic of the manifold sitting in the engine bay. You can see one of the pipes touching the engine mount and the wastegate pipe touching the body. A custom heavy duty one is being built as we speak. Let's see how that one holds up.

Edited December 28, 2014 by G37Sam

[scotty nm35]

It all looks like it could have been modified to work fairly easily...

You must be pissed the new Haltech Elite can run variable cams and twin DBW yeh?

[GTSBoy]

It all looks like it could have been modified to work fairly easily...

You must be pissed the new Haltech Elite can run variable cams and twin DBW yeh?

I wasn't going to say anything in response to his assertion that no ECU could handle it.

[G37Sam]

It all looks like it could have been modified to work fairly easily...

You must be pissed the new Haltech Elite can run variable cams and twin DBW yeh?

I ended up selling the 6boost one after a few fabricators told me it's near impossible without major modification to the engine bay and mounts. Maybe my pics don't show it well enough.

I wasn't going to say anything in response to his assertion that no ECU could handle it.

The only ECU Tuning options available to VQ37s today are UpRev and ECUTek (both reflash the stock ECU). Haltech Elite looks like a nice option but has not been fully tested on a VQ37 with Nissan's VVEL. And no I'm not pissed I love my RB

I guess I should've been clearer with my first statement, VQ37 tuning options in Dubai are limited that's what I meant. People in the US have been successful in making good power with UpRev and Boosted VQ37s.

Edited December 29, 2014 by G37Sam

[KiwiRS4T]

Heat Treatments new dragster is v6 based and uses a Motec.

The more advanced Link ecus (such as Link Extreme) can control up to four cams.

[G37Sam]

Heat Treatments new dragster is v6 based and uses a Motec.

The more advanced Link ecus (such as Link Extreme) can control up to four cams.

With an HR head possibilities are endless. It's just the VHR head (with the VVEL) that is a pain.

But i figured if I was going to open up a VQ and rebuild it and swap the head and transmission might as well do an RB swap, always had the itch for it.

[G37Sam]

Custom Manifold almost ready

Edited January 8, 2015 by G37Sam

[Ben C34]

That's the thickest flange I've seen. Will it be machined thinner later or are you going to use longer studs. I imagine it will warp a bit based on how few bolts are holding it to the head. At least there's tonnes of metal to be able to machine it flat!

Glad it is progressing nicely.

Just curious. Has that dude made manifolds before?

Edited January 8, 2015 by Ben C34

[G37Sam]

He's copying the replica manifold dimensions that you see in the first pic to avoid fitment issues. He does a lot of manifolds especially on TB48's. Why do you ask?

[Scott Black]

becuase its a good 1/4 thicker than the manifold hes copying, or it looks that way in the pic, and if hes making it up on that head like it looks like hes doing, then he needs the flange bolted flat eveywhere, or the flange will warp with the heat from welding as it can pull away from the head in places its not bolted

[G37Sam]

And bam! Cracked (left) vs New (right).. Doesn't look too shabby for a manifold fabricated in Dubai eh?

Edited January 10, 2015 by G37Sam