Right, i've got a Mk2 with an ABF as most of us know. I bought a Milltek Stainless manifold from Awesome a few weeks back for a KR engine. I've heard on here from a few people (RobT i think and Martin Hotgolf) that tilting the engine back using a taller front mount solves clearence issues. I asked Awesome about this and they backed the claims up saying thats how they do it. Well - it won't fit. It's spent a full day at Mid VW and with no amount of spacing and tilting and mauling is it gonna go on, apparantly it's tight up against the bulk-head and the engine won't tilt back anymore. Now Awesome are saying that a Miltek manifold won't fit an ABF Mk2 without cutting and welding a spacer in the manifold.... And Awesome don't seem ready to take the manifold back from me as it's had an attempted fitting... [:^(] OPINIONS!?? I'd really rather not have to cut and weld sections of a nice new stainless manifold and i really don't want to be stuck with the split cast one like i am now!??? Edited by: Tubthumped
Dont suppose you have a lot of options? Maybe move this one on & get a TSR tall block manifold? I wouldnt personally entertain cutting/welding a new manifold to make it fit..
I would rather keep the Milltek as they are much thicker steel than the TSR ones. But, it's either a Mk3 sub-frame (?????) or a TSR one....
I always thought TSR manifolds were Milltek manufactured... Even so, id be inclined to use a TSR manifold & try my hardest to break it in the warranty period Chopping/spacing will invalidate the originals guarantee...& if ever there was someone who was likely to break it
I wouldn't chop and weld it.. no chance. Maybe i'm wrong about TSR's not being Milltek...? I know my awesome KR one is. When i rang a few weeks back though they still had no tall-block manifolds in production...? Might ring tomorrow...
When i spoke to some guy at Miltek, he did say they made the manifolds for TSR, a mate of mine has fitted a short block manifold to a tall block engine in a mk2, on standard mounts too! i think he persuaded the bulkhead so it would fit
Thats weird - especially as Awesome themselves say they fit. I have one on my Mk2 Ibiza which clears no problem with full set of unmodified Vibratechnics mounts - Mk3 golf subframe and short block. Sean Martin off cupranet has one on his Mk2 beeza (Mk3 golf subframe) which has a tall block in it - made to clear bulkhead by lifting front engine mount. Perhaps its something about the Mk2 golf subframe ???? dunno - but presumably you told Awesome what it was for and if they said it would fit and it doesnot then you should get a refund, trial fit or not, it dont fit what they said it would Hope you get it sorted Cheers Rob Edited by: RobT
hi i've got an abf in a mk2 and using a tsr kr manifold, to begin with it alsodidn't fit, i replaced all 3 mounts for vibratech ones as i needed them anyway, then i remove the heat covers around the bulkhead and errr hammered it. fits just right and not hitting anywere. rob t, as for the seats i think the bulkhead has a higher cut out as the cat is part of the downpipe and needs more space.
Have you thought about modifying a rear mount bracket to drop the engine some more, lowering the main bolt holes?
The cat is right under the car, almost below the gear shifter so I doubt it really affects the bulkhead immediately behind the engine...could do though Rob
I'm going to speak to awesome again tomorrow. Ideally i want the cash back and i'll order a proper tall block one from TSR. As others (and awesome) have said it 'should' fit -- but it won't. The Mk3 subframe or more engine mount mods could solve it - but why bother if i can buy one...? CARS!
at the time there was no tall manifold around, so yeah if you can get the right one,but if not it will fit m8
Split the bulkhead (its double lined) and shape it to give you the cleareance, then seamseal it all up tight. Well..thats 1 way round it But yeah, take the f**k3r back. If they've said thats how they do it and it doesn't get your money back. Grrrr. I hate these f u c k i n g useless so called ' specialists' who supposidly 'care' for their customerst**ser the lot of them! when it comes down to the nitty gritty they don't give a monkeys chuff! In my opinion that is
seat tunnel is same as mk2, i think the seat uses a mk3 subframe so the engine sits lower therefore manifold wont hit
I had this exact problem with the manifold I bought in the group buy from Awesome on my 9A, the thing was hard up against the top of the exhaust tunnel. I've managed to get a gnats cocks worth of clearance above it by shimming the front mount to rock the engine back but i'm not entirely happy about that tbh. One thing I do need to get around is changing the rear engine mount, i've still got an 8v one on there and I've got a feeling the 16v mount is a little shorter, the engine does look like it's sitting a little high at that corner at the mo. It is entirely possible that the manifold flange hasn't been welded on perfectly straight, and the manifold is tipped up a couple of degrees from where it should be, that's certainly how mine appears to be, the exhaust outlet points back up towards the top of the tunnel when mounted. It needs to tip back a bit to fit correctly rather than the runners not having enough of a drop on them, if you see what I mean.
So if an "Awesome" manifold barely fits a 9A, there is no chance with an ABF surely? Sounds like these manifolds are a bit pants IMO
No-one else in the group buy had any issues as far as I'm aware, so either there is a difference in height between 8 and 16v rear engine mounts and I need to pull my finger out and get the right one, or there may be occasional 'quality control' issues they need to look into. BTW, are al the manifolds Awesome sell Miltek? Just occured to me I have absolutely no idea who actually manufactured mine
