Looks really good. If i didnt have the kinetix ssv id do mine

 

& I wonder if grinding off the inner posts (from upper plenum) would be advantageous?... If I were to fill the holes, I'd try to nix the posts and see if there is a positive change.

 

I was trying to avoid posting pictures of what I did to the top because of the attitude some people have, but I used JB weld to fill in the holes.

I removed the posts and filled the holes with aluminum discs and JB welded them in place. I did a lot of research with people using JB weld on engine components and they have seemed to hold up perfectly. I also tested the possibility of thermal expansion cracking it, by heating it in the oven to 300 degrees and then cooling. ( i did this 6 times before painting )

I opted for this solution after being quoted $150 and $125 from different welders to weld the plenum. this is more than I paid for the part so I couldn't justify it.
I also tried brazing it multiple times with mapp gas and oxygen torch but it seemed it was too big to heat up enough with this.

I'm still trying to find the pictures I took of the engine bay to get them up. It does look pretty, but I think I want to change the color of my strut bar now.

visit http://xbcustoms.com/Rob for all the pictures of this project and my others. I'm too lazy to re link everything in forum code.

 

Oh yeah and I agree, still haven't found a decent clear from a rattle can, this candy looks pretty good.

 

^^^ curious about the "avoiding pic because of the attitude some people have"... what does that mean?

Interesting about removing the posts - good call... now need to determine if it has any positive benefit... without a flow bench it might be hard (if not impossible) to tell... I'm curious to know if it changes a/f though.

Do you have Cipher or any other method of data-logging? Or do you plan to do before and after dyno? - looks like you have a stock plenum (from previous pics)...

Interesting project - I haven't seen anything this interesting in quite a while... keep us posted with info

 

I think the filler will crack the paint over time due to the hot/cold - expand/contract.

If not...I'm next to do it lol.

 

yeah, its mostly JB weld but I did break down and use some bondo to smooth it because it was getting too damn annoying to keep laying new layers of JB, waiting a day to cure and then trying to sand it down. I was also worried about the cracking of that but after baking the paint in the oven multiple times and it seems fine. additionally it's been on my car for two weeks now and still holding up.

I have already done the before and after dynos and logged with cipher before and after. It does seem to have changed my AF ratios so I'll be sending the logs in to get it retuned to get some more power. I gotta say, after driving it for the past two weeks I love it, although I wonder if there is any power to be had from adding a spacer?

about the "avoiding pic because of the attitude some people have," it seems a lot of people here are kind of stuck up about doing things a certain way and spending loads of money to do it the "right" way when other methods will work just fine. I'm not dumb and wouldn't do anything that I thought would be potentially fatal to my engine so I did what I thought was an appropriate amount of testing to feel safe with using the JB weld. I guess I just got the feeling that people wouldn't appreciate that, and they would jump to conclusions without having any prior experience, because I'm using a $3.95 product to do the job of a $125 aluminum weld. I guess part of me feels cheap for doing it that way and not having the money to spend...

 

I wouldn't feel bad about it at all. I think that most people are worried about strength for FI more than anything. Hopefully you don't have to worry about anything cracking and falling into the engine. Other than that, I think it looks terrific. Waiting for the final pics still.

I did this to my plenum a long time ago as well, and it was a very noticeable difference. I think it leaned out the car quite a bit...higher velocity/more air.

 

Good job on this project. It's coming out great so far. Really digging how the upper plenum looks without any holes.

Concerning the benefit of the spacer, I'm going to guess that it'll still be helpful for gaining some additional power. I'm basing this on how the Crawford plenum performed compared to spacers. The Crawford still has posts but only two of them and it sits much higher then the stock configuration.

 

I have a 1/2" spacer with mine...Didnt test it without the spacer though.

 

what where your measurements on the port and polish job? how much did you grind down too? BTW love the TB.. great work

 

I'd like to know the measurements also. I have the non rev-up lower collector and all kinds of grit sand paper with me now to finish off the polish work.

Right now, the runners have been worked in a progressive fashion, front two the lowest, middles a bit higher and last ones have barely been touched.

I want to make sure at the very least the front runners are to MREV2 spec.

 

i dont know what the mrev2 is cut to... I'd have to measure mine again I cant remember..

 

It's all good, the height difference is noticeable between the fronts and the rears, so I'm happy with the look, it should be **** anyways combined with the 5/16.

 

thickness of the top's of the front 2 runners [easiest way to measure]
Non RevUp lower plenum: 15mm
MREV2: 10mm

if you want to be right on the money, one runner thickness is 10mm and the other is 11mm