I kinda anticipated this exact response. Ive seen the Magezine article. I dont own a c6 I have a c5 where this isnt a issue,But Im always interested in anything that applies to the c6 because ill probally pick one up sometime.

Ive seen where they made their modifications by removing the wiper cowl and cutting downward at the point of needed modification. I figured people would disagree or be a naysayer here, But I cant see that holding boost at all.. It also seems like it will degrade over time with all the oil that goes into the manifiold expecially with cammed vehicles.


With the fast intake installed, OR the stock manifold Fuel rail covers, this mod is completely unseen.

But look to each his own ya know?

 

First, read Spins comment on Goop & oil, who's car btw is supercharged, so much for boost, but if you getting a lot of oil in the manifold you have bigger problems. Gas & air, but oil? It is sealed on the inside & out as well. Trust me I looked at the mod both ways. I actually bought the kit, it's crap & sent it back. Beside the cutting of the firewall, there's simply way more work. You have to pull wipers, the cowl cover the wiper assembly, etc., resupport the one where the hole is. Doing all this while leaning over you fenders using a airtool or sawzall to do the cutting. The bottom line is this mod has been proven to hold up to supercharging, in the environment of air/fuel, I guess oil, is way less time consuming, w/ ZERO chance of screwing up the car. Since my background is medical, let me ask you this. If you need something done which could be done non or minimally invasive vs open, that means scapel, scar, stitches, increase chance of infection, etc. with equal rate of success which would you choose? And you are correct, we are entitled to our opinions, but I tend to place value the opinions of those who actually have done something, used something, etc. than those who say I say it on Oprah.

 

I guess your not aware of the LSX pcv system that sucks raw oil from your crankcase into the manifold. They have attempted to correct it with the ls2 but the problems are still there. Oily intakes were reported as early as the first 1997 corvettes hit the streets.

Dont believe me? Shine a flashlight in that intake after a few thousand miles. The only way to get arround htat is to not allow the pcv system to draw vacuum from the manifold.

I guess that since ive had a ported fast 90/LS2 tb setup for a long time, that my opinnion isnt valued to you and I can understand that, But Would Respectable tuners such as Katech,vengeance R&D or ligenfelter agree with your Fix?

 

OK, let me apologize if I have ruffled your feathers. Now lets address your concerns:

1. Yes oil will enter the intake, I referred specifically on 2 points " a lot" & also Spins comment re: Goop

2. Goop is impervious to petrolium based products specifically gas & oil, which is why it was selected as well as it doesn't harden like epoxy but remains flexible making better suited to vibration & the harsh environment of a performance motor/car.

3. Finally, your original concern was cutting an $800 manifold vs the car. This is a matter of opinion & there's no right or wrong. That said, it is clearly more work & money. Since I have seen the kit in my hands w/ the instructions I feel qualified to offer an educated opinion (you can even see in the picture the gap that will remain on the lower right corner of the patch), & it's a fact the risk is far greater to damage something in the process of cutting the firewall, than reworking the manifold off the car.


For those who are skeptical, post the question re: SpinFast mod. who are on their cars & see who's had problems vs. those who got there cars back from a tuner who used the kit or worse didn't, because I have seen the butcher hole from a reputable tuner that appears in the forum on a daily basis, but I will keep the name to myself, see what people have to say. The people on this post w/ you as the exception have either done the mod or want to.

So again, I apologize if my comments appear inflammatory, the problem w/ non-verbal communication on this forum. I would try & talk anyone out of cutting the firewall, including you, if you should come to this crossroad, w/ modding the manifold which has worked very well for me & the others who have done it.

Respectfully,

Mik V.

 

No offense taken Im just throwing it out there. Let me throw One more idea at you.

Having worked with fiberglass, I can tell you its very easy to work with, Inexpeinsive as well.

Hasnt anyone thought of cutting the firewall, setting the fast plastic up as shown, Duct taping it down instead of rivets(TO hold it in place temporarly)

Then applying fiberglass from the inside of the cowl to form fit the shape needed. The product is sticky but easy to work with. Apply 2-3 layers. and once its dried you can go to the front and smooth everything out and blend it with a body filler and apply a nice coat of flat black in the area and feather it out for a damn near seenless repair.

Im just throwing this out there because if I had a c6 this would be my way of tackleing the job I understand the removing the cowling and stuff is a pain, I dont know how many c6 owners like to take part in modding their cars but over in the c5 board they do.

Im just throwing one last option out there...

 

Having modded near 100 of these and a dozen of them on boosted vehicles, I dont know what makes you think a 10-15psi boost is going to do to a piece of plastic glued that can withstand more than the plastic around it can.

People really have a distorted view of how low a boost pressure in the manifold really is. The MAP sensor has nothing holding it in on a stock FAST and yet they dont pop out with boost. Anyone who owns a FAST can tell you how loose the MAP is in the mounting hole too since FAST chose to make it so big. If the MAP sensor isnt popping out what makes you think a glued piece that can't be separated without breaking the plastic manifold itself will fail?

I have likely 300k worth of collective miles on all these manifolds out there and not one has failed even when living in that oil filled envirnment. In fact, the first one I ever did came back to get repainted just last week and has no signs of any distress to the rear mod with lots of oil in the intake tract. It left here looking brand new and the owner couldnt be any more of a promoter for this mod.

On the outside chance that you have those comments directed specifically at the OP, here is a picture on my manifold patch from the inside that I will bet my corvette will hold a 50psi boost:



This is the actual manifold on Mike Villareale's car which I modded for free a year ago. I didnt know the guy and he made a St Judes contribution for the cost of the mod. The glue itself is about 3/16" thick and covers the entire surface of the inside plus overlap and is oozing out of the seems on the outside. A proven material for oil and fuel.....and boost.

 

Yeah, this was an option presented by my tuner, less the FAST plastic, I'm not sure what he used to initially close the hole, but he glassed it in smoothed, sanded & painted. This option is reasonable, & having custom built a Harley frame up, I had to make the seat pan from scratch, & did so w/ 'glass & agree it's easy to work w/. I also saw the cars Carolina Auto Masters (my tuner) did the 'glass work on & to the untrained eye you would have never notice it was touched. I wasn't prepared to cut my own car let alone let someone else & as stated just too much chance for damaging something else. There's also the issue from the directions in the FAST kit, your supposed to support the wiper motor somehow. I still stand by modding the FAST is less work, time tested, & cheaper to do.

 

Huge props to Spin, Clevite, and Mike for continually helping and sharing their experiences with everyone else!

Clevite, I am enjoying your DCR posts to no end! :-)

 

This is the OP here, and I am heading to Home Depot tomorrow to get some Purple Goop to coat the entire inside of my add-in piece.

 

Sharing knowledge and experience is what it's all about. Mix in a little well meant ribbing & humor to keep it interesting & always offer humility & gratitude. Great stuff guys!

 

Right on. Speaking of humor your Avatar taught me a word that I've used with great success in many a good joke! I can't believe there's a word for that condition. For that matter that the condition exists!

 

DMV has requested I return the plates after 3 years of having the travelors in VA laughing there heads off going down the roads. Maybe somebody laughed so hard they crashed! I successfully defended my case the 1st hearing that they were sexually explicit and/or graphic. So they have decided to re-hear the case stating the plates violate another code referring to intimate body parts. Isn't that double jeopardy, any attorneys out there? My defense this time will be 2 fold get a life and a sense of humor!

 

Wow, that's a 'stiff' penalty!

sorry couldn't resist. Clevite Kid forgive me for the "hijack"

 

He will be up against opposition.

 

Sounds like he is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

...for the thread getting off track, but as long as people keep posting, the info on the OP is getting to more people & that's a good thing!

 

If you spend more than 4 hours at one time on the Corvette Forum, please consult your physician

or a divorce attorney.

 

When you can, please post some pics of your FAST once in the car. I am interested in seeing just how big this Fast baby is once in the engine compartment compared to the stock "stealth" intake.

 

No need to wait, look HERE for SpinMonster's thread.

 

Thank you. Good pics and it appears that it does not look that much bigger than the stock intake.