Everyone's input is of course welcome.

Your comment is typical of people who have a fear of the glue not holding the graft in place. It isnt an issue of it not holding the graft.

The issue at hand is 100% only leaks. I had looked it over for hours and weighed the pro's and cons of a fastener. Why a fastener? Well to hold the graft on. The graft is bigger than the hole its covering so it cant in any way shape or form get inside the manifold. The graft itself can be folded completely in 1/2 and wont crack. I think it was Bruce Lee that said to be flexible to be strong. The issue then is will the glue separate from the graft allowing it to fall away from the manifold.....no way in hell even with the old adhesive.

OK, update on the repair/retrofit of the manifolds using Goop. The worst one is pictured here. It has a hole about 1/32 of an inch. The others looked fine:


And here after the repair ( the graft is cut away and all goop is removed, a new graft formed and attached to the manifold with all surfaces roughed up and seamlessly spread to all surfaces), the glue is holding the graft (not possible to separate the graft without breaking it and the manifold). It is all applied without a seam and before it cures, its TQ'ed onto bottom cover so it cures with the stresses applied so none can crack a top cover that cured before its put on the bottom cover which can stress the epoxy.

The JB weld is oversized of the hole and the graft is a 3-plane object meaning it isnt just holding the graft in the x-axis and y-axis of a single plane, its also in the z-axis. This means that while you can tear an object from a glued flat surface this one has the glue in 2 planes and since its bigger than the hole, it would not beable to come away from the manifold and the graft holds it from going into the manifold. each plane braces the other. This graft cant be removed withut cutting.....I tried and destroyed one. I flexed it in all different directions and even dremeled a slot to stick in a flat head screw driver to pry it up and that cracked a donor cover and not the glue. No fastener is needed.

The reason I am so sure is because I was here to try to separate 4 of these grafts from manifold using the old weaker glue that is a fraction of the holding power of JB Weld and it took me 45 minutes and I had to destroy 3 of the 4 grafts to get them off. Thats the holding power of the oil impreganted and heat damaged purple goop. My point? It isnt going to let anything fall off the manifold and there is nothing inside to be ingested.

No fastener is needed and would only introduce something to be injested by the motor if it came loose. Coming loose and falling off the manifold isnt in the cards. The only thing that developed with the ones I got back to day was in a leak in one of them. The other three looked fine and I was just being pro-active becuase this product is mine.

Pulling a graft off this manifold would be like trying to pull a 3" steel plug through a 2 1/2 inch hole because thats exactly what it is. In one direction a 3" plastic graft cant get through a 2 1/2" hole and the 3" epoxy cant get through a 2 1/2 " hole....its formed as a single unit.

I dont have an objection to having a fastener like a rivet but there isnt anything to rivet it to. It required me to introduce an 'inner graft' to rivet the outer one to. Now thats a lot of things to go wrong. As it stands you are suggesting a failure which can only be a crack in the glue because if anyone thinks they can separate the graft from the JB Weld is ON crack. I had to cut 3 of the grafts off using Goop.

Anyone looking at this thinking the issue was grafts falling off....thats nothing near reality. A small leak developed on the worst one. From what i saw, it was oil and not heat that was the issue. One manifold that came from a car using a breather catch can had no issue at all and it looked new.

 

How many modded intakes have you seen with leaks? Is it safe to presume that the Purple Goop will develope a leak at some time due to oil? So over time everyone that used the Purple Goop will need to re-do their intake at some point in time.

 

Actual leaks are 4 that I know of.

I recommend going to JB Weld. I have seen one from 2 1/2 years look fine. I dont get it. I wouldnt want to take a chance.

 

So just remove Goop from inside only? Or remove the plastic entirely and start from scratch?

 

I would just redo the entire thing. Why take a chance?

 

Thanks

 

Spin,
have you received mine yet? and will you be using this method to modify it? it looks good.

thanks,

Joe

 

Your intake didnt arrive yet but I have 3 comming in tomorrow (not counting retro-fits which are comming in all week long).

Yes, all intakes will be using the JB Weld fix.

Current lead time is 3 days due to warranty repair retro-fits.

Anyone buying a used one that I modded in the past, from another member, can send it to me for updating with this method for free. No one will be left out or stuck with the old method adhesive. Its covered even if you didnt buy it new from me. Old ones arent going to drop in value.

 

Guy - like a FOOL I went against your better judgement and used a 2 part epoxy to repair my FAST....

And last night I got dreaded P0171/174...LTFT's 24+...my fix didn't last.

Guy, before I fix it again, are you still using JB Weld? Any detriments? I'd like to FINALLY fix this once and for all!

I am NOT looking forward to using the form a gasket again on the manifold to seal where it splits...that was a pain.....I wonder if I can seal the repair from the outside? What do you think?

Thanks,
Joe

 

Yes, I have been using JB weld with excellent results. Use RTV silicone gasket maker. I like the orange, sensor safe, high temp one. Comp uses the same one in forming the original gasket. When I add some to the existing gasket, they are indistinguishable.

I have updated porting that wasnt done to your's so feel free to send it to me if you want a free repair and update.

 

As usual, great service from Spin.

San

 

He followed up with a phone call too to fully describe the process. I'll be all set this weekend.

I have to say...the world needs more people that treat others like he does. Guy you hear it a lot but take a moment and know that people really appreciate you and your friendship.

OK corny mode off. (Though it's true.)

 

Joe, one thing SPIN also mentions is the idea of nuts that may come loose inside the manifold. When I installed the fitting on the back I used a pipe thread and a right angle fitting on the opposide side which worked out well. Some said there is not enough wall thickness to use a threaded fitting but I did with a 3/8 pipe thread w teflon pipe tape. No issues and feels sturdy with no nuts to come loose inside the manifold.

 

I thread the fittings right through the plastic and have 175+ manifolds all like this without issue. Nothing to come loose inside.

 

Bump for you GUY /.

In the other thread where Jeremy removed the center POSTS out of the oem and picked up some poneys I got the idea that There is a POST in the FAST and makes a nice air flow target. I thaught of the possibility of removing it. It may destroy the structural integrity. Anyway I posted the PIC of my FAST with a great view of the inside. You get a chance you might want to check it out. It may have merit.

 

Well, there is the crack in the epoxy. That is a complex corner to cover and I tried to cheat by filling it with epoxy. It didn't last.

That JB weld is some interesting stuff, I never used it before. It flows like liquid but dries to rock hard in short order.

Only bright side is it only took me 10 minutes to take off the intake. Took longer to get the tools out! Not my first rodeo for sure. I could start flat rating vette intakes and make a few bucks. Lol.

 

Joe, meet at Denver airport, we'll go play with Guy's toys while he does the repair

 

That sounds like a great plan!!!!! We better hurry though...I hate winter.

 

 

Spin--I've read many threads and posts by you and like everyone else on the Forum, I have the utmost respect for your talent and your interest in disseminating info/pics on many different topics, and your forthrightness in your dealings. Forgive me if this answer has already been addressed somewhere in the past but it begs to be put out there. O.K., so I think I understand that the FAST intakes are not SPECIFICALLY for the vette, but rather inclusive of all LS2's, LS3's, etc. used in various vehicle platforms, but it's pretty clear that there are THOUSANDS of these intakes being installed in C6's where these clearance/relocation issues are prevalent, why do you suppose FAST has not stepped-up to the plate to manufacture these intakes so that all this home-brew modification that many are performing is not necessary? To echo the sentiments of most everyone else, thanx for your participation in the Forum.
Ray