Stainless manifold on a MK3 GTI 16v going to do anything?

[general_piffle]

Hi guys, loving my MK3 right now, just looking for any quick power boosts. I've got a chip in there, K&N filter, plus stainless from the cat back Jetex system. Car is running great but I'm wondering if a stainless manifold like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350438337072?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Could help things along even more? Any advice or experience to share? Thanks

[general_piffle]

Anyone ever fitted one of these to their MK3 or driven one with a stainless manifold fitted? Notice any differences? Cheers.

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

Will give you absolutely no gain. Lighten your flywheel.

[general_piffle]

Thanks fella, I'll look into cost of lightening and balancing the flywheel. What sort of gains can be expected without compromising the cars characteristics? I don't want to be stalling or slipping the clutch at low revs! Cheers.

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

Contact hotgolf (Mart) on clubgti and see if he is still doing them. He did mine and many others on here. Car will feel a lot more responsive and quicker off the mark.  Quicker reving engine as quite a bit taken off rotating mass.

[VW BUSH]

Will give you absolutely no gain. Lighten your flywheel.

Not quite true.
The balanced (if they are) header pipes would give you a lot better flow Combined only with a ported polished and matched head and intake system. My old Mk1 Escort saw a 11bhp gain from 4 to 1 custom made race manifold and DP set up with a smoother power curve.
This was after full head rebuild and port of the 2.0 twin fast road cam engine it had fitted, which is known benefit from better flowing in std form.
Point is OP wants instant gratification which this wont give you and has a shed load of other things up front and post fitting to make it work out, providing the Ebay manifold does not crack as soon as you leather it with spongy engine mounts, hit a cooling puddle hard or find out its Chinese Stainless steel made from old newspapers and apple cores.

I personally don't like the fly wheel to light but agree it transforms the Mk3 golf like no other mod for the money.
The next best is 3.9FD and schrick Cams, but a bit more involving after that it gets a lot more expensive to make the N/A golf engines faster hence why most folks go the turbo 1.8 route.

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

That's what I meant. On its own without any port matching and engine work you won't see any gain. Glen ess_three was running a standard manifold if I remember correctly and his motor was pushing around 191 Bhp with port matching and engine work. The standard manifold flows well. A 3.91 final drive with reconditioned gearbox and cams is not cheap.  Might as well do the 1.8t conversion for a little bit more if going down that route with the ported polished head etc (as mentioned above). I was toying with the idea of 3.94 fd, ported and polished head, cams etc but after working out costs etc the 1.8T conversion is by far the better bet for me.

Get the bodywork up to scratch. Lighten and balance the flywheel. Sort out the handling, brakes and suspension then do the engine work.

[chris_d66]

Hi
If want one of these manifolds I bought one but never fitted.
PM if your interested 

[madmanmart]

Won't fit, it will be for a LHD

[VW BUSH]

That's what I meant. On its own without any port matching and engine work you won't see any gain. Glen ess_three was running a standard manifold if I remember correctly and his motor was pushing around 191 Bhp with port matching and engine work. The standard manifold flows well. A 3.91 final drive with reconditioned gearbox and cams is not cheap.  Might as well do the 1.8t conversion for a little bit more if going down that route with the ported polished head etc (as mentioned above). I was toying with the idea of 3.94 fd, ported and polished head, cams etc but after working out costs etc the 1.8T conversion is by far the better bet for me.

Get the bodywork up to scratch. Lighten and balance the flywheel. Sort out the handling, brakes and suspension then do the engine work.

Schrick are a bit expensive but a good set of Kent/Piper cams can be had SH for £150/200 if you keep your eyes peeled. The rest is just time and sundries to fit if you don't go the full vernier route.
I did my FD for less than £100 if you don't count the clutch that got dropped in the drip tray