OBX manifold

[20035mazdaspeed]

I know everyone knocks these mani's but are they really that bad? I dont race hardly at all but i want to upgrade from stock. I dont have a built motor and dont have the money for it right now. Im also not looking to make 300+ HP right now. Just want something other than stock. Let me know what you all think...

[mspHtown]

going from the stock manifold to the obx unit is a downgrade.

if your stock manifold is cracked, then i would suggest either finding another stock unit or look into the thunder mani or steedspeed manifold.


dont waste your time with the obx manifold.

[HighwayUFO]

Do not get the OBX. I have it, and it will fall apart and you will have to find a wastegate on the side of the freeway like I did. OBX will not bolt to the stock turbo, you will have to upgrade to a T3 turbo and run an external wastegate.

I am working on a manifold right now. Check out my thread, I can build you anything, and get it to you after I'm authorized by this site to do so.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123729457


As said, Thunder or MAM or Steedspeed would be the best alternative right now.

[mp3-79bronco]

i have a obx manifold and nothing looks bad at all it looks very well built...maybe i just got a good one though.. there's definitely no way the wastegate flange will come off.....thats one of the beefiest parts

[StealthWyvern]

i have a obx manifold and nothing looks bad at all it looks very well built...maybe i just got a good one though.. there's definitely no way the wastegate flange will come off.....thats one of the beefiest parts

have they been revised any?

[mp3-79bronco]

idk but it looks VERY well built and very nice Tig welds

[HighwayUFO]

I thought the same thing when I bought mine, and sure enough, most of the welds have burned through. Unless you got an OBX copy by a decent company.

[XoX1de]

there's several obx alike manifold on ebay, they are cheaply built, Im usin my obx in winter for more than 10000mile, no crack or anything.

[03.5MSP]

Personally I'm not as concerned about the welds as I am with the design. The design is absolutely horrible, the 1st and 4th runners suck because the exhaust gases pretty much go into each other instead of out of the flange. Also it doesn't have any type of a collector at the flange and the wastegate flange is in the worst possible location.

[Captain KRM P5]

Personally I'm not as concerned about the welds as I am with the design. The design is absolutely horrible, the 1st and 4th runners suck because the exhaust gases pretty much go into each other instead of out of the flange. Also it doesn't have any type of a collector at the flange and the wastegate flange is in the worst possible location.

to echo this, you need to relocate the power steering line to even allow clearance for a Tial 38mm wastegate, fabricate a very tight right angle dump tube for the wastegate, use a T3 flanged turbo and then get a custom downpipe made. if you are a protege owner looking to go turbo and need a cheap place to start, sure this isn't the worst thing in the world. if you're an MSP owner looking for a better manifold - this isn't it. thunder, steedspeed, used MAM - heck custom job done right - anything would be superior.

[MSP2003.5_Nick]

to echo this, you need to relocate the power steering line to even allow clearance for a Tial 38mm wastegate, fabricate a very tight right angle dump tube for the wastegate, use a T3 flanged turbo and then get a custom downpipe made. if you are a protege owner looking to go turbo and need a cheap place to start, sure this isn't the worst thing in the world. if you're an MSP owner looking for a better manifold - this isn't it. thunder, steedspeed, used MAM - heck custom job done right - anything would be superior.

Did all of this and was it worth the money I saved with the shitty manifold........ money wise yes...... pain in the ass. FUCK NO! Not just the install but this thing cracked every week and I mean like for real. Every weekend i was taking it off to re weld where it cracked. It never stopped til I rewelded the entire thing twice as thick as it was. the wastegate flange tube is was just one HUGE weld so it wouldn't break off.

It is thin and shitty as fuck, horrible tig welds that leak and break, small runners and huge globs everywhere and just the design that make it flow like a bag of ass.

Save the hassle and get ahead a little bit by buying a quality manifold. CPboost manifold is the best you can get at the moment for a joke as far as tubular design goes. Thats what i have, and the one I got came straight off a full drag 323 with a million HP, so you know it can hold up.

[nullbyte]

Agreed that this manifold is not the best. If you are looking for something cheap then get another used MSP manifold in good condition. I've heard good things about the Thunder mani, the price isn't too bad and I think you can buy it from PG. If you are looking for huge power then find the MAM mani, they come up for sale on this forum every now and then.

If you do get this mani.....weld the fuck out of it before installing it on your car ;)

[HighwayUFO]

Welding it twice won't save you, I did that and still hated the way it affected my power curve. And when you pop your hood to show your friends, they just look in amazement and say, "That thing actually works?"

Cliff notes version, The closest you want to get to the OBX is to spit on it.