I just installed a set of AWR mounts on my T2, along with other work I was doing at the time. I went to reinstall my Greddy cast manifold tonight (off for a different reason) and discovered it does not fit with the AWR mount; the flat of the mount sits where the wastegate portion of the manifold needs to go in order to even get onto the studs.

Has anyone else tried this combo and figured out a workaround? Or am I stuck slapping on an ebay tubular manifold for now, and hoping it doesn't crack?

 

Some pictures of the issue, might make for easier brainstorming:

 

Hmm..passenger side..right?(US car?)
..just thinking that IF you make another pan mount Template in between the mount and the oil pan,it may be able to clear stuff...sort of like a big washer apparatus.
I am thinking it will lift the engine off the mount just enough so you can put stuff back on.
Mind you the engine would be a "touch" out of level but then again it is not actually perfect to begin with.

IDEA..you can test this theory by undoing(LOOSEN just enough) the mount bolts on the pan on that side and jacking the engine up as touch to see if you can indeed put stuff back on where it was before.
IF it fits now then my Idea would by rights work.

 

The AWR mount on the turbo side takes up way more space then stock, agreed. I had to significantly modify mine to clear my custom manifold. Which I can't blame on AWR because they can't account for my crazy setup.

A bit hard to tell via the pictures however it looks like it's not interfering with the manifold, but the wastegate extension/adapter tube. Could that be modified to clear?

 

Styx, it is a LHD US car, so yep, passenger side. Making a shim would work in theory, but unfortunately my intake plenum BARELY fits under the hood as it is, there is no way it would clear if I raised the engine up.





Aaron, I remembered reading your thread about that before I ordered the mounts. I figured what were the odds I would need extra space there?

It is the wastegate tube that is causing the issue, but it is actually the flange of the pipe that is sitting on the mount. You can see where it rubbed by the nuts. I could always grind away a little off the edge, but it contacts the mount all the way across; I don't think I could take off enough to make it clear without causing sealing issues, especially around the studs.




I tried having the pipe welded directly to the manifold before I made the flanged part, but the welding shop (didn't trust myself with cast) said the best they could do was braze it together, which they did. It peeled off by hand, there is no way it would support the wastegate. If that had worked I think it would clear the mount.

 

Hmm...It should be weldable but it can be tricky. There are rods for cast iron specifically which are high nickel content. It sounds like the weld shop didn't know, or just didn't want the hassle. Manifold would need to be pre-heated, then the welding, then gradually cooled (bury in sand). I have successfully done it to a stock TII manifold that as far as I know is still working today after about 5 years. You could have the wastegate runner relocated to the other side of the manifold.

 

Before welding it, I made a little headway today. After removing the wastegate pipe and studs to double check, it will almost clear. The manifold itself fits, but the studs do not, and the flange will with a slight bevel to the lower edge. I have a couple grade 10.9 countersunk bolts on the way and I am going to try those in place of the lower studs that are contacting the mounts. I'm generally not a fan of screw type heads (these are Allen) but seeing as I'm somewhat limited in options here I'm going to give them a shot.