is 18 gauge stainless steel thick enough for a turbo manifold? and how thick should mild steel be to make a manifold? Thanks

 

no, not at all

I think your supposto go with sched 40 pipe iirc

 

right....anyone else?

 

I would use at least 16g stainless.

What turbo are you going to hold up with it?

 

im thinking about a gt42

 

Rotary headers for NA cars such as the racing beat ones use 1/8th in mild steel pipe, which would be between 10 and 11 gauge, and they don't have a turbo to hold up.

Strength wise 308 SS is weaker and less flexible than mild steel.

A metal supply house will be able to get you whatever pipe (thickness, material etc) you want, you don't have to get it from a shop that sells specifically to the exhaust market.

 

mine is 16 ga, it has held up fine. however, i have a 1/8 x 2 flatbar bracing the turbo flange to the engine flange on both sides, so that holds up the weight of the turbo.

i would go for schedule 10 pipe, it is around 1/8" thick and you can get bends and stuff cheap from mcmaster. 304 stainless is fine. the next manifold i build will be done that way.

 

hey thanks for that site it got the pipes i been looking for.