Gen 3 Intake Manifold Lite Port/Blend

[MoabRefugee]

After several months delay due to life's juggles, I am finally tearing back into Monty Nobaru, our '01 Ltd. Having done a DIY port/cleanup of my old 300EXC with fantastic results, I just couldn't bring myself to reassemble the manifold with the "parting lines" and "boogers" both in the runners, and particularly on webbing between the runners.

No porting tools, or a Dremel, just a cheap 1/2 Round, some 60 grit, and a 3m Fine foam sanding block. Will it make a difference? Meh, can't hurt;actually, it could, so although I knife-edged the webbing, I removed only what was necessary to eliminate casting defects and smooth transitions. The results:



By the time I finished, everything look similar to the middle runner in the photo above. I am pleased, but without a flow bench...2-5%? One thing is for sure, solvent is much happier flowing over the knife-edged webbing as compared to stock.

 

[RyanY]

Very nice! Did you match-port the upper manifold-to-lower manifold and lower manifold-to-intake port joints as well?

 

[MoabRefugee]

I matched the Lower portion of the upper manifold to the Lower Manifold and did some blending on the back side of the injector humps in the lower. I did not port match the heads, but will, if I end up pulling them. I did smooth out my water pump housing however.