So i ground down my 90+ manifold from a TD04 to a T3 flange, and ran it as-is. leaked obviously.


So i decided to get it planed at a local machine shop, and wow. it was very expensive
The shop i took it to has some pretty reasonable rates for machining flywheels etc, but for this job it took them 1.75hrs to do...custom rigging etc. i suppose. (~$200 after tax).


I don't mind paying the money but i was just sort of taken aback by the cost.

Craig would have done that on his workbench with a file...

And it would have sealed and would be flat...my advice - don't take this style of machining to an automotive machine shop. They don't really have the machines to do this sort of work and it would take them quite a while to get it done (nice that they did it). You can tell that they did this on the machine they use for doing block decks - it's got a giant cutter but is made for holding blocks not manifolds. A real industrial machine shop would have put that on a mill and been done in about 1/2 hour.

I'm leaning more towards a belt sander and 10 minutes. Flat is critical. Getting the angle perfect isn't quite as critical.

That would also work given the size of the part. It won't be dead flat, but you could file it to an acceptable limit. Hey, it's done and paid for - but next time, shoot the group a quick post and see what we come up with. I was thinking that it would have been lots easier to just run an adapter and be done with it.

So what's the HP goal?

yea, i think i'll just pony up and get the belt sander or file it next time. i'd have more uses for tools in the long run.

There isn't really a "HP goal", it's more of a "Reliability goal". I think the car is sitting somewhere around 250 ft-lbs and i'm pretty happy with it for now.

I'm talking about a stationary 36" or 48" belt sander that uses 6" belts. Not something many (any?) of us can afford. Well...maybe Ian...but he'd have to sell his Boler trailer...

I've used my Makita 24 X 4 with good luck. No one needs one of those finger eating monsters in their garage.

i was considering the belt sander bench grinder attachment....expensive piece tho

dbl post

I'm the "other Ian", and heck I had a new in box Rockwell 6 x 48 10+ years ago, well before I had a garage...wait I still don't have a garage... but still have the combo disc and belt sander, going on it's 5th belt, I think, so it does get used.

Years back- mid 90's, I did have a vintage Judson manifold angle milled to clear the b20 FI two outlet manifold, and allowing for inflation, what you paid was right in line.