13 replies to this topic

[Total Richie]

I recently purchased my first mini been looking around to see what needs doing, and noticed it has a water heated inlet manifold, which is currently not plumbed in. is it better to leave it as it is, or reconnect? if so where would I need to connect to?

any help will be greatly appreciated

Richie

[theoldtartspimp]

i didn't bother with mine but i can't see the point in having on the inlet get quite warm anyways having the exhaust manifold so close to it

[manifesto-mini]

i agree with the above ... unless you are in siberia it is generally not worth it. having said that ... mine is plumbed in and has made no difference whatsoever to performance but has helped make my engine bay look tidier !

[Big_Adam]

i plumbed mine in, should help in winter.

[998dave]

Leave it unplumbed, in my opinion... Not necessary.

D

[Bungle]

mines not plumbed in

[ANDY J]

mines not plumbed in

mines plumbed in and all i can say is why do they make water heated inlets if they were not supposed to be water heated they must do something as why bother to make them??

[minimadjonesy]

mine i plumbed in but mainly because it tidies the water pipes!

[JD8891]

Didnt someone right somthing bout this? might of been on minispares its got somthing to do with the air not been warm enough when a KN filter is put on so the engine dies on realllly cold days, i think
JD

[fikus01]

it is heated to stop fuel sticking to it on cold start or under cold air conditions!! that is 1 of the disadvantages of a wet manifold!! it will not hurt performance but it can hinder if its not plumbed in!!!

anyone who says its not necesary hasnt read the vizzard bible!!

just the fuel temperature being cool is enough to cool a wet manifold and make the fuel stick to it!!

std setups heat the inlet manifold, just thru them being cast as the same lump!! only thing is this gives a nasty hot spot in the manifold that is dependant on exhaust temprature!! the water heated idea gived the manifold a controlled steady temperature!! yes there is a little radiated heat too from the exhaust but not as much!!

they fitted the heated manifold to mg metros as std so it is rekognised as required by factory as a performance mod!!

Edited by fikus01, 24 October 2006 - 10:06 PM.

[Sprocket]

LOL at this topic

If you dont plumb it in your a fool. Disadvantages out weigh the benifits of not plumbing it in.

Its coming into the colder weather, i wonder how many topics there will be about, 'My engine runs realy rough when cold and the idle is all over the place when warm'

[fikus01]

even when vizzard was trying to get big bhp out of the a-series he used the heated manifold!! whatever the cc!

the spi manifold is heated (again wet manifold) makes me wonder why the webber manifold isnt heated!! possibly something to do with how the fuel flows thru the carb!!

[Total Richie]

Thanks for all your suggestions,

I think I'm going to reconnect it!

My personal theory being if the bloke who designed the engine thought it may be a good idea to have a water heated inlet manifold who am I to argue.

Richie.

[998dave]

The guy who designed the engine was doing so to make it run in all possible weather and conditions, hence the water heated manifold, the inlet and exhaust manifolds being connected, and the hot air pip from near the exhaust into the inlet manifold.

All very well keeping it nice and toasty, but decreases the air density (warm air is less dens so rises), which then means less air and fuel in the engine so less power.

Now note the MG Metro, (and indeed Vizard mentions in his book for everyone who's preaching from that), both suggest seperating the inlet and exhaust manifold. The MG doing so with it's cast Aluminium inlet manifold and Vizard most simply by chopping two up, but also suggesting buying a cast Aluminium inlet manifold...

By the way I'm jst thinking, why are they Aluminium, it's a better conductor of heat then steel... A nice chunk of stainless or high carbon steel would stay cooler, but would weigh more... but ten it'd be stronger so you could have thinner walls, thereby reducing the weight a bit... Oh I dunno... sorry...

Anyway, they heat the manifold as it helps fuel vaporisation, however it is overdone a bit on the mini as it may have needed to run in -20C or less, depending on where in the world you are. This is considered more important then fuel consumption, or power. By having a cooler charge with good vaporisation you increase engine efficiency, thereby improving fuel consumption, and performance.

Sooo, it's up to you, but in my opinion it is unnecessary, I've run mine without a heated manifold or joint manifold, using a K&N filter, and had no problems in cold weather... But maybe I'm just lucky...

Dave