Weekend Update: Lower Water Manifolds . . . Stainless Baby!We've been pondering for awhile as to how to plumb water into the block in a manner that provides good and consistent cooling to both cylinder banks and the rear cylinders (which tend to run hotter). The stock FlatCad cooling flow is very strange:
a) Waterpump is on the front passenger's side.
b) Water enters the passenger bank - then travels through the middle of the block (in the valley area) over to the driver's side bank.
c) Water tends to be heated up on the passenger side before it gets to the driver's side.
So - we wanted to plumb both sides of the block - using the freeze plugs. I've been thinking about how the heck to make some water manifolds that picked up the freeze plug outlets - just how to mount them? Ended up deciding to make individual manifolds (one for each of the two rear freeze plugs). I ordered some 3/8 stainless plate and some 1" tubing.
I then designed a very simple SolidWorks 3D model and sent it over to Chris. His work was nice enough to let him use their brand new HAAS CNC mill to cut these parts. Stainless is soft and sticky - took over an hour to machine each piece.
Chris came over Saturday afternoon and we made the pipe/nipple extensions and welded them up. The nipples were then pressed into the thick plate pieces and welded from the back side.
On Sunday we drilled/tapped the block in four corners around each hole.
We temporarily mounted the manifolds - everything is cool as hell. You gotta love stainless when it is done - just looks nice.
I ordered some square O-rings from McMaster today - that hopefully can be used in the bottom of the freeze-plug holes. The idea is for the manifolds to press against the O-rings to create a very solid seal . . . hopefully with no other gasket material required. There are limited O-ring sizes, we'll just see if what I ordered will work.
Great job by Chris
. . . he cranked through it and delivered at the 11th hour!
B&S