xr4tic

My stock TB failed, and put my car in limp mode, and my old head was blowing out a ton of oil smoke on startup.

I found that my old head was warped 0.010" and crossed my fingers hoping that it was the reason behind the mysterious coolant loss and brown sludge in the coolant tank

I also port matched the intake and exhaust ports to the gasket. I opened the intake ports on the head to the size of the gasket, and the intake ports on the intake manifold to about 1/16" less than the gasket.

I found that I had to remove material from the top of the port on the head, the bottom was good, and remove material from the bottom of the port on the manifold, the top was right on.
This means that in the stock configuration, the head intake port jutted into the air stream on the top (which is where the injectors are firing)

For the exhaust, I opened the manifold to the size of the gasket, and the head to 1/16" less than the gasket. I didn't have to remove much material here either.

New head is on, no more coolant loss, and no more oil smoke on startup - just fuel smoke on startup

Anyway, for the VR6 TB, I suggested welding up the old holes, and drilling new ones, then my dad came up with the idea to thread some aluminum rod, insert it into the TB holes, then drill and tap new holes.

So that's exactly what we did. Bought some aluminum rod, had to grind it down in size a little bit, then thread it, insert it into the manifold, and grind them flush. No welding required

Then just drilled and tapped new holes:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_1_lo.jpg"></a>

Yeah, they're a little crooked, oh well.

The scribed line is how much material needs to be removed:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_2_lo.jpg"></a>

Material removed:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_3_lo.jpg"></a>

Comparison pic:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_4_lo.jpg"></a>

The VR6 throttle body mates up perfectly with the stock manifold, almost like it was made for it

The VR6 has a slightly different throttle cable attachment point, which puts a lot of slack in the cable. I had to adjust the cable out as far as I could go, and put spacers on the cable bracket to space it out.

I also lost my cruise control capability, which kind of sucks, because now I have to actually watch how fast I'm going, this car is just too easy to go too fast

I just realized I don't have any installed pics, so I'll snap some tonight.

xr4tic

in case anyone missed them last time.

You can sort of see the throttle cable mount is a little different, and there is no cruise control spot.

Front:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/vr6_vs_stock_tb_top.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/vr6_vs_stock_tb_top_lo.jpg"></a>

Back:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/vr6_vs_stock_tb_back.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/vr6_vs_stock_tb_back_lo.jpg"></a>

Side:
<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/vr6_vs_stock_tb_front.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/vr6_vs_stock_tb_front_lo.jpg"></a>

cuatrokoop

Looks good! Can't wait to get to that point with the 10vt (needing a new, larger, TB)...

xr4tic

Notice the high-tech spacers on the cable bracket.

<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_5.jpg"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_5_lo.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_6.jpg"><img src="http://johnbaas.dyndns.org/latest/TB_6_lo.jpg"></a>

Durrrrty Dufour

and how much do they usually run? any info would be greatly appreciated

thanks,
andrew

SMOKINA4TURBO

Re: I can sell ya an extra one for $100, email me

squidix9

matching the ports to the gasket.

I just went through that with mine, and found every gasket I checked was different.

The biggest difference was in the size and location of the smaller water ports.

Especially if you've milled the head, make sure the ports haven't migrated in location. If a port comes in at an angle, as you remove material if will move.

Since you've already port matched this one, make sure you use the same gasket(mfg) again if you ever need to do any head work, and re-check the match.

VAP

nut-spacers and let me turn you up something a little more tastefully done on the lathe. I have a ton of 7075 aluminum rod stock sitting around thats just the right size. "On the house" of course. Just send me a postage-paid little padded return envelope and I'll get em right out.

All I need know is the bolt diameter going thru them, how long you want em and what O.D. In exchange I'll let you draw me a schematic of how I need to wire that Harlan RPM switch into the solenoid we talked about at "that other" forum.

xr4tic

luckily, we don't have any water ports between the head and manifolds.

skabaru

now what is the narrowest point from the turbo to the throttle body? I would love to do the same mod, but since the stock turbo and the cross pipe are both too narrow to make a big difference...

so when you coming down here?