sybergato

I was just wondering, is it probable? Will it throw a CEL? And more importantly, has anyone accomplished this on a Mazda 3i or similar? Any increase on throttle response and such??

macdaddyslomo

bad idea...there are better flowing manifolds available, that will take to porting a bit better than plastic...look into the cosworth manifold

Roddimus Prime

exactly. Plastic manifolds aren't designed like older cast manifolds. They are much thinner and somewhat brittle. Bad idea.

Cosworth is the best anyway. Just buy their stuff and figure out how to wire up the TB and you'll be all set.

sybergato

Yes, no dought a cosworth would perform better but it would throw a CEL. Unless I'm mistaken, the rare cosworth mani is the only mani out there for my vehicle? I was just curious if porting our plastic mani-s would throw a CEL. If another product works but throws a CEL and it's the ONLY product, maybe perhaps stick with what you have now but mod it to work better is the idea. I dunno, maybe I'm chasing a dream here.

macdaddyslomo

how do you know it will throw a CEL ???

fyi, if you try "porting" on a plastic manifold, you run a HIGH risk of damaging it, and also the airways more than likely NOT be smooth, since plastic doesnt take too well to grinding or sanding

sybergato

I don't know for a fact that it would throw a CEL in my car. I've never installed one in my car. But, from what I've read around on the forums most of everyone's bottom line is "yes you can install it, and yes it will throw a CEL" Unless the 04 3 doesn't have the sensors that are tripping the CELs on everyone elses cars, I'm assuming it would throw a CEL. But I guess the porting of a plastic manifold is a dream, I dought a plastic polish would smooth out as hard of plastic as it is.

macdaddyslomo

the word is "doubt"

why are you stuck on porting the manifold....what other work have you done to the engine ??

wasntmeofficer2.3

no offense... but this one is right up there with fart can exhaust, Japaneses lettering vinyls, and double stick tape body kits.... as one of the most RICERish things i have ever heard....

macdaddyslomo

porting the intake manifold is ricer ????

I just think grinding on a thin plastic manifold is a bad idea..too easy to break it and too expensive to just replace...if it was aluminum, and you are skilled, i'd say go for it...

port matching a stock manifold almost ALWAYS nets a power gain...how again is that ricey ??

wasntmeofficer2.3

not porting a manifold, trying to port a PLASTIC manifold... its just one of those things that seems like a good idea till you try it, then your SOL when it dosnt work. or ruins your mani. its like stabbing a hole in your muffler because you want your car to be "loud"
instead of trying to mod the one you have, buy one that is already better, or can actually be ported.

in relation to being a ricer... we have all seen people that try way to hard to mod their cars the cheap way and it turns out like **** and we all laugh at them....
you dont want to be that guy.

macdaddyslomo

ahh...now that makes more sense....

Hyperion

Makes sense your hate for the ricers, I went to highschool in omaha...I dont think I have gone through a city with a larger population of civics or worse with bolt on wings and coffee can exhausts. It was fun smoking them at stop lights with the p/u I had. Dont know if conditions have changed much, I visit for a few weeks at a time but Im not permanent there anymore.

sybergato

Well, it SEEMS after talking to George at Maxbore, that it is possible to port match the plenum opening at the manifold. And thats about it. And it always takes one to go to far to find out how far you can go wasntmeofficer. Like the people that found out how to remove the VTCS without tripping a CEL, another "cheap" mod mind you. Meh.

wasntmeofficer2.3

if you have the resources to experiment. go for it, but if you get it it wrong, then you end up with a big mess, and the "cheap mod" suddenly becomes very expensive to un-do

sybergato

Hmmmm, the internet, thousands of opinions, experiences, and oodles of information at your finger tips. How's that for using a resource? I know cause and effect, but what I didn't know is if there was ONE person who had accomplished this feat. It's ok. I guess I'll stick with the VTCS removal and the tb bore for now. Thank you guys by the way. I wasn't going to just hook up my dremel and start etching away, I'm sure I could port the inhale and exhale on the mani, but the middle would still be a bottle neck. And I don't have an extra one so I'm not going to attempt it, but I still wanted to know. . . .