O/T, plenum design non mini.
Turbo Mini Forums

I had a look on the GMC website earlier actually lol, a Corsa I know of had an engine built by them, and I thought there may be some pics, but there weren't any.

I use an end fed Plenum on my mini turbo, it seems to work for me at the moment. I do plan to do some testing with different shape plenums in the future, but this is a long long way off!

Team Racing

Ive been doing a lot of research into plenum designs for my supercharged imp, this is what i came up with -

I started to think about the plenum construction again, and happened across this site –

http://www.bufkinengineering.com/rally%20car.htm

It’s by a chap with an Audi Quattro, lots of very interesting information including a section on the Intake manifold used for all the turbocharged Audi’s. It is a dual plenum design that has a smoothing effect on the air flowing into the main plenum. Not only will this design benefit the performance of the engine, it will actually be easier to make.









On my original design I was going to bond in a tube with a flange to one corner of the plenum, this would need a compound curve for the flange and a complex mould. With the dual plenum design the join is along a flat edge of the plenum, a much easier join.

So a quick design was done –



And the trumpets showing the slight kink to fit inside the plenum.



The first part to make was the cone shaped primary plenum, I made up a mould by rolling a piece of A3 paper into a cone, I covered this in packing tape, and then filled the cone with dry plaster so that it would keep its shape. I then gave this 3 coats of carnauba wax as a release agent.

I set up a table and started about getting prepared for the first layer of carbon



I used a carbon sleeve so there were no joins, and a high temperature chemical resistant resin, so good for the engine bay!



A second layer was put on and let to cure –



Once they were cured I decided to pull out the internal cone, this came out like it was coated in butter!



A strip of Kevlar was put around the end of the tube where the clamp was going, and then a third layer of carbon was laid over the whole lot.

I trimmed the end a checked the fitting of the silicone hose –



This is the raw piece, its going to get one last coat of resin that I can sand down smooth, and then a coat of UV proof lacquer –





I’m going to cut a slot down one side ready for attaching to the secondary plenum then it will be finished!

Ive also now finished the trumpets -





I also remade the taper tube, as the first one was the first carbon part i ever made. This meant that the finish was errrm, crap!

Remade -






J

Edited by blown_imp on 31st Oct, 2006.

That's awesome!

I'd have never thought of that, but it makes perfect sense. And if it's good enough for a Dahlback Audi, it's more than enough for a low boost application like the Corsa.

Thanks for that

nice job!! keep us posted on how you get on.

Team Racing

Cheers guys

I wasnt too sure if i was allowed to post progress on the imp as it isnt a mini, and its supercharged not turbocharged!

Ive got a full write up of the build, i can post that if people are interested?

Progress is a little slow at the moment as i am battling a badly broken leg, its pretty much put a stop to play :(

J

That Damn nice!!

make me one...