mirage VS metro turbo manifold
Turbo Mini Forums

hi

what is the best for performance when fitting a T2?

mirage manifold or the metro turbo manifold?



cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

The Mirage setup is made to fit in a space, therefore many people feel it is not the ultimate in performance. However it performs plenty good enough to net Nic a 2nd place trophy at this years showdown.

The metro manifold is a better design in terms of how it flows, but needs the bulkhead cutting to make it fit, and then modifying for a T2 to fit.

What about a turbo on clutch housing style manifold?

thats what i was going to do but no i think it will be easier to mod a T2 and the metro turbo manifold to fit each other. and just cut the bulckhead as it will gice it more breathing space and more room to work on etc.
also its cheaper than using the mirage manifold i would of thought!
cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Every now and then jimster (manifold to turbo) and ben_h (turbo to ehaust) do batches of adapters and very handy money.

If you do decide to stick a T2 on a metro manifold then it might be worth pm'ing them to see if they have any left over, or when they are next making a batch.

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

well i have the T2 and the turbo manifold so i think that would be a good idea!
all i would need to do then is re-drill and tap the manifold (8 mm i think).
what would i need to do the the T2? just fit the adaptor plate?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Use the god damn search button!

Nearly everything you have asked has been covered before.

when my new turbo goes in the next few weeks mine will be back on the rollers with mirage manifolds on

I've got every faith in them to be honest and mine even running poorly showed good promise

indeed, for all the hassle and expense of getting an exhaust manifold, cutting the bulkhead it may just be worth getting the mirage kit

but then you pays your money and you takes your choice

but i dont have any concerns over restrictions, it doesnt seem to be costing me power in my opinion

Have to agree - sure it could be a better flowing unit 'on paper' but then it'd cost £100/200 more and simply wouldn't be worth it...

Another way of thinking though - short of extrude honing, the internals of the stock cast manifold are possibly smaller than optimal, especially at higher boosts/rpm's...
Remember this was designed optimal for a 90hp (or whatever the original desired power was before the transmission limitations) engine afterall.
Put that way; maybe the larger internal area of the runners on the Mirage unit actually allow it to make MORE power than a standard (except to allow for T2 fitment) Metro Turbo exhaust manifold on a heavilly modified engine?

i would think by the time iv got everything for a T2 on a standerd manifold it would be alot cheaper than £300.
are all the top runners using home made manifolds or mirage ones or what?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

2006 Avon results:

1st Tim: Metro manifoldand T3
2nd Nic: Mirage and T2(ish)
3rd Miniwilliams: Metro manifold and T3

Then there are guys like sumpnut who've run bloomin quick times with less boost than others...

End of the day - if you buy a Mirage, you won't be dissapointed... Expecially if you want to keep a heater.

I do honestly feel that any performance 'limitation' claims should be taken with a pinch of salt until someone has - or can be arsed - to do a back-to-back dyno run with the same engine and turbocharger and exhaust - just the manifolding and downpipe being different....

Im going to go with Mirage with my build, basically its because i want a heater and i dont fancy cutting a brand new bodyshell.

Manchester Minis

untill somebody does a back to back test on the 2 setups then i dont think this can be answered but id say after seeing nics car in action id have no quarms about the mirage manifolds.

if i had a shell i didnt want to cut up id use them, but if you can weld and have got a shell you dont mind cutting then the bulk head box can be fitted in a day easily.

you can keep the heater with a bulkhead box just make some new brackets or remove the old ones and tack them back on

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Can Garret GT25 fit on mirgate manifold ?

Indeed it can... All the GT25's are the T2/T25 flange

I'm not sure if the manifold and turbo assy will neccesarily fit onto the block however - it just depends how much clearance there is between the turbine housing and the rear of the block...

Edited by turbodave16v on 15th Aug, 2006.

i've done it. requires block/turbo mods cleaning up castings though. well it did on the one i sized up. nothing too difficult though.

My engine is in the std position with regards position and there is about 2mm between the exhaust housing and std bulkhead.

more than enough for me as i'm on rose jointed mounts but i'd want more if i was on std ish stuff.

Yes i use a t25, I had to grind down the webs on an A+ block to make it fit. Not too difficult to be honest

well i use the std metro manifold with a bit of grinding mods to it with a t25 and i made 175bhp at the crank on 12psi with no cooler. plus i still have my std MK1 heater, you can just see the box to the left of the heater


and you can see the welded addaptor plate on the manifold

179hp on 12psi 1293cc of pure A series
14.0et @101 mph

red - those v-bands look very handy/tidy, and the same for the rest of the car too.

is that an mbc i spot on the handbrake? or a brake bias?

if its an mbc, whats your verdict on them?

cheers
jo

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

Joey- thanks the cars is pretty clean for a MK1 62, have spent well over 25k Aus on it over the last 10 years.
yes it is a boost control on the hand brake but one i have made my self, just put a T piece in line from actuator to turbo and then a ball valve on the leg of the T and run it into the cabin and then use the needle valve on the hand brake to bleed the boost away from the actuator.
the ball valve is used as a regulator so you can bleed (throught he needle valve) a set boost level 5 to 10, 10 to 15 etc etc works a treat and just a few spins and boost is up.

179hp on 12psi 1293cc of pure A series
14.0et @101 mph