supersprint 16v conversion manifold in but it fouls the stee

Hey all
I decided to heavily invest in a 16v conversion manifold for my newly fitted ABF. I hoped i'd have no problems, but the manifold is firmly in contact with the steering rack gaiter. It's hitting above where the adjustable section is, so there is no adjustment in the manifold. I've shoved the engine left and right on its mounts, but still no clearance. Even if i apply firm pressure forward or aft to tilt the engine, still no clearance.
Has anybody else had this problem?
Please help, i'm so disappointed.

me again,
Is there any way of adjusting the distance the steering column comes through the bulkhead.  Can it be pulled back towards the bulkhead giving a little more clearance?
Or is it possible that supersprint may have made me a crap manifold?

Still need help….

Try it in a LHD car - surprise surprise, it fits. There's many reports of manifolds being designed for LHD, and then not fitting properly (as you describe) on a RHD car. Where did you buy it from?

bought it from TSR, and waited around 9 weeks for it as the Italians like to take a month off work.

smokeybradshaw said

bought it from TSR, and waited around 9 weeks for it as the Italians like to take a month off work.

At least you can take it back and say it doesn't fit. I bought mine from Rally Design (an Ashley manifold and in fact the full system too) and it fitted okay.

Seems they are all designed for LHD. And they are all close fitting, but mine seems a little more than most.  I'm going to have to make some home mods to it.

It was designed for the scirocco 16v which was only available in right hand drive.

You should have done a search on here - there are numerous mentions of storm developments four brach which has no clearance issues at all and it is stainless…

i am not sure that supersprints four branch is stainless????

My supersprint on the G60 is a stainless four branch.

The supersrint is stainless, and i did quite a bit of research and the general opinion was that supersprint exhausts were very well made, high quality units , plus i already have a supersprint rear section.

hi smokey, i've also had the same problem with my supersprint on my ABF, have you managed to find a solution? I too was told that supersprint would be the best option, when i contacted storm developments they said their manifold would need modification involving me driving down to them and getting it fitted around my car in order for it to fit correctly.

I have considered taking it to a local firm to get about 10mm removed from the primaries then rewelded onto the flanges, but honestly didn't expect to have to do this after spending over ?350   :evil:

Does seem funny that both having problems with abf fitment when the manifold was never designed for this anyway.

helpful comment. I rang up storm developments specifically asking and spent about 3 weeks scouring this forum, club gti, edition 38 and others and many people said the supersprint was the mani to go with. Oh well i guess ill just have to take it to a exhaust shop and get it cut down and re welded as i cant take it back anymore.

joe_bo said

helpful comment. I rang up storm developments specifically asking and spent about 3 weeks scouring this forum, club gti, edition 38 and others and many people said the supersprint was the mani to go with. Oh well i guess ill just have to take it to a exhaust shop and get it cut down and re welded as i cant take it back anymore.

On which forum did you read that the Supersprint was the one to go for? Also were these people who had bought and fitted one? And did you specifically check this related to Mk1s, not another car?

cant remember the names of the people but think i checked on here and on e38, checked that they had abf's and they did and had used the supersprint mani. Storm developments said i would need to have it modified to fit the taller block and they could do it for me which was not really possible as the car was not road going. Oh well i guess i will just have to get it modified to fit as there is room to shorten the mani at the block side before the connecting plate, so that it should not hit the steering column or drive shafts.

Bugger.  Can honestly say I haven't heard of people having clearance probems with the supersprint manifold until this thread!

neither had i thats why i bought one. In future i would lean towards a totally custom one from the likes of Tony Law exhausts.

It illustrates that you can go down a bit of a blind alley when you rely on recommendations from a forum. If you're mixing & matching parts, you need to be sure it fits and do a bit of background legwork, ie reading a contributors previous posts, see if they have the kit themselves etc.

At the end of the day, if you ask the direct question to the supplier "does this fit a Mk1 Golf with an ABF 16V engine in it" they're obliged to say yes, no, or don't know, and if they don't know you should make sure you can return it if it doesn't fit. The onus is on the supplier.

These threads are ones that answers the question about manifolds by several people,
The Mk1 Golf Owners Club

The Mk1 Golf Owners Club

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=21878&highlight=abf

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18777&highlight=abf

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=15342&highlight=abf

hope those are enough examples, and dont say that you should think twice about taking the advice as alot of it was from manikGti from whome paul you have recieved much advice whilst you were doing your 9a (is that a tall block too?hmm)
http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=16575&start=170&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

and finally if you know so much and want to take the told you so route then why don't you use your knolwedge to help people in the first place as you obviously know quite a lot on the subject of vw's and stop giving replies like this

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=29517&highlight=abf
http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=16575&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=180
http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=29517&highlight=abf
:dontknow:
cheers for your time im not going to post anymore on this subject for fear of alienating myself, but hope that this thread will help people in the future.

I'm happy to help as I can, but I've no direct experience of the ABF. My car has a 9A fitted, its NOT a tall block, and as such its dimensionally the same as a KR, which is a much more popular conversion. One of the posts you put a link for, asked me to call someone on their mobile and provide technical assistance - I'm happy to help but that's asking a bit much IMHO.

Looking at your research, it suggests that the Supersprint SHOULD have an adjustable section, and thus be able to fit the ABF. Does yours have this? If not, it suggests that possibly, TSR have either supplied you with the wrong part, or that Supersprint now do different variations - possibly they now do a cheaper option of a non-adjustable, for non- tall block engines?

In any case, much as I'd like this website to be a definitive technical resource, its not staffed by professionals, its just enthusiasts trying to help one another. The advice seems reasonable and I can't see where you've been led down a blind alley on this site. I've noticed that if someone does post wrong information, it tends to be corrected and/or explained by a more knowlegdeable contributor.

Why can't TSR help you out and take back the non-fitting part?

cheers for the reply, i wasn't having a dig at anyone, i was just asking if anyone had found a way to make it fit, the exhaust has an adjustable section but it is above this where the 4 joins to 2 that causes the problem. I unfortunately did not get mine from tsr as i got it through a mate at halfords (once discount was added was about 50-60 cheaper) but it has been too long to take it back. Think im just gonna have to chop it. and was wondering if smokeybradshaw or anyone else had come to an effective solution.