ST170 inlet Q.
Charlie_Zetec - 12/5/11 at 08:57 AM
Once again, I find myself questioning everything I attempt to do on the car - mainly because every time I work on it, something goes wrong or not
quite as it should.
Latest issue;
I had a home-made inlet manifold for my silvertop zetec and zx9r carbs, but it was only intended as a temporary placement as the inside of the pipes
weren't the smoothest and it was not the best made item known to man. So i decided to invest in an ST170 inlet courtesy of eBay, which cost me
the best part of £75 delivered in the end. Got it yesterday, took it in the garage, and guess what? Ports don't line up and are unevenly
spaced. If i align one end, the other is about half inch too wide, but the ports in the middle are only slightly off and could fit.
What should I do, or any hints/tips from people who have been in the same situation? It seems #4 pipe is the unevenly spaced one - could i get around
this by using longer rubbers between manifold and carb, thus angling them slightly? Yet another hurdle in the race to get it up to speed!!!
More questions to follow, no doubt...... 
Charlie_Zetec - 12/5/11 at 09:05 AM
Also forgot to add I need to devise a way to block the injector holes as well.
I know they say "if it was easy everyone would do it", but this is getting silly now!!!
mcerd1 - 12/5/11 at 09:12 AM
I take it you don't want to just re-space the carbs then ?
Norfolkluegojnr - 12/5/11 at 09:24 AM
do you mean carbs don't match the manifold or manifold doesn't match the head?
scutter - 12/5/11 at 10:01 AM
It would be easier to re-space the carbs, My ST manifold needed 1/2" added between 1 and 2 inlets, 1/2" added between 2 and 3 inlets, the
3rd and 4th barrels lined up ok. See pic below.
As for blocking off the injection ports a steel disc or I've heard of a 1p piece being bonded into place works, don't fix them in too well,
then you can up grade the injection later.
ATB Dan.
Charlie_Zetec - 12/5/11 at 01:17 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Norfolkluegojnr
do you mean carbs don't match the manifold or manifold doesn't match the head?
Manifold fite the head fine, it's the carbs not matching the manifold.
I hadn't thought about re-spacing the carbs; is that a big job? I'm a bit hesitant about moving too far into the unknown and doing this,
unless it really is as simple as it sounds. What about connecting things like the choke pulley and the throttle links etc.? Anyone got an idiot
guide of "how to" ???
I love the idea of the OE fit ST manifold, but if it's going to be this much of a pain I might reconsider using the home-made jobbie and putting
the Ford one up for sale.... at a last resort!
mcerd1 - 12/5/11 at 01:53 PM
quite a few folk have done it before...
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=117413
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=89132
even more people have done it with ITB's although its a bit easier as they don't have as much to modify...
[Edited on 12/5/2011 by mcerd1]
FASTdan - 12/5/11 at 02:10 PM
I would ditch the choke. We dont run one but ours still fired up in the middle of winter having been stood for a month at a time. That only leaves
spacers to be made and the throttle linkages to be extended (weld on small tabs, probably do-able on a home MIG welder with a bit of care).