Now available: quad throttle manifolds to suit 3SGE Beams engines

We are happy to announce that these custom billet manifolds are now available. Designing from the beginning to have many advantages over any other product yet at still only for a minimal price. 

One aspect in particular that was focused on was the port match on both faces and the transition between them. Too many products out there have steps, hard corners, mismatched shapes or harsh angles. To combat this these where only ever made to suit the 20V 4AGE Blacktop throttles. Despite the earlier two silvertop throttle types having a very easy to work with round opening they are just too small for this type of engine. With many hours using a laser profiling equipment the odd shape of the blacktop throttle was found and used in the model. More on this below.



Below are the key advantages to this type manifold

- Machined out of an aluminium billet: Although making a good manifold with a casting progress is common, most small volume manifolds seem to have a poor finish with a questionable port match. One other product on the market is not advertised as so but is made from black plastic.

- Requires no custom modifications to bolt up: Affixes to the OEM intake manifold vibration dampener and base piece with the original fasteners. All without the need to remove them off the engine, just unbolt the original intake manifold and fit this custom part in it's place.

- Provision and option of throttle locating dowels. Just like in their original use on the 20V engines dowels can be used so the throttles sit dead true without any alignment. These are fitted with a press so they can't fall out by accident ever. The dowels are available as an optional extra.

- Port match: below are pictures showing the port match from the throttle to this manifold and from it to the OEM vibration dampener.

- Port transitions: As seen in the photos the internal port transitions are to a high finish. Instead using fixed cuts to attempt a transition between the two leaving steps and edges these where instead machined across the whole length at once with a 5-axis operation. The result has no compromises and no downsides.

- Throttle orientation and linkages: it seems that not one other 3sge manifold can use the combination of the throttles bolted the correct way up and with the original linkages in place. Using the throttle in the same lay out as on the 20V engines means that the throttle cable doesn't make a harsh S-shape to go into the cabin which can make for a firm and unresponsive pedal. This also means for AE71 and AE86 owners that the common KE70 throttle cable will fit nicely- just like with 20V conversions. No custom throttle linkages are required either but these where altered to suit either of the two types that will be available from this company very soon if people still to choose the option of it.

- Vacuum provision: on the bottom of this manifold are individual ports for each cylinder  to use for a MAP signal and a single larger barb for a brake booster. Both barbs and plugs will be included in the price so people can make their own choice. The small vacuum ports are a generous 6mm (1/4") size and 10mm (3/8") for the booster. Other barb sizes are in stock and are available on request. Vacuum manifolds may be available shortly to suit.

- Light weight: With material only where it needs to be and everything else taken off not only do these have the race look but are only 850 grams before anything is added. But don't worry it would take a hydraulic press to bend one!

- Dual TPS position: A small but still nice feature is the ability to but the TPS module in the original position of upside down, the latter option allowing the cables to be routed under the throttles for an ultra neat look.


Prices are listed below

- Manifold with fasteners, barbs and plugs: $340 - promotional price until the end of the year. 
- Throttle locating dowels: $20
- 90 degree OEM PCV: $40 - new and genuine


Other compatible products for sale

- Various velocity stacks: $varies on type and length
- Various intake plates for singular filters: $60
- Manifold to throttle gaskets: $20 / set of 4
- New Genuine TPS module: $110
- New TPS connector kit: $10


Additional photos

Many more products for these engines are being developed!

Concept part updates

Below are the various individual parts updates


20V throttle linkage concept 1 - down-pull: Currently there is a redundant Japanese linkage kit available second hand that moves the throttle cable to being under the throttles and negates the need for the original top linkages. This gives a much neater appearance on top, a more direct throttle feel due to the loss of linkage slop and can also allow for a nicer throttle cable path for those with a Left-hand drive car. While there have been a few copies of this product from other sources they all look to be a identical design with the downsides it brings. With that in mind and the fact that we don't wish to copy anything a clean sheet approach was taken to design something new. Here are the key advantages:

- Slotted hole over just a slide in mount for the throttle cable support in the top of the support bracket:

A simple change but this would completely stop the throttle cable from being able to slide off from a nut coming loose alone.   

- Completely altered bracket shape (rough design pictured):

Going away from a flimsy U-shaped bracket completely this is a thick stainless steel bracket with easy access. This will be easy to fit and adjust while being very rigid for the best throttle feel.

- Tilted throttle cable angle: With a whole new bracket design came the option to tilt the throttle cable further down, this means that the throttle cable can clear something like the GTIR air box adapter that's currently available or a similar sized airbox.

-  Universal mounting: Not all people with 20V throttles have 4AGE engines and not all are using the original 4AGE bore spacing. This kit allows for up to a 6mm wider spacing between the middle throttles and still bolt up without any adjustment being needed.


Here is the concept model for the basic down-pull linkage that bolts without modifications to the throttle body:

20V throttle linkage concept 2 - reversed down-pull
for all those who have inverted throttles and likely 20V's in MR2's: Near all 16V 4AGE quad throttle and various other manifolds hold the throttles upside down. In a right hand drive car like a Sprinter or Corolla it results in two very harsh bends in the throttle cable. This causes a hard and unresponsive pedal feel. The MR2 20V engine installs on the other hand may have the cable on top but still have the cable mounts modified to an awkward shape for the original cable to reach.

With a different version of the same linkage concept:

along with a new bracket this lets the cable pull from the same direction as the original 20V middle linkage. But instead of this being translated to a sideways direction which is what causes the issues it keeps the cable going straight out.

For 16V 4age owners this means the throttle cable can throw a nice gentle curve and completely stay away from the firewall. For MR2 owners on the other hand it should allow for a very direct path for the cable without any custom work- tested wanted!



3SGE BEAMS quad throttle manifolds: Things didn't work out with the packaging of the prototype adapter. A new version of the adapter will be designed and tested as soon as possible. 



16V quad throttle manifold test: Shortly a prototype 16V 4age quad throttle manifold will be made and torture tested for one month minimum. To do so this will be without any throttle to block, flange to intermediate brace locating dowels and with a nice heavy chunk of steel bolted to the bottom. If it survives this then I would think it could survive what my customers can give it for many years.

3SGE BEAMS quad throttle manifold

Lately there has been some development work in house to design a billet machined adapter to go from the intake base to the throttles off a 4age 20V blacktop.



This product would have the following advantages:

- Machined from a solid aluminium billet

- Near ideal port match from throttles to adapter and the same to the base it bolts to.

- Light weight: the adapter will be under 900 grams / near 2 lb

- A vacuum port off each cylinder for MAP and a larger size for the brake booster.

- Uses unmodified linkages between the ends of the throttles and to the top throttle cable mechanism.

- Throttles positively located to adapter via optional dowels to stop changes in tune from movement.

- Good port transitions: no harsh edges or angle changes.

- Will come with barbs, plugs and fasteners to make it a full kit.

- Price should be quite low even with all the extras, the base price likely to be $340. I am likely to have a lower price for those who pay 2 weeks in advance before these get machined so I can better plan on how many to get made. 


Images of the current 3D model:



 



Test fit of the rough prototype:

Universal 16V rear outlets - now in!

Due to a good response from people to the 3D modeled concept shown this initially proposed part was fast tracked in it's production.

So here it is- one of the newly finished parts:

Still pending: All that these need now are for the O-rings and bolts to be organised, this should happen shortly.



Options: Being a universal design it has provision for an outlet on either side, if unneeded it can be plugged. This lets people choose exactly what suits their needs. Below is a quick list as an example:

- Right hand barb + plug: Suits your rear wheel 80s Corollas and Sprinters with the heater still in place


- Left hand barb + plug: Some cars such as the earlier Corollas don't have an external heater flow tap and need the water going in the other direction to usual. This saves using an ugly and problematic U-shaped hose.

- No barbs with both sides plugged: The easy way out for those who don't want a heater. Of note a heater core feed should never be bypassed as this becomes an effective radiator bypass, instead it should be blocked. With two plugs this outlet won't even be visible from the engine bay.

- Unusual options: There are other handy possibilities such as a right hand heater outlet and a left hand water feed for the cooling of a turbo's core. This provides a very neat and simple solution. A double barb for a heater and a riser tank or any other option people need. Different barb sizes will be available on purchase.



If anyone has any specific needs such as as well as ordering in some different barbs for those who need something I don't have in stock, such as for a turbo water feed.



Price: All up with the housing, O-ring and bolts these are $80 each.



Ordering: Feel free to contact me via my e-mail.

4age to Supra (W5x) gearbox adapters

We have been working on making a simple and cheap adapter plate for people to do the common Supra gearbox upgrade.

This adapter is fitted between the original T50 bellhousing and the new gearbox.



The problem with other adapters:

 The other adapter plates of this design that I have seen don't have anything to centrally locate the bellhousing to the adapter. This means they can quite easily and quickly destroy clutches in the short term and the gearbox bearings given a little longer. While the full custom bellhousings avoid this that's assuming they are made correctly. The Niteparts adapters are a proven product but the one from Dellows should just be melted down with no one to talk of them ever again. Then there are many smaller company's but they are an unknown, I have one here which looks good but on close inspection the holes have been manually elongated to fit.



Advantages being aimed for:

 - thinnest on the market
 - tough but still light
 - contoured to closely match the shape of the bellhousing so it looks like it should be there.
 - full spline engagement of clutch disk center
 - positively located central and concentric
 - cheap
 - very easy to fit
 - can provide an off the shelf friction disk to suit a normal 20V pressure plate.
 - as usual the usual SQ-Eng warranty and support
 - comes with many if not all fasteners



Advantages of using an adapter plate over a full custom bellhousing:

 - Keeps the small dimensions of the T50 bellhousing
 - uses the original clutch slave, fork and lines as before.
 - uses existing parts such as above, the flex plate and the gearbox braces without issue
 - known to work and be aligned correctly





Development:

 This adapter is being developed at the same time as the 4a / 7a to J160 (beams 6-speed) model. So far I have had a 20v block dialed up for the co-ordinates and very shortly I shall have the same for a T50 and J160 bellhousing.

 Just like the block that was done, these bellhousings are being measured up on a near new 5-axis mill using a big dollar co-ordinate measuring tool. This means that these will be highly accurate and may even correct any tiny misalignment's the T50 bell has from new. So no slotted or fudged holes here!

 Both of these adapters are a high priority and are progressing quick. The measuring should be done this weekend with the design work done shortly after.




Predicted time and price:

There are a few things to work out yet but the W5x adapter will mostly likely come first and hopefully pretty soon too. I won't say when but the prototype in 1 month flat is possible.

Price is unknown, aiming for $250 inc bolts but this could easily change

New range of billet velocity stacks in stock

In the first batch of velocity stacks they where only available in a 50mm length. These completely replaced the previous rolled type for that size.

Now this has been expanded to 70 and 100mm, the difference is they will be offered alongside the existing range with the customer being able to choose either style.

Updated price list for every velocity stack length available:  

Silvertop:

50mm - billet - $170
70 - rolled - $190
70 - billet - $230
100 - rolled - $220
100 - billet - $250
110 - rolled - $220, +$30 to machine edges to suit 20V bore spacing


Blacktop:

30mm - rolled - $160
50 - billet - $170, +$50 for mod to suit OEM airbox
70 - rolled - $190
70 - billet - $230
100 - rolled - $220
100 - billet - $250
110 - rolled - $220, +$30 to machine edges to suit 20V bore spacing
150 - rolled - $250, +$30 to machine edges to suit 20V bore spacing

Only one set of 150mm left potentially for ever


Photos:

 Blacktop 50mm

  Silvertop 50mm

  Blacktop 70mm

  Silvertop 70mm

  Blacktop 100mm

 Silvertop 100mm

Potential future product - Extended slave carriers

This is a part that acts as a replacement thrust bearing carrier, this slides down the guide tube inside a gearbox bell-housing to active the clutch.

Function and need of use: This is a necessity for any 4age to Supra / W5x gearbox adapter or to an Aisin J160 6-speed. This is due to a difference in length of the guide tube that the thrust bearing carrier slides down between gearboxes. Used as is these upgrade gearboxes can cause the carrier to fall right off the guide and lock the clutch in.


The traditional solution:  All other companies either choose to conveniently not mention this problem, supply a guide to be welded on or weld an extension on themselves for the customer. Apart from this the only option till now has been to buy a very expensive concentric slave cylinder kit which would need to be re-made to suit a 4age clutch and flywheel. Right now there is no off the shelf solution available at all.



Issues with the existing solution: There are a few concerns with the usual choice of welding an extension sleeve on, these are shown below.

 - The carrier and the sleeve need to be welded completely concentric and true to each other. The carrier has a bore machined to tight tolerances to be a nice compromise between not being loose enough to not bind up and tight enough to keep the grease in the internal cavity. Welding something to a fairly tight tolerance part is usually not a good idea. Welding is highly prone to warp one or both sides or pull one side so the extension is on a subtle angle. Welded wrong even if it still worked this would have more drag which would require more effort to possibly seizing right up on the guide, this could keep the clutch jammed in. 

- The original carriers have a built in grease trap in the form of a cavity inside the carrier. When extended this is moved too far out and would no longer function, and so leaving it with limited lubrication.

- The clutch fork isn't spaced out along with the extension and so it ends up being on a steeper angle to take up the difference.


Features / advantages of this proposed part: 

- Fully machined out of a steel billet to be near unbreakable but with material removed where it's not needed to keep the weight light.

- The tangs for the clutch fork moved in proportion so the fork ends up in the exact same position as before. If it where not for a new clutch being fitted the clutch pedal shouldn't even need to be adjusted from the previous gearbox.

- Extra long body for full support off the guide

- Built in grease trap, just like the original it has a cavity inside for the grease to sit in to keep it running smooth down the guide.

- Can be retro-fitted and works with every other adapter plate or custom bell-housing!



Predicted price and availability: 

These could be supplied individually or with one of the gearbox adapters that are in the works. No predicted price yet and they may be available in approximately 8 weeks.