CSF Intake manifold install issue

[jgardner150]

Hoping someone can give me some pointers from experience installing the CSF manifold.

I was ready to put the new manifold on and went to test fit it and I can not get the rear to fully sit where it should. It's ~ 1/2" over the rear mount. I have messed with everything and the only thing I could tell was maybe the wire harness in the rear was getting in the way... I did 'clearance' the plastic housing of the harness a bit out of frustration, but didn't seem to change the issue too much... I also tried loosening the rear mounting bracket itself from the motor thinking maybe a little more wiggle room would help it sit down, but even with it loose it just won't sit down any further it seems.

I saw in the CSF instructions mention something about "some users have suggested unbolting the wiring harness located at the back of the manifold, then reinstalling the harness after the manifold has been set in". I didn't see a way to do this but maybe this is the key and I just need to figure that out?

Wondering if other have had this same issue, or if I have something weird going on with how difficult it is to fit this thing...

Note: I am not using the thermal spacer, just OEM gaskets

Here are some pictures for reference:

Sponsored

 

[Eplejus]

I'm not familiar with the CSF manifold, but in the installation manual for the Do88 manifold, it shows how to space out the wiring harness bracket.

 

[jgardner150]

ya it feels like that sort of what is needed, but there isn't any supplied spacer to do that, nor direction that that's required. Looks like a royal PITA to get back there.

 

[jgardner150]

Well I got those bolts off to free up the wire harness and just left it loose for a test fit. Unfortunately the manifold is still not sitting right. Tried messing with readjusting the mounting brackets again and still no luck. Going to write up an email to ECS Tuning to pass on to CSF (no direct support channel it seems) to see if I'm missing something.

 

[jgardner150]

Adding a video here to better show what's going on. I have an email into ECS Tuning, but would appreciate if you guys can tell me if you have experienced anything like this.

 

[LifeofTimeAttack]

I installed my do88 today and needed a 6mm spacer on the cable harness at the back.

You can find the 5mm plastic spacer on TV wall mount

 

[jgardner150]

I installed my do88 today and needed a 6mm spacer on the cable harness at the back.

You can find the 5mm plastic spacer on TV wall mount

Even with that plastic housing loose (The 2xE8 and 1xT30 removed) and me pushing it out of the way as much as possible it wasn't enough.

 

[ope_sry]

I would recommend getting yourself a mirror and flashlight to get a good look around the manifold where it’s not seating fully. Once you know exactly what’s fighting you, the solution will likely (hopefully) be very simple. Good luck!

I’m installing my EOS manifold with zero instructions this weekend, so look for my own “Oh God, help me” thread very soon.

 

[TYMBOM]

It took forever to get my manifold to sit properly. It was pure frustration and I violently shook the shit out of it and it actually worked. Not the best advice, but day 3 of being stumped, I woke up and chose violence.

 

[Eplejus]

How does the manifold sit against the engine cylinder head? If you tighten it with all the bolts (but not that rear bracket) would it sit properly with a tight seal against the head?

 

[jgardner150]

Update: I had some success today
I emailed back and forth with Ravi at CSF today and figured out the fix. He had sent me a screenshot of the install guide for their Race X manifold and it had additional instructions to trim that plastic housing for the wire harness. So seems I was on the right track to begin with, just didn't trim enough...

This is the screenshot for the 8400 Race X manifold, highlighted portion is not in the install guide for the 8200 manifold:

This is what I did:

Now the manifold sits as it should, flush on the head, slight variance with the rear support bracket, but this is no problem as compared to before, and wire harness is fully secured:

Supposedly I'm the first customer to complain about this out of over 500 manifolds sold (mine is SN 506, so that adds up). One thing i did note while researching this, at some point the rear coolant inlet/outlet was redesigned.

Earlier versions (note the stagger):

mine (note no stager):

I also noticed that the Race X manifold has the no stagger design... interesting. I don't have any hard facts on this, but I'm thinking this revision is recent and probably made this part a bit bulkier. I'd be interested if anyone else recently bought /installed one of these and faced similar challenges VS people that have installed prior to this design change.

I'm going to attempt to finish up the install this weekend, hopefully me beating on this thing to try and make it fit didn't cause any further headaches

@TYMBOM I took your advice and choose violence too, it didn't help but now the manifold has "character" :

 

[jgardner150]

How does the manifold sit against the engine cylinder head? If you tighten it with all the bolts (but not that rear bracket) would it sit properly with a tight seal against the head?

Replying to this for clarity, it was not sitting flush on the head, and I did not try to just tighten it down as it would have resulted in poor manifold seal, or just broke that plastic housing on the wire harness.

This might make it make more sense on what was happening:

 

[Timmy_Jones]

Any updates? Running alright? No leaks?

 

[jgardner150]

Any updates? Running alright? No leaks?

Yep, no further issues. All back together and running great so far. I'll be watching things closely over the next week, and need to get some logs to my tuner to check that everything looks normal.

 

[mkvB58KING]

Curious, why did you opt out of the spacer? Intake temps are known to actually increase with this cooler when it gets hot without it.

Sponsored