The V8 Owners Forum -

Got a water leak on inlet manifold on my twin plenum vitesse, both rubber pipes to and from inlet manifold are fine and clips tight, can manifold itself leak or more likely metal pipe that runs under manifold? Seems to be leaking nearer the front of manifold? Thanks.

Yes. That b***y pipe is steel, and rusts though. I made a replacement from domestic 15mm copper tube.

Sadly, quite a dismantle job to get at it. Later versions of the EFI engine do it a different way.

Thanks Dave, had a nasty feeling it might be that! As I couldn't see inlet manifold itself leaking! Sods law I had everything but the inlet manifold off awhile back to fit cleaned injectors, but of course no leaks then!!!!!! Grrrr!

How did you go about getting that big nut undone were pipe goes into front rear of inlet? Don't know why rover did it this way in the first place! Something to do with heating inlet manifold or some such nonsense! Trying to figure out a way to bypass it altogether?

I clamped the manifold in a large vice and used a ring spanner. Only the flapper used this pipe - later manifolds a different arrangement. Several different arrangements as the years went on.

My home made copper one has lasted OK. And I think Rimmer have had them remade too. But when I finally get round to updating my MegaSquirt installation, I'm going to change to a later manifold at the same time.

I'm going to bypass mine altogether, get holes were pipes go alloy welded and run copper pipe from water pump to heater hose , don't see any advantage of keeping standard set up?

itsallrovernow wrote:I'm going to bypass mine altogether, get holes were pipes go alloy welded and run copper pipe from water pump to heater hose , don't see any advantage of keeping standard set up?

No real need to weld it up - just fit a properly sealed brass bung.

But you need a hot water take-off on the head side of the thermostat.

Why do I need a hot water take off? Thanks

itsallrovernow wrote:Why do I need a hot water take off? Thanks

For the heater?

Ok, think I'll try to sort it like you have with copper pipe etc.

Dave, how did you get old pipe off threaded nut, and fit new copper pipe? Cheers.

I found a brass bush with the correct thread in my box of plumbing bits. Drilled that out to take the copper tube and soldered it.

Ok, a trip to plummers merchants it is!

itsallrovernow wrote:Ok, a trip to plummers merchants it is!

I had 'inherited' a large collection of brass fittings from both plumbing and electrical conduit. Dating back to before such threads went metric, if and when they changed.

I think what I used was a bush designed to protect wiring into a conduit (BESA) box, and may well have been the old thread.

But it's quite possible there is a plumbing fitting which would do.

However, you could cut the pipe off flush with the old bush, and drill that out to take the copper. You can solder steel to copper with a good flux - although it may not be so long lived as brass to copper. Or have it brazed.