Lude Generation

Hope you're all well.

The standard exhaust has rusted through so I figured it was a good excuse to upgrade the whole lot while I'm in there.

Struggling to find a manifold though, from what I've managed to find on the old US forums the Tri-Y and Vibrant are highly rated but I can't find the Vibrant anywhere and the taxes on an imported Tri-Y are pretty steep.

Anyone have one or know of any available in the UK?

Hoping to pair it with a high flow cat and either a custom or off the shelf catback, lots still do to before that's decided!

Cheers

FGK (Fujitsubo) and the Tri-Y style (there are a couple of manufacturers of that) headers are the most highly rated.

FGK will bolt straight on with no aggro, but since you can't use the OEM heatshields over the manifold (you can retain the divider between the alternator and manifold) most wrap the manifold with heat-wrap.

Tri-Y you will need to notch the sub-frame to get it to fit.

Note there are different length versions, depending on whether you have a JDM or UKDM spec car (cats are different length).

I do have a spare FGK header that I could part with. Where abouts are you?

wurlycorner wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:27 am

FGK (Fujitsubo) and the Tri-Y (there are a couple of manufacturers of that) headers are the most highly rated.

FGK will bolt straight on with no aggro, but since you can't use the OEM heatshields over the manifold (you can retain the divider between the alternator and manifold) most wrap the manifold with heat-wrap.

Tri-Y you will need to notch the sub-frame to get it to fit.

Note there are different length versions, depending on whether you have a JDM or UKDM spec car (cats are different length).

I do have a spare FGK header that I could part with. Where abouts are you?

Thanks for the info! I'd not heard of the FGK - I've just done some brief scouring on the US forums and as you say it seems they are very highly rated.

Could you theoretically use spacers and longer bolts to fit the heatshield or is the clearance/width also an issue? I know this is the case with most if not all the aftermarket manifolds but I wasn't sure if the heatshield could be made to fit.
If not I'll have to teach myself to wrap!

Would prefer to not modify anything but if I end up going for the Tri-Y I have a spare I can cut the notch out of if needs be.

Mine's a UK A8, looking online I'm guessing they were originally designed for a 4G, I can't remember off the top of my head if there is a difference in exhausts between 4th and 5th gen.
Suddenly thinking it'd be nice to get a Legalis R with a high flow cat for a full system

I'm Hampshire based, down on the coast.

I’ve had a Private Label manifold fitted about 6 years ago. Really nice and about £550 at the time. Worthwhile investment.

I've been pricing up a PLM manifold and the FGK, the site i've seen the FGK (rhdjapan) doesn't seem to show true shipping costs. I've priced up importing the PLM from the US and reckon it can done for about £482 all in, part and shipping are £394 with £88 duty + VAT based on the import code 8708922000.

Does the PLM bolt to the existing cat? There is no flexis section in the pictures so looks like it can't be a reliable drop in replacement without making up the rest of the exhaust from scratch?

Jackson Bondy wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 23, 2021 12:16 pm

Could you theoretically use spacers and longer bolts to fit the heatshield or is the clearance/width also an issue? I know this is the case with most if not all the aftermarket manifolds but I wasn't sure if the heatshield could be made to fit.

I managed to get the OEM heatshield to fit with an aftermarket DC sports manifold. You might have to get inventive with brackets and minor manipulation of the shield. Being able to weld might help too.

Ive used PLM tri-Y on both my 4th gens but replaced that with FGK fujitsubo.
I ran the plm's without cat and run the fgk with cat. The fgk is designed to fit the oem cat and the plm is not. So you can fit a decat pipe to the fgk if you want and swap it out for the oem cat come MOT time. Both offer power gains with plm giving the best results. The plm requires notching the front subframe and the fgk sits very close but doesnt normally need anything modified to fit. On both the manifolds you lose the oem heatshield and normal practice is to leave it like that or wrap them to cut down heat build up in the engine bay. The other thing to consider is the plm is slip jointed so might be best to tack weld it once in place and the fgk seems to go through a few mani to downpipe gaskets. Hope this info helps and if you go for the plm i have a 2.5" stainless mid section with spring bolt connection to the downpipe and slip joint to the backbox. There is no cat or back box and it is for 4th gen but might be worth looking at

km666 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:48 pm

I've been pricing up a PLM manifold and the FGK, the site i've seen the FGK (rhdjapan) doesn't seem to show true shipping costs. I've priced up importing the PLM from the US and reckon it can done for about £482 all in, part and shipping are £394 with £88 duty + VAT based on the import code 8708922000.

Did you go for this in the end?
Real life stuff has gotten in the way but I'm digging around again. I was considering going for a Fujistsobo manifold and Legalis R exhaust imported but the shipping costs are eye wateringly expensive.

Jackson Bondy wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 01, 2021 5:02 pm

Did you go for this in the end?
Real life stuff has gotten in the way but I'm digging around again. I was considering going for a Fujistsobo manifold and Legalis R exhaust imported but the shipping costs are eye wateringly expensive.

I've found them even cheaper, about £420 all in by the looks of things through the Ebay global shipping programme. I'll be pulling the trigger on one this coming payday so will update you with the final costs.