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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - selecting the right Maniflow exhaust

Morning Gentlemen
Greetings from Denmark on a beautyfull sunny Sunday morning, minus 1 degree C and rhyming on the grass and roofs.
Well a long time ago I decided to fit the highly praised maniflow LBC and a suitable exhaust.
In between came a 5-speed conversion, but now I'm ready to order. I'm in contact with Maniflow, and I have ordered the LM031 and the LS031. I have mentioned to Maniflow, that I wish it not to be too noisy, but I would like a nice note though.
They say, that the LST031 twin box is an option, if I want it more quiet.
Now, discussing sound / noise in written words is subjective, I will give it a try.
I had the "original" Moss Twin box system. That was far to boring, so I bought the "original" Moss single box. This sounds great, but on longer terms annoying.
Then someone somewhere recommended to insert a "Cherry Bomb" in front of the single box. I did so, and it took the top of the noise. It, in combination with the single box gave a deep note, a little MGB kind of sound, it is bearable, but a fraction quieter would be fine.
Does any of you know the difference in the noise level between the "original" single box and the Maniflow LS031 single box? And the difference between the "original" twin box and the Maniflow LST031 twin box system?
Maniflow has a Bullet box, it looks very much like the Cherry Bomb and it looks as if the LST031 consists of a Bullet and a LM031.
If it is compareable with my own homade twin box system, perhaps the LST031 is the one for me.
Or I could order the LS031 single box and a Bullet to insert......
Any comment welcomed, thanks
Have a nice Sunday :-)
Jan
Jan Kruber

A friend of mine ordered a Maniflow exhaust a couple of months ago and was horrified by the quality of it. I'd actually recommended it to him as I used to have one on a car about 10 years ago. I saw the photos of what he got and it was pretty bad, poor welds, badly packaged, half the (green - why green?) paint missing and a very strange looking end to the back box which would be on show. You might excuse these things if it were a decent price but it cost about £250. He returned it and got a full refund including his return postage costs. I seem to remember mine not being particularly easy to get to fit right but it was well made and I was happy with it. It looks like they have changed the design a bit and also lowered the quality over the last few years.

He ended up getting a Moss performance one which was not only cheaper but stainless and appears to be better made.
John Payne

Oh my, John
Now I feel like cancelling the order. I hope for more comments to see if there's a pattern.
I will confront Maniflow with the facts if there is.
I don't want a green exhaust either.
And why painted, why not zinck plated as other manufacturers do?
Jan Kruber

I ordered a twin box system about a year ago to replace an existing Maniflow system on the car. The new silencer was a different design to the old one and judging by the missing paint had clearly been mounted before so assumed it was a return. I went ahead and assembled it to get a best fit, but after 50 miles took it off as neither the sound or performance felt right. I sold it on for less than half the price I payed for it, so for me it was a bit of an expensive mistake.
f pollock

I've recently fitted the latest Maniflow race system which has a single box across the back of the car. No perceived problems with quality or fit; can't comment on noise as it's a racecar except to say it's quieter than many.
David Smith

I have a maniflow system its getting a bit old now 2006 - its a LM031 manifold with a LS031ATB but their single box system.

The ATB is across the back of the car - box is heavy duty and ovaled in shape.

The sound to me is good throaty on full welly but quite drivable normally.

Fit was very good when in position, but actually fitting the manifold with the engine in position was tricky - ISTR jacking car and putting it in 180 deg out of line and rotating - should have fitted before engine for ease.

Can't comment on current quality.

Some years ago I understood Moss obtained there performanne manifolds from Maniflow - don't know if they still do.

R.
richard b

Here is a pic.


richard b

I had a couple of systems from Ashley. LCB manifold into big bore, single box system. OK, this was a long time ago but the quality was good and the sound was deep and meaningfull! More like an MGB and just loud enough.

The first box lasted at least ten years, the second one much the same and is sat in the garage and will go back on sometime.

The boxes had skid plates for protection and the pipes were durable.

I also have an Ashley system on another car and again, have no complaints.

Maybe, just maybe, like everything else, the quality may be different now.

Clive Berry

Jan,

After 7 years my single box maniflow system (nice power and silent on long runs) was gone. So I recently replaced the old single box maniflow by a LS 031 OA. The new system was way to loud on long journeys. The neighbors were complaining and their dogs started barking when I started the car. There was a dead spot round 4000 rpm ((948 CC). When I added the "bullet". The dead spot disappeared, the sound was bearable, the dogs remained silent. The system was an very easy fit. Passing the frame in front was very good because of a better shape of the tubes.

Flip



Flip Brühl

The pic of Flip's is how mine looked which I thought was ok, the back box on the one my mate recently got was different. It didn't have a flange around the edge, it was more like a large cherry bomb. I can't remember exactly what system it was but I think it was a fairly big bore single box one.
John Payne

I'm reluctant to order a painted exhaust, I would rather have it zinkplated, so right now I have a second thought. I consider to order a LCB only and use it together with the exhaust system allready on my midget. I consider two LCB's, a 1 5/8" or a 1 3/4".
Is the 1 3/4" total overkill with a stock engine? Or is the 1 5/8" enough, even if the engine output should be raised a little?
Would a stock engine benefit in having a 1 3/4" exh. all the way?
Jan Kruber

From Kim Dear's site - "Maniflow LCB manifold
Suitable for most states of tune up to @100bhp. Can use with standard 1275 Midget system, which fits INSIDE the exit pipe of the manifold.
Alternatively use our 45mm T304 stainless big bore system and repackable silencer, which goes Over the exit pipe of the manifold. Use with high output 948/998cc engines giving 65 plus bhp., and all 1098/1275 engines producing up to 100-105 bhp"

I know nothing about exhausts but I can't see how just having a 1 and 3/4" system is going to add much to a standard engine especially on a road car.

Nigel Atkins

Jan, I’ve got the basic Maniflow on my Sprite and it puts out over 100bhp so you’ll be ok even if you want to tweak it at a later date!
John Payne

Just what I thought, nice with a confirmation :-)
I will order the basic 1 5/8" and use it in combination with the existing system.
What happens if I change the existing 1 1/2" pipe with a 1 5/8" - its easier to find universal parts in 1 5/8?
Jan Kruber

My recommendation for a nice noise, but not too loud remains the single box RC40. I've got mine mounted longitinally on a straight pipe from the LCB, which goes under the axle and with just a small kick up at the rear to get the box tucked into the space between tank and spring.

I think I paid about £50 (angled tail pipe), but minispares are offering them for £31.20 at the moment which appears to be a bargain.

Adrian
AdrianR

Maybe 8 years ago I fitted the Maniflow medium bore LCB and single box system, in mild steel. I never knew anything that rusted as fast. I had the box blasted and powder coated and it still rusted. I have had to weld a new inlet to it. I then bought stainless pipes from Maniflow, which didn't fit so to their credit they put the car on the lift and got the whole lot to fit. I went to them as they are local to me and while they are very helpful, I could worry about quality.

The problem with stainless in my experience is that it usually reverberates like an organ pipe.

Les
L B Rose

The stainless system I have came from MGOC in 1996. It's now pretty well on its last leg, but at that age and now almost 90,000 miles I think that is pretty good!

Over the same period I am now onto my 3rd mild steel manifold.
GuyW

Just noticed that the Moss performance system for 1275 in stainless is in their winter sale at £199. It's the one I'd pretty much decided to get for my Mk1 so I'll probably be ordering it soon.
John Payne

Received the Maniflow manifold yesterday. Was curious how it did fit, but it is impossible to fit without either having head off, engine out or steering column out, or maybe cut some material out in the bottom of the car.
That is not at all mentioned on the Manifold home page, when ordering. I didn't find any warning, at least, I'm not satisfied!
Jan Kruber

Jan, it was mentioned at least a couple of times above that they are not easy to get in. Have you tried Richards method of putting it in 180 degrees out then turning it round?

Trev
T Mason

Yes T, I saw the comments.
The 180 degree method didn't work out, at least not in a LH drive car.
I dismantled the steering column, isn't that hard, and the manifold slided down through bottom hole, after having enlarged that.
Jan
Jan Kruber

This thread was discussed between 04/11/2018 and 20/11/2018

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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