Improved KV6 replacement parts

[Bastelmann]

I´m in contact with a German company that could potentially offer improved replacement parts for the 75 (www.limora.com). We are currently discussing the known problems with breaking plastic thermostat housings and failing inlet manifolds. I feel confident that many club members would be highly interested in durable and high quality solutions for these problems. And wouldn´t it be absolutely great to have a source for remanufactured parts in the future?

As a first step limora needs failed exemplars of a thermostat and an inlet manifold to take measurements. Who can help? Who is able to scrape up a used KV6 thermostat and / or inlet manifold and send it to limora? And who has enough technical knowledge to discuss specific details with limora? I really need help with such a project due to my limited time and my limited technical expertise.

[Bastelmann]

97 views and none comments?

[neilll]

Kaiser does an alloy thermostat housing so I would concentrate on the inlet manifold if I was you.

Neil

[charlie 22]

The more people attack problems like this, then no more problem.

[minimutly]

Lets have a reallity check here. I'm no expert, but would expect the tooling costs of manufacturing a new plastic inlet manifold to be huge, probably in the tens of thousands. How many would need to be sold to recoup even £10k?
Its a dead duck in my opinion. Tazu has remanufactured the clutch master, with some issues it would seem, and this is comparatively simple piece of kit.

[Forestgreen]

3D printed thermostats anybody?

[SD1too]

Andreas,

I have some experience, on a small scale, of the idea you're proposing and I would like to congratulate you on your enthusiasm. I learnt a few things in which you might be interested.

The most important thing which you should consider fully is whether there really is a market for the two components you mention, because without that you are wasting your time. As has been pointed out, a metal thermostat housing is already available from Kaiser. I would add that I dispute that the housing is the problem. My own detailed investigation points to 'O' ring shrinkage. I have re-used the OEM plastic housing successfully several times.
Marketing your product, persuading a particular group of people to buy it, is probably the hardest task you will face, so do bear that it mind.

Before we leave the thermostat housing, I'm afraid that minimutly is correct about costs. Making the tooling is enormously expensive and the finishing equipment is often computer controlled which doesn't come cheap either.

Regarding the inlet manifolds, these are metal and reliable. I believe that you are thinking of the inlet manifold chamber which is the black plastic moulding containing the VIS actuators. One company used to offer these as remanufactured, but no longer. The problems which afflict the valve linkages within the chamber are caused by engine oil ingress which itself results from a design fault with the crankcase breather system. Renewing the chamber won't tackle the problem at source and the argument concerning tooling costs applies to an even greater degree with this component owing to its complexity.

I don't wish to sound negative Andreas as your intentions are very honorable, but if you intend to continue with this I suggest that you enrol someone as your business partner. Projects like this have a habit of growing into an unmanageable beast and surprising you.

All the best,

Simon

[DMGRS]

I'd love a metal KV6 inlet - it'd be a fantastic upgrade.
Unfortunately I fear they'd be massively expensive to have made up due their design - which is a shame.

[kaiser]

Just remove the blinking butterflies and be done with it.

KISS!