Billet Valve Covers (Feeler)

[foundry3]

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Fellow Primers,

I have been making parts for folks for the last 10 years or so and recently decided to make a legitimate business out of the love I have for making things. My company is called foundry 3, and we specialize in fabricating and designing products that are of the finest materials, crafted in a painstakingly thorough process in order to yield a product for which quality and finish can be matched only by those with an equal obsession with perfection.

The first NSX product I am working on is a billet valve cover set, and I am trying to get a feel for the market on these because they will not be cheap, nor will they be to make.

The cornerstone functional benefit for the covers is massive crankcase pressure reduction (or even possibly pressure elimination for those that vent to atmosphere), as most of you probably know crankcase pressure can be a primary cause of engine damage, and the stock magnesium covers are VERY difficult to add breather ports to. For all you forced induction owners, this is a product that is will much greater support the health of your investment over the stock covers... I have insatiable love with CNC machined products and have been in development of these covers for the past few months. Baffling has also been upgraded to fully support a -12AN (or 16AN option) breather port that will be on each valve cover. These cover's will also look amazing

I've been working with my CNC vendor for the past 5 years on various projects and we have a very good relationship, they have made many billet valve covers in the past for for cars such as: Vipers, DSM's, EVO's, Corvettes, and so forth.

Below is a shot my vendors tooling finish up close (not an NSX cover)

Below is the base model before bank individual characteristics are applied:

The price rite now for the covers is not firm, as we are still prototyping, however for the set including spark plug cover's all indicators put the product in the $2,000 - $2,250 range for the set shipped in the contiguous U.S. and pricing will vary for outside the contiguous U.S. based upon shipping cost. If we can arrange an initial group buy of large enough quantity (10 - 15 sets) I can likely bring the covers down in the $250 - $350 range per set as well.

We are also planning to produce an intake manifold cover that matches for you turbo and N/A guys who want a matched set, the cost for that piece is not known at this time as we have yet to model it, but I'd estimate it in the $300 - $500 range.

With all of that said...who all is interested?

For those of you that are, would you prefer to do a group buy or order individually?

 

[BATMANs]

What's the weight delta against the OEM Magnesium covers that are already pretty light?

Can modifications like relocating the oil filler/cap possible?

 

[foundry3]

What's the weight delta against the OEM Magnesium covers that are already pretty light?

Can modifications like relocating the oil filler/cap possible?

Rite now we are not sure about the weight differences. It shouldn't be much, maybe a few grams to a few ounces more as the magnesium is very thin and our cover will be a bit thicker.

The oil cap can be put anywhere the community collectively decides. Where would be an optimal location?

Once I have a final set of models, and tool paths are authored changing the covers will be expensive. Lots of the setup cost is the tool path's so I'd like to incorporate any and all features the community would like on these before cutting a production set.

You bring up a great point...

Primers - what other mods would you like to see on the covers?

 

[BATMANs]

Relocating the oil cap would be a better fit for those that have aftermarket mods like a blower. Is it something that a group has to agree to or can be done as a one off?

 

[foundry3]

Relocating the oil cap would be a better fit for those that have aftermarket mods like a blower. Is it something that a group has to agree to or can be done as a one off?

I'd love to have a single design, however if it is not achievable variations can be accommodated.

If the cap can be located in a place that fits the needs of supercharged owners and also improves the ease of access for all others that would be preferable. Is there such a place?

 

[B2FiNiTY]

For that price, 2000-2500, I don't think you will get many, if any buyers. But if you start lowering the price to around Under $500 for the pair, then you are competing with oem covers and have a chance now.

 

[foundry3]

For that price, 2000-2500, I don't think you will get many, if any buyers. But if you start lowering the price to around Under $500 for the pair, then you are competing with oem covers and have a chance now.

I would love to do that but the material alone to make these is $500 my cost, along with 12 hours machine time per cover. The profit margin on these is very very small for me, I am not gouging by any means...this is what it costs to have these made.

That said: this product is not for the faint of heart, it is geared for those that are going all out for power or for the enthusiast that wants the best for their investment. The OEM valve covers if modified to allow additional crankcase ventilation potentially could cause engine failure if the modification is not sound. Magnesium is very complicated to modify in a long term way and additionally the OEM covers are largely unavailable.

 

[Stephen@NCAutoUSA]

This is a great option and not for the faint of heart. I wish I had the spare cash for these because it looks like the work is top notch. Thanks for bringing a new product to the market, even if it's out of reach for most.

 

[solidol]

I don't want to derail this thread but it looks like you have pretty good experiences with 3d scanning and CNC machining. I think you may look into other parts that would be in high demand among NSX owners. Take alternator bracket for example. I'm pretty sure you would have larger margin per part and would sell times more of these than valve covers and such. Just my .02 cents

 

[blue_myriddn]

I don't want to derail this thread but it looks like you have pretty good experiences with 3d scanning and CNC machining. I think you may look into other parts that would be in high demand among NSX owners. Take alternator bracket for example. I'm pretty sure you would have larger margin per part and would sell times more of these than valve covers and such. Just my .02 cents

+1 I am a fan of shiny billet parts on my NSX and am willing to spend the $$$ for decent quality rather than el cheapo chromed parts. For me personally, I am not as interested in swapping out the magnesium valve covers because:

(a) they already look nice
(b) I trust Honda's functional decision to use magnesium

However, if I had a forced induction system, then sure I could see changing things up. Back to the point though, inexpensive shiny stuff = me spending $$

 

[foundry3]

I don't want to derail this thread but it looks like you have pretty good experiences with 3d scanning and CNC machining. I think you may look into other parts that would be in high demand among NSX owners. Take alternator bracket for example. I'm pretty sure you would have larger margin per part and would sell times more of these than valve covers and such. Just my .02 cents

Thank you for the kind words. I am also looking into motor mounts and a few other products and an alternator bracket is now on the radar thanks to you kind sir.

These covers I want for my personal car and thought I'd offer them up to folks as well, it is not my intention to make livable wages off of them.

NSX's making more than 500hp are running very high crankcase pressures...these covers are meant to properly alleviate premature wear of seals and bearings from pressurization.

 

[jones83]

This is a really good looking quality piece. Good luck with sales.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

Nice! Im down for a set!

 

[foundry3]

Nice! Im down for a set!

Awesome! I'll reach out to you when quality assurance is complete and orders can be taken.

 

[jcbadcura]

This is really cool Chris. [emoji106] [emoji41]

 

[whrdnsx]

Very Nice, would have to be lighter than OEM for me to bite the bullet. For me I would want the oil filler deleted (dry sump) would that make it a little cheaper?

 

[J-RnsxT]

Can you make alternator bracket?

 

[foundry3]

This is really cool Chris. [emoji106] [emoji41]

Thank you sir!

Very Nice, would have to be lighter than OEM for me to bite the bullet. For me I would want the oil filler deleted (dry sump) would that make it a little cheaper?

The oil filler cap can be left out but it won't affect the pricing. As far as weight I'll definitely be sure to get final metrics.

Can you make alternator bracket?

I can, if you have an extra - I'm interested in borrowing it short term in trade for discount. PM me.

 

[B2FiNiTY]

I would definitely be interested in some billet motor mounts if they can be made similar to the Hasport ones. Alternator bracket definitely would be a nice piece to lighten up too.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I want the first set!

 

[J-RnsxT]

I have an extra

 

[stuntman]

For that price how about spending the time on developing a dry sump pan where the pump bolts directly to it (and underneath where the stock sump is) and still allow the AC unit to remain intact.

 

[NSX1145]

Nice!

 

[whrdnsx]

Here's my Alternator Bracket. Huge weight saving.

I tried to get it made here but too expensive.

- - - Updated - - -

For that price how about spending the time on developing a dry sump pan where the pump bolts directly to it (and underneath where the stock sump is) and still allow the AC unit to remain intact.

Dailey Engineering's Dry sump kit. Everything will fit but you run out of room for the Dry Sump pulley. It fouls on the chassis. I think if the pulleys were redesigned so the A/C ran of the dry sump belt it would all work.

 

[stuntman]

I've talked to them and their setup does not retain AC nor does it suck directly from the pan, they still use oil lines from the pan to the pump. They sold a pump to someone who made their own pan that retained the AC but they don't know anything about it.

There's enough room on the crank where the factory pump use to be to mount a tooth-geared cog to drive the dry sump as well as to mount the pump directly to the pan without the need of oil lines.