Just put together a 496 stroker and picked up some gil manifolds with dry pipes i have 4 lines coming out of t stat housing is there any way to plumb the system with buying 2 60 doller y fittings , and Ive seen the manifolds plumbed 2 different ways first both hoses merge and go to bottom of manifold then jumper to riser , 2nd 1 hose to bottom of manifold and other merges with jumper which way would be better ?

The only other way is to run a T fitting at the riser. Thats what Merc did.

where do you get that fitting at?

I went to a plumbing supply store and got 2 brass t-fittings....Think they were 15 each. Its not a real fancy setup, but with some clever cutting and re-routing of the hoses, it works.

do you recall if that was 1 inch pipe or 3/4 thread size

Off the top of my head 3/4" rings a bell, but im not certain. Im at work right now so im not able to check.

3/4" is correct, I am almost positive.

Now im not so sure.........
http://http://www.cpperformance.com/detail.aspx?ID=661

also i ran into 1 other problem the nipple at the end of the pipe closest to exit is the water dump correct? i had to cut it off to get pipe through transom then heli arced it shut can i just cut another hole and put that fitting somewhere else? close to the end of the pipe

3/4 NPT on the part that goes into the manifold and hose nipple on the other 2 ends. That is a factory Merc part. I actually just sold the set I had to Fixxer22. I'm not sure if he ended up using them. You could PM him. They are outrageously priced for new ones. I'm sure you could have a pair custom made also for a lot less.

Email Ken at http://www.offshorenortheast.com/