I've been talking with someone over at Outlaw Engineering and I'm trying to get a plenum spacer kit developed for our intake manifolds. They'd be better than a metal spacer because they're made from a phenolic resin, which would not allow heat to transfer through the manifold, from the engine itself. The cooler manifold would help keep the manifold from getting heat soaked as well as increase the plenum volume slightly, which on these cars, seems to help out quite a bit.

The set would consist of 3 spacers:
-one between the lower intake manifold (the part that bolts to the head) and the lower plenum collector
-one between the upper and lower halves of the plenum
-one between the upper plenum and the throttle body.
-It would also include all of the necessary updated hardware to install the spacers.

Due to the size of the upper to lower plenum spacer, the kit would be a little more expensive than their other kits, but still pretty affordable considering the size (approx 16"x18" of material for just the one spacer). Initially talking with them, they said approx $150-200 for the full kit.

Their standard spacer thickness is 1/4", but to keep the plastic engine cover, they may be able to make a slightly thinner spacer between the lower plenum and the intake manifold. Or, if you wanted an even thicker spacer between the lower and upper half of the plenum, and don't mind ditching the plastic cover, you could double up the 1/4" spacers.

For more info check out their site: http://www.outlawengineering.com/index.html

What do you think? Yes, No, Maybe?

I'd be happy to start an initial group buy on these, if there's enough interest.
Just post it up in the thread and I'll pass on the info.

Thanks!

 

Hey Justin,
That sounds great! I am in for a group Buy

 

Sounds interesting though I think that you may be hitting the market a little late.

 

Really, how so? The other options I've seen have been metal, this setup will not only help with plenum volume, but also help keep the engine heat from soaking into the plenum.

The way I see it, barely any spacers have been sold compared to the number of enthusiasts out there and all of the new model 350Z, G35, and FX35s are still being produced with the same intake manifold, so the market is still growing...

 

i guess i may be in

 

I'm in, even though I already have Motodyne spacer.
This could be a great mod. My plenum gets ridiculously hot after a few WOT runs.

 

I'm not really sold on the whole thermal insulator thing. If you are preventing heat from going through to the intake, that means you are letting heat build up in the engine components before it, and especially the engine itself, which will then heat the incoming air more through those areas, resulting in marginal gains if any, and possibly even losses.

If it is heat that you are concerned about, I would look at some ways to actually remove heat from the engine like maybe an oil cooler or something. Otherwise all you are doing is shifting the same heat around.

 

The radiator will remove more heat from the engine than any other form of cooling in a normal street application. An oil cooler can't do enough on its own. On top of that, you need the oil to heat up to a certain point anyways in order to work properly. That's why so many people run thermostats in with their oil cooler setups (I have one built into the sandwich plate right off the oil filter bracket on my car).
The intake manifold doesn't soak up enough heat to keep the engine cool, it'll be hot either way. These parts would just prevent some of that heat from going into the intake manifold as well. The engine bay is still going to heat up, due to the exhaust manifolds, etc.. this just helps keep excess heat from being soaked into the manifold, from the heads.
Ask any of the guys who've insulated their Z-tubes and/or airboxes, see if they've noticed anything....

I'm just trying to help get another good, inexpensive product out on the market....

 

Everythingg35 count me in and keep me posted! I'm very interested!! I own a Kinetix Plenum and I (and anyone else who owns a Kineitx) can definitely speak of the lack of heatsoak. I'm not sure what material the Kinetix Plenum is made out of but you can drive it hard for a long period of time, pop the hood and put your hand on it and be just fine. The thing never gets a hot! A set of spacers made from a similar material would be a significant advantage especially in conjunction with the lower collectior. I'd glady buy one of these.

Just out of curiousity what material is Motordyne's spacer made of? I know AlteredAtmosphere sells a metal one.

 

I'm still skeptical. If insulating the intake tube was worthwhile don't you think that every aftermarket intake would be insulated? I think the gains are so little that it's not even worth the additional materials and manufacturing costs to bother with.

Also, I seriously question anyone's butt-dyno that thinks they actually felt a difference after just insulating their intake tube. What is that like 1HP at most? To me having a bunch of fugly insulating wrap in my engine bay is not worth 1HP. Just MHO

I would love to be proven wrong tho. Let's see some independent testing that shows what kind of gains to expect with this. Sure their website shows all these gains with their combo spacer and insulator, but nothing showing the difference between just a plain spacer and one with insulator...

 

IMO I think the air is moving too fast within the upper manifold to get heated up to any significant amount. But like all other new mods I would like to see some scientific data and dyno tests.

 

If you've got a stock plenum, pop the engine cover off and feel it after you've been driving for a while; it gets hot. Even if the air is moving fast within the plenum you've got to think of what occuring right underneath: combustion. Metal absorbs this heat (heat soak) and heats up the incomming air coming through the plenum and into the lower collector. The hotter air leads to less efficient combustion.

In regard to the post about insulating an intake tube, talk to DaveO. He insulated his Z tube with heat wrap and took sensors readings at the MAF to see if there was a significant difference and there certainly was! Voltage was much higher and the MAF was giving some almost impossible readings. That sensor it turn sends the readings to ECU which adjusts the timing and fuel curve. No you may not notice a huge difference, but indeed one is occuring. Same result with a phenolic plenum spacer. Reduce the heat, aid combustion.

 

If his sensor was giving almost impossible readings then I would say there was a problem with it, either that or he does not know how to correctly interpret the information. MAFs don't just flake out because of a slight change in temperature. People run these cars all day long in -20 to 120 degree weather.

 

Sorry Copbait I'm doing bad job of representing his information their because I can't remeber his exact words. In fact I may even be wrong in quoting the MAF, he may have mentioned the IAT (geeez 20 years old and my memory is already shot). Nevertheless I'll try to present it the best way I can though. Basically the sensor usually gives off a certain voltage rate at normal engine running temp. When Dave applied the heat wrap and tested sensor readings, it was transmitting a signal at a very high voltage, much more so then usual. Dave is the editor for SportZMagazine and is incredibly well informed on all the aspects of the VQ, may be even a little too informed because sometimes he goes over my head with all the info . I'm not hear advocating that everyone go out and buy this particular product and wrap their intakes in heat wrap, nor am I saying you'll feel a huge difference, but indeed it does make a difference. Well enough with my sidetracking on this thread, Everythingg35 is trying to gauge interest on a product. As you were

 

im in, when i see a dyno...nm, saw it, im in