Intake Spacers (revisited)...

[006]

From the previous time this mod was discussed, it was brushed off as a HP loss mod on the Cobras based on 1 person's experience after a back to back dyno with it...but I do not see why that is possible, and I think I know the reason for the HP loss he/they found.

Anytime you do a bolt-on mod that affects the air/fuel volume or mess with plug gaps, the proper thing to do should be to reset the computer in order for it to learn and adjust for the new setup it's dealing with, and I doubt that they did so after installing the intake spacer. I think it's a worthwile mod that has been unfairly written off.

The Mach guys love this mod and see average gains of 6-8 rwhp and 10-12 rwtq across the entire RPM range for under $100 bucks.

Here is a perfect explanation on their purpose (though the gains tend to be a tad bit higher than mentioned in that thread):

Questions about the intake spacers (Roy come in too) - 2003-04 Mach 1 Registry Owners Club

The upper (lid) on these intakes are down so tight to the lower it restricts air flow over the top of the lower and down into the lower plenum. Adding a spacer simply increases air flow.

 

[cobraetti]

so whats the verdict on the 99-01 cobra's

 

[006]

so whats the verdict on the 99-01 cobra's

Except for the one known dyno I mentioned where the claim was -1 to -3 rwhp (which I feel was user error), I do not know of anyone else who has documented the results, but I'm hoping that there is someone else who has done it correctly and has some feedback for us.

 

[Un4GivN]

So whatcha waiting on? Go put one on, get it dyno'd and let us know what happens.

 

[Charles236]

I can see no reason that a spacer would not help a Cobra, it made a very noticeable improvement on my Mach. I wish that I had before and after dyno runs to see what the actual gain was, but it was enough to be noticed using the SOTP meter.

 

[006]

So whatcha waiting on? Go put one on, get it dyno'd and let us know what happens.

Sounds good, but my only purpose to buy and install one is to prove the gains to you guys, because after testing it out, I gotta take it off because my hood (96-98 Cobra) will not clear the 99-01's stock or CAI tubes with a spacer.

 

[Un4GivN]

Sounds good, but my only purpose to buy and install one is to prove the gains to you guys, because after testing it out, I gotta take it off because my hood (96-98 Cobra) will not clear the 99-01's stock or CAI tubes with a spacer.

Time for a new hood too Sounds like a plan to me :shrug: Or... you could buy me one and I'll let you know how it works? If I get gains, I'll reimburse you + $20?

 

[006]

Time for a new hood too Sounds like a plan to me :shrug: Or... you could buy me one and I'll let you know how it works? If I get gains, I'll reimburse you + $20?

:dw:

 

[Un4GivN]

:dw:

lol, was worth a try.. no? (I've been drinking, I do apologize)

 

[Sny714]

I put an intake spacer on when I put on my ported lower. With a retune and both mods the car gained 8rwhp and 4rwtq. The car did gain 20-23rwtq from 4000-4500rpm but I attribute 90% of the gains from the ported Lower. I dont have a comparison dyno with and without but as you can see my numbers werent amazing so I'm not sure if the spacer had much of an effect.

 

[Un4GivN]

I put an intake spacer on when I put on my ported lower. With a retune and both mods the car gained 8rwhp and 4rwtq. The car did gain 20-23rwtq from 4000-4500rpm but I attribute 90% of the gains from the ported Lower. I dont have a comparison dyno with and without but as you can see my numbers werent amazing so I'm not sure if the spacer had much of an effect.

What kind of a dyno was this on and who's ported lower do you have? I sure hope this is a mustang dyno.

 

[006]

What kind of a dyno was this on and who's ported lower do you have? I sure hope this is a mustang dyno.

+1

yep, those tuned numbers are too low for the mods.

 

[RED@7K]

do we really need a dyno? the idea/concept of how it works is pretty solid?? it adds volume to the upper plenum, while almost de shrouding the feeder ports from the lid that sits damn near an inch away from them.... ide say its worth it!!


fwiw, ill be goin with a 1/2" from ROY to go along with my NAZ lower once i get this blower install done....

 

[Brutal Metal]

Let's go, a couple guys put em on and give us the 411, the Mach1 guys fricken Luv them!

 

[blacksnake305]

guys, I ran this mod for years on my NA 01'. It worked well. I know the guy who bashed it in every thread. I personally think he had a leak somewhere. He said it was popping on him. That's the sign of a leak. The mach motors and ours are basically the same. There is NO way a minor volume mod like that can hurt our motors. Total BS.

Noone needs the 411 on this mod. Its been out there for years and it works IMHO. Enjoy the mod.

PS: there is a guy here in MI that makes much larger ones. claims great TQ gains I believe. I'm SC now, so I never got around to trying it...

.02

 

[OzzDOA]

One word: Cams.

The difference in the Cobra and Mach intake cams is what makes the spacer a decent mod for the Mach guys but not so much for us Cobra people.

 

[blacksnake305]

One word: Cams.

The difference in the Cobra and Mach intake cams is what makes the spacer a decent mod for the Mach guys but not so much for us Cobra people.

Is this an opinion or did you conduct a 'Feasibility Study' and came to the conclusion that the effectiveness of the spacer does not benefit the cobra (which has more aggressive cams).

Being someone who actually used this mod on my 01' (and injecting some layperson opinion), I've been told that one of the 'performance' hurdles with our plenums are that they lack VOLUME. All the spacer does is add volume. It does not increase the runner lenght either. I would think that plenum volume lets the engine breath just a bit easier (before it works harder to pull air from beyond the filter.

Now I could see the Mach's benefitting more down low (due to increased velocity of the shorter duration cams), but the cobra should benefit in the same manner but a little higher up in the rev range...

.02

 

[OzzDOA]

It's an opinion based on a logical deduction. Mod for mod the Mach 1 engine does better than ours because of 1 of 2 things: intake cams or the slightly higher compression. Since the spacer increases intake volume then it must be the difference in intake cams. Notice how the spacer is a common mod for the Mach yet you rarely see or even hear about it on the 96-01 Cobra motors. It may benefit these motors but that benefit is probably only at RPM ranges that your street car doesn't see.

 

[Dirks9901]

It would be nice to see dyno before and after if someone gets one. I would also like to see how it effects FI 99-01's

 

[mustangvsix]

subscribed to see what other info pops up about this mod.