Originally posted by Bradness:
I couldn't agree more with Tom. Phenolic spacers work until the motor is fully warmed up-then they're useless.

However, I'd like to comment on 2 other items of note: t-body spacers and the lousy method of joining the UIM to the LIM. I fabricated a set of locating bushings which remove all the slop in the factory bolt up for the UIM to LIM. They positively locate the UIM exit ports directly over the LIM entry ports. Do I have dyno tests to prove their effectiveness-NO. Common sense tells me they work.

I also have a custom fabricated .75 aluminum t-body spacer with an integral venturi/ram air/anti-reversion feature. As I had to install studs to attach it to the UIM, plus an extension bushing for the linkage bracket and a spacer at the throttle cable it was difficult to do a back to back when I last dyno'd. However, my non-SVT Duratec makes serious HP with all the stock electronics including the MAF, injectors, fuel rail, precats, LIM & Y pipe. I did do a back to back on the UIM and the 98 SVT is worth 4HP and 7 ft/lbs over my heavily modded/ported stocker.

If anyone is interested I'd be willing to fabricate more UIM to LIM alignment bushings. PM me.



A "spacer", in my opinion, does nothing. But if you are talking creating a connector that corrrects a poor alignment between the TB and manifold. I would believe there would be a small improvement, depending on how bad the original misaligbment was. But the commercial spacers sold talk about a threaded like wall that induces swirls which increases paower. This is the same hooey the tornadao claims. Anything that induces swirl has drag. More drag = less performance in general. Because of the shape and nature of our intakes, swirl induced in the airstream creates more drag and loss then any possible gains that swirl itself might add. Swirl is sometimes a performance increaser if it is in the right place. Our combustion chambers and valve inlets already add swirl where its needed, in the combustion chamber. Swirl at the TB doesn't make it to the combustion chamber as it is disrupted by the numerous bends and twists in out intake and then the trip through the valves. Swirl in our style intake does nothing for performance in a Port fuel injected engine with a good swirl design for the intake and combustion chamber. Now a carbureted car (ie: Wet manifold), with a long straight intake manifold, can benefit somewhat as the swirl helps mix the fuel air mixture going through the intake. This fact is distorted by the snake oil salesman to sell the process to an engine design that does not have a wet manifold nor a relatively straight one.

my 2 cents again anyway.

My name is Richard. I was a Contouraholic. NOW: '02 Mazda B3000 Dual Sport, Black BEFORE: '99 Contour SE Sport Duratec ATX Spruce Green PIAA 510's, Foglight MOD, K&N Drop-in