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Intake manifold upgrade kit

Joined
16 July 2008
Messages
3,002
Location
Noord Holland, The Netherlands
Hi Guys,

We've been working on a upgrade kit for the OE manifold of the NSX.
A full upgrade package comprising of,


  • Thermal shields on the cylinder heads
  • Thermal partition in the manifold,
  • Plenum spacer increasing the volume by 9%
  • Two resonance and rpm tuning options (low & high)

Material,
We've gone for a hard laminated phelonic material with integrated gaskets,
Why?
So we can insure that the spacers don't deform once the manifold is torqued to spec and engine is at operating temperature.
It also allows us to insure uniform dimensions and calculate the effects.
Even the integrated gasket layers are calculated for compression so they don't interrupt flow.


Thermal shield (cylinder head to manifold spacers)
I started from a clean sheet trying to optimize thermal insulation and take in to account the 90' degree bank angle of the engine.

As some of you know there has been some discussion on how thermal spacers might interrupt flow in to the runners due to the step/hump created in the runners.
We did computer simulations on the matter, from that we based our design making sure flow and resonance pulsations aren't interrupted.

Having done that we made a number of prototypes optimizing insulation of the manifold.
This is done by creating a full shield that is molded to the casting of the cylinder head, it allows for a secondary F1 style heat shield that insulates the valve covers and injectors as well (still in R&D stages)

This design isn't based of the gasket design used by Honda (alternative phenolic gasket on the market are basically just thicker OE gaskets).
As can be seen it makes for a flush fitting thermal shield instead of a just a gasket spacer.

Plenum spacer
The next step is increasing the volume of the plenum to aid high rpm breathing especially for cars with free flowing exhausts and enlarged throttle bodies.
The upgrade will also help C32B 3.2L engines breath in high RPM regions as they retain the OE plenum volume of a 3.0L engine.

First of all the spacer acts as a auxiliary thermal insulator isolating any heat soak by creating a partition between upper and lower manifold.
The spacer add's 9% to the total volume of the manifold, you can ether enlarge the lower or upper plenum chamber depending on your tune and preference.



NSX%20IM%20Kit%201.jpg
NSX%20IM%20Kit%202.jpg
thermal%20shield.png



Flow test
OEM vs Spacer

A = flange
B = Injector location and corresponding pocket
C = valve seats
spaced%20vs%20oem.jpg


Resonance testing of the spacer
The motion of the intake valves opening and closing a to 2000 times a minute causes shock waves to form in the runners this is called the helmholtz resonance.
Honda's are tuned to take advantage of this and compress the air in the runners, that's how the stock VSS system works it times the waves for non-vtec and vtec operation.

back%20lash.jpg
 
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Intake manifold update kit.

Thank you A.S. Motorsport for the time, energy and attention to detail you have invested to improve our cars performance. It all seems very carefully thought through.

As it maybe a little technical for many of us could you please answer the following questions?

What are the expected benefits including HP & Torque gains?
You speak about 2 different tunes -- once fitted would the kit require a trip to a Dyno?
When will you have the kit ready for sale?
Pricing?

Cheers, TYSAMA
 
Thank you A.S. Motorsport for the time, energy and attention to detail you have invested to improve our cars performance. It all seems very carefully thought through.

As it maybe a little technical for many of us could you please answer the following questions?

What are the expected benefits including HP & Torque gains?
You speak about 2 different tunes -- once fitted would the kit require a trip to a Dyno?
When will you have the kit ready for sale?
Pricing?

Cheers, TYSAMA


Good question,
As with many modifications it's very hard to predict the actual gain on a given car as there are so many variables related to each car (and then dyno & environmental/geographic factors)
I believe that i made a relativity detailed post concerning dyno tuning some where here, i'll look it up.

Anyway back to the gains:
Depending on your car, for example a 3.2L NSX with a ported TB (will give 4-5 hp as the manifold is the next restriction) 3.2l engine is 7% larger than the 3.0L manifold it uses, by increasing the plenum 9% you'd have a 2% added volume relative to its displacement and 9% larger to the original setup

As one should always calculate the effective percentage on a performance part relative to it's stock component, than factory in add on effect towards other assemblies or performance modifications (in this cease valve train and cylinder head)
I've made a simple comparison graph illustrating CC and % gains OE vs ASM

Info graph.jpg


The gains on a bone stock 3.0L engine won't be as high as a stock 3.2L engine,
if some one runs a engine with bolt on mods (e.g. full exhaust & intake kit) the gains will be better but effective at different RPM ranges, relative to stock. (this would related tot the exhaust collectors and the filter to TB length)

If one where to be running a RDX injection with a ECU retune as would recommend the gains would allow for that extra 9% to be better mixed with the fuel (cooler air + better spray pattern of the injectors)

Tuning
No dyno tuning required, as the stock ECU or chipped ecu would be fully capable of using the gains made (after a reset off course)

Placement tune
This is quite simple as there are only two possible options, ether upper plenum (non-vtec range) or lower plenum (v-tec range).

Runner length
Some of you might be asking the question will this kit effective my runner length?
Short and simple answer is:
Yes, but not enough to effect the torque curve or v-tec resonance.

Forced induction
The setup is designed to run both FI and NA,
the effect on a turbocharged or supercharged (non ctsc roots style) will be MUCH greater as those engine could really use the increased volume.
That being said we can also make a VISS delete plate (with extra off set for more volume) for advanced applications.

Further isolation
The thermal shields have cut outs for mounting larger vertical shields (there is are two m6 mounting holes in the head casting directly below)
I've not yet completed that setup but it isn't something that would be worth it for a street car, although a ITB car can use it.

Below you see a Ferrari V10 F1 engine you can see that carbon shield raps around the runners and throttle bodies insulating them fully from the head casting.
This setup is also possible with the intake kit, suitable mounting holes are in place in the cylinder head and the thermal shields are designed for the addition of vertical shields.
2384875298_a5d20608b1.jpg
 
Nice product.

Can you make a plenum spacer without the divider for those of us either (a) running the STMPO VVIS delete plate or (b) who removed the divider altogether?
 
You don't really see overall gains from changes in plenum volume, mainly shifts in the torque curve (real power).

Kind of cool, we drafted something similar in CAD a few months back, saved us the time of manufacturing them. :smile:

Interested in a set, depending on how you decide to price it.
 
You don't really see overall gains from changes in plenum volume, mainly shifts in the torque curve (real power).

Kind of cool, we drafted something similar in CAD a few months back, saved us the time of manufacturing them. :smile:

Interested in a set, depending on how you decide to price it.
Pricing to be announced soon, I'd like to get some more test results on the plenum.
The thermal shields are available for order right now package will follow soon.

Plenum increase will aid runner breathing, torque curve is related to runner length (both intake and exhaust side)
 
I've already got phenolic spacers and a ported/polished intake manifold, will this still help?
 
Yes it should, the added insulation from the cylinder heads will stop more radiation heat (current spacers only stop direct heat transfer)
The additional plenum volume and extra internal heat barrier will also help.

See comparison of a regular gasket vs the thermal shield
20130328_162350.jpg
 
Adnan, ^^^ This is exactly why i'm replacing my Prospeed ones.

I'm concerned about the durometer of the phenolic material you're using. It should be pliable enough to maintain a proper seal but also not too soft as it will distort upon high torque of the CTSC under load. I've seen some very brittle phenolic material too. Hopefully you've found the proper compound mix. I like that yours has a built in gasket. Excited to see a CTSC Autorotor version from you.

Is your gasket made to replace the oem gasket or is it made to work together? Maybe one on top and one on bottom effectively sandwiching the shield/spacer.

I will also be using gold heat shield material under the IM like i'm doing with my oil pan.

hksheadersinstalled.jpg

Yes it should, the added insulation from the cylinder heads will stop more radiation heat (current spacers only stop direct heat transfer)
The additional plenum volume and extra internal heat barrier will also help.

See comparison of a regular gasket vs the thermal shield
View attachment 99055
 
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Good that you bring up that point,
Mine isn't pliable at all, i'm using a sandwich construction, the core phenolic is completely rigid there are ultra thin gasket layers bonded to the sides,
These gasket layers are calculated to the torque of the bolts holding the manifold, they are pre-compensated for the crush effect once torqued.

Basically same way you'd work with a high compression head gasket.
 
Good that you bring up that point,
Mine isn't pliable at all, i'm using a sandwich construction, the core phenolic is completely rigid there are ultra thin gasket layers bonded to the sides,
These gasket layers are calculated to the torque of the bolts holding the manifold, they are pre-compensated for the crush effect once torqued.

Basically same way you'd work with a high compression head gasket.
Boom goes the Dynamite!

Sign me up.
 
I was planning on creating my own heat shield to place under the intake manifold. I looked on your website but didn't see your heat shield listed. Do you have any pictures and a price? Nice job on the gaskets too.
 
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