M42 / M44 Phenolic Spacer Kit - Reduce Intake Temps!

[gearheadE30]

I may be interested in one as well... You say it is made of a phenolic fiber board? How would that hold up to the elements after 5 years or something? And also, does it raise the intake height much?

[JiXer]

It's tough stuff. The longest history I have with them personally is about 4 years and absolutely no problems at all. And that's on a 24psi car.

[gearheadE30]

Okay, cool. Then I guess all I need to know is how much it raises the intake by, so I know if it will clear my strut brace...

[JiXer]

I really don't know how much it will move in the vertical plane. Again, I have only installed this on my car which is SC'd an does not use the stock manifold. You could dithering geometry though. It's 10mm thick. Measure the angle the head since on and do the trig.

[Simon S]

I really don't know how much it will move in the vertical plane.

Following post is me thinking out loud:
Love the design and logic behind it..
Would love to incorporate its logic into my "fully optimized [stock] m42 build".

A) Stock e30/m42 intake system (TB heater plate/plumbing removed)

B) I'm intending to run a clearanced Sparco bar - so available clearance comes down to the wire regarding factory intake. Thinking that height-increase of intake will be negligible with ‘insulation spacer’ – i.e. if I'm taking the measures of clearancing strut bar - then another ~10mm projected at an angle should be * negligible *.

B) Effected mounting points
Basically, the spacer would go between the head and the lower intake runner.
Lower intake installed:


Lower intake installed with a factory hardware:


The critical mounting points we see in above picture include:

1- Mounting point via bracketry to central wiring 'junction box'. Negligible: the further the electic junction box is spaced from engine - the better.

2- Bracket from lower intake - to junction box - to motor mount. I think 1cm of washers or whatever can space out that bracket out from motor mount to be fine.

3 - There's a simple bracket (at upper-right) that connects head to upper intake runner. I think some "slot-clearancing" on that bracket can accommodate the spacer. ("slot it" with a dremel - and adjust its angle - should work)





4 – OK – so we’ve addressed installation issues [above] – with washers and some dremeling – no big whoop.

5 – Fuel injectors – would be further from compression chamber due to spacer.
Is this a bad thing?
Does the fuel spray have more time to atomize in the longer distance?
Is smooth air/fuel flow disturbed by new mating surfaces introduced with the spacer?

[JiXer]

Nice work. Yeah, nothing is moving so much that it will cause any real problems, but all those little mod things should be taken in to consideration.
As far as air flow and fuel spray, the change will be insignificant. Thanks for posting up pics and walking through that.

[george graves]

My M30 has this problem as well. The intake get very warm.

[JiXer]

I only have one left if someone wants to grab it!

[e304me]

I have a supercharged m42 as well, what did you do about the brackets that hold the manifold to the head?

[JiXer]

I simply made Spacers out of come aluminum rod. I cut 2 10mm pieces and drilled holes in them. Same with the bracket underneath that mounts to the block.

[JiXer]

I still have one left if anyone is looking.
Feedback from anyone who bought one on how the kit worked out for you?

[Balleristic31]

I'd be interested in this depending on positive effects on a N/A m42, if any.

[dude8383]

I'll take it, same paypal addy?

[e304me]

damn i should have bought this. let me know if you make more

[smith4130]

any chance you will be doin a run of these again any time soon....?

i building a sc build and need one.

have paypal and funds to buy.

cheers....