C&L, Accufab and Trick Flow plenum...how different can they be?

[ScortLX]

Everyone,
I've been looking at the three plenums and I really can't tell a huge difference between the three. This is what I see though....from looks alone mind you!

Accufab- Almost a modified version of the stock plenum, still square in shape and polished.
Trick Flow- a new design with a more tubular design that according to the trickflow.com site, is located 3/4" higher than the stock plenum. It looks as though the air flows straight in then curves down into the lower.
C&L- same tubular design as Trick Flow but it seems like as the air enters the plenum it actually curves up, then down almost in a slight U-shape when it enters the lower.

Looking at the C&L and Trick Flow, the trick flow may be taller from the inlet to begin with and the air doesn't LOOK like it has to bend up then down because the inlet is already located 3/4" higher than the C&L inlet. I hope that makes sense. Does anybody have any inlet diameters that could be looked at as well? Just trying to break them down to see if they are really different at all or its just the name or the finish that separates them. Thanks!

Nate

 

[DragonII]

Different Plenums..

If you do some research on the Accufab Plenum you will see that it will flow 50 CFM better then that of the C&L. That is with only the 70mm Throttle Body. Look on Mustang Weekly, they did a install and test with the Accufab. When you compare the numbers they got with the C&L Plenum it out flows it by 50 CFM.
Now that is allot more air moving into the engine. The Trick Flow, I do not have any info on that one. I just found out about it today, but from what I have read it is just like the C&L Plenum. I will be getting the Accufab because it will out flow the C&L and I can get the FRPP 70MM Throttle Body with the Sensor attached and not worry about swaping it.

 

[mhanna77]

I have seen pics of all the new plenums, can someone post a pic of the stock plenum to see what it looks like inside?

 

[ScortLX]

Yes..I have heard the Accufab flows better, and I may be leaning that direction. I only have a problem with the fact it only comes in polished...which I'm not a fan of at all. Does anyone have pictures of the side views or insides of the C&L and Trick Flow....I still think there could be a slight difference. That is unless Trick Flow just copied the C&L exactly...which would be unfortunate. I expect more from a company like Trick Flow than blatant copying. Thanks!


Nate

 

[68 & 00 GT]

guys don't over look the dragon - new info on it sounds nice too. Also dyno result mean more to me than cfm flow. The diffenret plenums have differnt pros, and cons that just max RWHP, and CFM flow.

Here I'll re post some dyno result to show what I mean - (not that it is the tell all answer to the neverending plenum debate)

-C & L
plenum made 266 max RWHP @ 4,466 RPM @ 4,814 dropped to 222 RWHP

-ACCUFAB
plenum made 253 max RWHP @ 4,176 RPM @ 4,582 dropped to 246 RWHP

-Dragon
plenum made 273 max RWHP @ 4,350 RPM @ 4,756 dropped to 268 RWHP

Not that I'm sold on a dragon just yet, but if I'm understanding this right (as above) that's awesome gains for the dragon comparred to the others, and notice how fast the C & L, and Accufab lost more RWHP than the Dragon after max RWHP -

BTW- this was suposed to be all done on the same car just by switching out the plenums only. The trick flow was mentioned, but not included in this test

info from this thread -
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=400741&highlight=dragon+plenum

Guess the prices should be comming on down for these now. I think the Trick Flow is like $130-$150 in Summit.

 

[stock2002gt]

guys don't over look the dragon - new info on it sounds nice too. Also dyno result mean more to me than cfm flow. The diffenret plenums have differnt pros, and cons that just max RWHP, and CFM flow.

Here I'll re post some dyno result to show what I mean - (not that it is the tell all answer to the neverending plenum debate)

-C & L
plenum made 266 max RWHP @ 4,466 RPM @ 4,814 dropped to 222 RWHP

-ACCUFAB
plenum made 253 max RWHP @ 4,176 RPM @ 4,582 dropped to 246 RWHP

-Dragon
plenum made 273 max RWHP @ 4,350 RPM @ 4,756 dropped to 268 RWHP

Not that I'm sold on a dragon just yet, but if I'm understanding this right (as above) that's awesome gains for the dragon comparred to the others, and notice how fast the C & L, and Accufab lost more RWHP than the Dragon after max RWHP -

BTW- this was suposed to be all done on the same car just by switching out the plenums only. The trick flow was mentioned, but not included in this test

info from this thread -
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=400741&highlight=dragon+plenum

Guess the prices should be comming on down for these now. I think the Trick Flow is like $130-$150 in Summit.

I really doubt those numbers are accurate. I would not trust any of these manufacturer's numbers untill I see a nonbias test on them. All of them are going to claim to be the best. I really do not think there is going to be a big difference in horsepower gains between the different upper intake companys. Pretty much the concept is to increase/smooth the radius of the bend leading to the lower intake. I bought a C&L upper intake and like it, but I think the accufab, dragon, and trickflow will yield very close results to the C&L.

 

[J. Mihovetz]

The Accufab plenum is 5/8 " higher than stock. Richard Holdener will be testing all of the plenums available next week on the engine dyno at Westech Performance for an upcoming article in Muscle Mustangs magazine so we will see which one works best.


John Mihovetz

 

[COramprat]

I would have to say they would all be pretty close...but if MM will be testing then we can see then.

 

[SANZ]

I would have to say they would all be pretty close...but if MM will be testing then we can see then.

Yeah because I believe everything in MM&FF

 

[tangerine]

well I would like to find out the one that has the best results because I am wanting to spend some money right now.

 

[2000GTnoExtras]

Yeah because I believe everything in MM&FF