Installed Accufab 70mm TB/Plen.. impressions..

sgarlic

Founding Member
Apr 21, 2001
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I got it cheap from americanmuscle.com .. $361 shipped to me, since they were on sale for October. I'm very happy about paying that little.

Now, as a lot of you probably saw, the 1st one I recieved looked like crap. They sent me a second one, which also in my opinion looked like crap. Not as bad as the first one, but it still had a bunch of pitting, and in my opinion, that's gay.

The gripes I have about the installation are:

1) They provide you with the 2 different pieces that your PCV hose connects to. They say "install the one that your hose fits on" .. but they don't specify how to install it. Are you supposed to hammer it in? Push it in hand tight? I would have preferred they mention that.

2) They give you 4 hex head screws, 2 short, 2 long. The note attached to these bolts talks about not adjusting the idle on the throttle body, and that only the TPS can be used to adjust idle. Call me stupid, but I would think the note should explain what the bolts are for. After a few minutes of pondering, I figured out that the long ones go in the TPS, and the short ones go in the IAC motor.. because the stock IAC bolts are too long. I didn't use the long ones in the TPS. I don't see the point, when the OEM ones have a nice fat washer on there, and the new ones don't.

Other than that, the install as you see in far more detailed threads is as simple as it looks. Slipping the OEM air tube over the 70mm was a PITA for me.. I can only imagine how bad the 75 must be. My old TB and plenum were clean as a whistle on the inside (I'm guessing partly because of the oil separator I installed.)

It took maybe an hour total to do the whole thing. I had no problems with the TPS screws. Just put pressure on them and they come out easily. I re-loctited mine when I put them in.

I didn't adjust the TPS, as per svttech's sticky, etc. I just plopped it back on. It idles fine.. just hangs a little bit more than it did before.. takes maybe 2 secs to return to normal idle when coming to a stop. I'll probably throw my IAC restrictor plate back in for a while.

I don't hear any whistling sound or anything different than when I had the OEM version installed. I have a faint whining noise at WOT now.. which rules.

All in all, it was well worth the 360 bucks in my opinion. The 2nd biggest SOTP difference besides the 3.73's.. and it seems like I can light up the tires more easily in 2nd now. Nice product.. I wish they'd fix the pitting problem though.
 
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Glad to hear you are enjoying though that's diappointing to hear about the pitting - unusual...I thought only C&L crap pitted.
I really notice at 3K RPMs plus, it just seems to take off and find additional air it couldn't find before.
Give the idle a week and it'll calm down to nearly stock return.
 
yeah, fitting the OE intake tube over my 75mm was a PITA.

Glad you're enjoying it. Like said above, just give your ECU a week or two, idle will be back to normal.
 
helty said:
yeah, fitting the OE intake tube over my 75mm was a PITA.

Glad you're enjoying it. Like said above, just give your ECU a week or two, idle will be back to normal.
yeah fitting the Steeda CAI rubber circle fitting over it is a bitch too. I put it in boiling water fist and it lossened it up nice
 
I have the K&N FIPK so fitting it over the 75mm wasn't too bad. Mine howled at idle when I first installed it. It only did it when the engine was hot. I tried different things to get it to quit howling. What fixed it was loosening the bolts holding the IAC, holding the IAC up, then tightening the bolts.

My reasoning tells me I don't really gain anything except at WOT. At part throttle, it does the same thing as the stock 65mm does.
 
Yeah it seems cool for now. Of course I'll have to take the plenum off if I do the KB down the road, but heck.. an extra 10 hp will help for smoking the local ricers til then.
 
i wonder if American Muscle buys slightly flawed products and sells them cheaper. As far as i know Accufab is suppsed to be the top of the industry in the TB and plenum area for the 4.6.
 
Well, Accufab responded to my e-mail/pictures to them with "The plenum is cast, meaning poured aluminum. Sometimes, when the gases escape, they leave natural pit marks behind. Some casts are better than others." .. they went on to say they also would exchange it if I sent it to them.

I still find it hard to believe that it's that hard to make a good looking product. I've bought many other cast pieces in my lifetime, and I can't think of a single one that had the kind of pitting both of these have.
 
sgarlic said:
Well, Accufab responded to my e-mail/pictures to them with "The plenum is cast, meaning poured aluminum. Sometimes, when the gases escape, they leave natural pit marks behind. Some casts are better than others." .. they went on to say they also would exchange it if I sent it to them.

I still find it hard to believe that it's that hard to make a good looking product. I've bought many other cast pieces in my lifetime, and I can't think of a single one that had the kind of pitting both of these have.
Got pics of the pits? EDIT - disregard, I just found your pics - OMG...I know we are all not into bling, but WTF you pay for polished and it comes out like this?!!?
My (sitting in a box) C&L MAF is pitted badly. I tried to polish it and I just continued and continued to uncover more and more pits. I thought about trying to polish the C&L inlet tube that I do use, but I fear I'll end up with the same thing - pit city.
FWIW - the C&L inlet tube has a large TB end on it that easily fits a 75mm.
 
Mine was smooth as hell... the only "bumpy" product I have is the C&L inlet pipe... and I ceramic coated that :)

The Accufab stuff was flawless and for the price it should be. I used the stock inlet tube for a while, some spit and a lot of twisting got the stocker onto the 75mm in about 5 min.
 
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