The Runners protrude into...
The Runners protrude into the valley, just like stock.
Installation was straightforward and rather easy despite the extra time required to remove the supercharger tubing and head unit. The first thing that popped into our heads while looking at the lower intake by itself was, This looks like an LS1 intake. While it's true with the runners being shaped similarly, the inlet is not front-mounted, and once the upper elbow is fastened to the lower, all similarities end. The aluminum body adds considerable weight in comparison to the stock plastic piece-but there are no more worries about blowing apart the stock one with a nitrous pop. A side-by-side comparison shows the TFS to have straighter runners near the ports in the heads. The stock ones have a sharp turn before the air exits into the heads. The stock runners are also long, whereas the TFS intake is much shorter.
Once installation was complete, we let the car idle for a bit to make sure nothing was leaking or loose. Then we strapped the car on the dyno and warmed up the trans and rear fluids. Once warm, Brian Machie of Dez Racing let it rip, and the white GT spun the drums to 454 rwhp and 415 rwtq. That's not bad for the first pull with the new intake-all variables remained the same as the baseline, like timing and fuel curve.
The stock water neck is reused...
The stock water neck is reused and bolts to the intake.
"This is the first Two-Valve intake that we've tested that actually picked up power over stock with unported heads," Dezotell says. "At this point in time, the heads are the restriction, and this intake would have made even more power over stock if we had ported heads and/or a bigger blower on this car." A few more dyno pulls backed up our first run-within a couple of horsepower and lb-ft-and the first pull turned out to be the highest.
One observation we made after the first dyno run was the intake surface heat. A quick check with the heat gun showed the front runners at 115 degrees while the second set of runners was at 105 and the third showed 101 degrees. The front-runners were hotter because the coolant runs across them, and they're affected thanks to the aluminum construction. The upper elbow/ plenum showed a surface temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Machie lowers the upper plenum...
Machie lowers the upper plenum into place. It was a tight fit, so he knocked on the firewall a bit to gain some clearance.
The throttle and cruise-control...
The throttle and cruise-control cables attach easily, despite being in a new location.
While the intake was off,...
While the intake was off, we decided to install MSD coil packs. These are not required, but we felt it was the right time to upgrade. As boost, timing, fuel volume, and ultimately power increase, there is a need to light off the fuel and air in the combustion chamber. These babies will help deliver the spark we need.
The CPR fuel rails deliver...
The CPR fuel rails deliver gasoline to Ford Racing Performance Parts 42-pound fuel injectors that were bolted back on.
Machie extended some wires;...
Machie extended some wires; TFS includes all the required material to do so.
The idle-air by-pass didn't...
The idle-air by-pass didn't fit well with the blower tube. Machie made things work for the dyno session and then relocated the nipple on the blower tube to the bottom side. This was done to clean up the appearance under the hood.