Normy

What is the best way to install the "spider" intake? I've got the passenger side intake tubes bolted down, and it is pretty obvious that the center body of the intake can't be installed with the tubes immobile. I'm starting to wonder if it is better to install the tubes to the center body, and then lower the whole thing down on the engine....

What's the best way?

N!

neilh

Not trying to be a smart a**, but the same way it came off!
I find it easier to "install the tubes to the center body, and then lower the whole thing down on the engine...."
But don't tighten them down until the spiders legs are down!
Neil

hacker-pschorr

I always install all 8 tubes - fully torqued down - then the center unit. I've had the center unit off multiple times without doing anything with the bolts that hold down the tubes.

The key is to slide the rubber boots all the way on the tubes (not easy) and place all the hose clamps on the tubes. Then install the center unit on the TB, keep it loose on the TB. Pull / push the rubber sleves onto the center plenum, tighten down the hose clamps then tighten the huge hose clamp between the intake & tb.

I put the plenum on dead last since this makes it easier to install the fule lines, electrical lines, vacuum lines etc.... anything that may be under there. I've had my plenum off so many times on both cars I lost count.

Ben

This is the way I did it when fixing my intake leaks last week. If your boots are old beware that they might split (like one of mine did!) when sliding them over the tubes.
Regards,
Ben

GlenL

Center first, then tubes!

This makes it easy to tighten the clamps around the boot from the throttle body to the plenum. You've got to check that the plenum is at the right height for the tubes to attach.

Also note that there are two of each tube as they are symmetrical diagonally across the engine.

hacker-pschorr

This is why I do the tubes first, then there is no question as to the height of the plenum - just line it up and pull over the boots.

Having the longest - thinnest Shap-On flat head screw driver makes fastening the clamp between the plenum / TB a snap.

928ntslow

If everything is intact...which means the rubber dampening pieces that screw into the block, then it should be clear that the center with throttle body and all, gets installed first....there really is no other way. Once secure, the runners can be fitted.

hacker-pschorr

I can have my center plenum off / on in less than 15 minutes. Murph timed me last time (vacuum line was off - only way to reach it was pulling the center piece).

mark kibort

ive done this a lot. for me, its pull the tubes off individually, but assemble as a single unit with all the rubber tubes left loose. after all the runners are bolted down and torqued, you can move the center stuff around to be perfectly aligned with the throttle body and the "U"s mounts.

dont forget, you have to be plugging in the injectors and the rail and their bolt on flanges too along the way.

Mk

Normy

Thanx for the information. The manuals say to do what Hacker says- bolt the tubes down, push the rubber connectors onto the tubes, and then lower the plenum into place. The problem with that, and maybe it is because my S2 has the oversized tubes...is that the rubber connectors [brand new] won't slide down onto the intake runners. I managed to get the four passenger side intake tubes bolted down and connected to the plenum, and I've got #5 and #6 bolted down right now, but it is slow going and I quit working on the car 30 minutes ago because the garage was full of mosquitos.

Injector rails? I polished these, and painted the injectors and their hold-down's tonight. It's going to look pretty hot when it is done...

Thanx again!

N!

ceedee

you even take your car apart in racing manner, ey?

hacker-pschorr

When you take the plenum off as many times as I have - it becomes a challange!

ceedee

i hear ya...lol
wish i could be your apprentice

hacker-pschorr

A night in my garage involves a lot of tool throwing and beer drinking

sublimate

Let's see some pics!