Long road to 3L

[SlowCat]

So My car is getting picked up next weekend (most likely) to start on the road to being a 3L ... But there are still a few questions I have.

Mainly what would be the best intake to use for a full 3.0L. I'm not building a hybrid & don't want to use my SVT UIM with an adapter or port matching.

Is there an good UIM for the 3L that'll fit under my hood ? I was thinking of the Mazda6 intake, but from looking over their forums it seems to be a consencus that the Intake track is a weak spot for them, just behind the exhuast being number one. Also I don't know if it'll fit. So is there any other car I could steal an intake manifold from that'll work ?

In most high performance cars the volume of the intake is fairly large compared to the size of the engine, the 2.5L seems like there's little there volume wise, the 3L seems better in that respect, but leaves a fair amount of room for improvment....

Thanks,
Chris

[BigBalledOX]

Stock UIM will work unless its an Escape I believe.

[Gorman]

..i've seen some of the guys discussing the the european ST220 inlet manifold. Maybe you might find that an area to investigate...G.

[brapple]

Stock UIM will work unless its an Escape I believe.


that is correct ...



and to the op, you do know your making more work for yourself by not building a hybrid or ported 3L ...

[SlowCat]

I've thought about the ST220, but finding one could be a pain, and I've heard it won't fit under the hood of a cougar. If someone on the forum has one and knows it'll fit under the hood I'd be happy to buy it.

I would like the higher compression of a hybrid, but there are other things I don't like about the idea of having a hybrid. Same with porting the 3L to take a 2.5L intake.

Lets just say that's not the direction I want to go, are there any other 3L intake manifolds that could fit ?

[BigBalledOX]

What's wrong with a stock 3L intake off a Taurus?

[SlowCat]

What's wrong with a stock 3L intake off a Taurus?

I don't really know that there is anything wrong with it... I just wanted to know if there was something else that was better & usable...

I mean whats wrong with the stock 2.5L intake on a cougar... It just depends on your goals, if you want more power from the 2.5L you upgrade to an SVT Intake or Max EH.

It's the same concept, I want to see how much I can get our of straight 3L, so I wanted to know if any other intake could work for it.

[canadiancougar]

I know someone with a ST220 UIM for sale but it's big bucks $$$$. PM if you want more info on it. As for the intake, I talked to Joey and he told me that the Nautilus CAI can be ordered with an extra bend or coupler to adapt to the oval port TB.

[brapple]

I would like the higher compression of a hybrid, but there are other things I don't like about the idea of having a hybrid. Same with porting the 3L to take a 2.5L intake.



would you share your thoughts on this? I'm interested in hearing why you don't like them. I look at everything and the ported 3L is the best way to go. Aircougar, ctmystique and I can swap one in a day if the block prep and porting are done ahead of time.

[Gorman]

I've thought about the ST220, but finding one could be a pain well if you can't find one...what about making one. I haven't seen this anywhere but would a stock 3L intake, extrude honed be just as good ?...G.

[SlowCat]

would you share your thoughts on this? I'm interested in hearing why you don't like them. I look at everything and the ported 3L is the best way to go. Aircougar, ctmystique and I can swap one in a day if the block prep and porting are done ahead of time.


I just don't think the 2.5L intake can flow, or has enough volume for the "best" performance. Does it wrok, yes, does it work well, yes. But I don't think it's best solution. Especially after seeing several pics of the original intake design for the 2.5L the volume was cut in half I'd bet. Meaning if they throught that if the original higher HP 2.5L needed twice the volume for "best" performance the current one is probably choking. Again it still works, and it works well, it's been proven that it can produce good numbers. I just don't think it's the best solution for a 3L, It's an opinion, it hasn't been proven, and I may be wrong, but that is the direction I want to go. I might be wrong, but no one knows at this point b/c no one has tried & shown their results.

[canadiancougar]

well if you can't find one...what about making one. I haven't seen this anywhere but would a stock 3L intake, extrude honed be just as good ?...G.

I think all the stock 3L UIM's are plastic. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[SlowCat]

I think all the stock 3L UIM's are plastic. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I think the ST220 is aluminium, but all others are plastic ...

[fordrule]

i know joey at npg was possibly working on a tb to uim spacer when he does his dyno runs to see if it helps on the svt uim and add volume. and also since npg has the lim mod there is no need for port matching. and before u say secondaries u can tune those out. also what cams are you using. where do u want ur power at in the midrange or the top? stock 3L cams fall flat on high end and the svt ones go till redline.....and some more. if ur using the 3l cams use the 3l uim, if ur using svt cams use the svt uim

[BigBalledOX]

I don't really know that there is anything wrong with it... I just wanted to know if there was something else that was better & usable...

I mean whats wrong with the stock 2.5L intake on a cougar... It just depends on your goals, if you want more power from the 2.5L you upgrade to an SVT Intake or Max EH.

It's the same concept, I want to see how much I can get our of straight 3L, so I wanted to know if any other intake could work for it.

Gotcha, not trying to be an ass, just trying to figure out what you were looking for out of an alternative upper.

As far as stuff that just bolts right up . . . you've pretty much listed it. Anything else would be a hack 'n slash job as far as I'm aware.

[SlowCat]

i know joey at npg was possibly working on a tb to uim spacer when he does his dyno runs to see if it helps on the svt uim and add volume. and also since npg has the lim mod there is no need for port matching. and before u say secondaries u can tune those out. also what cams are you using. where do u want ur power at in the midrange or the top? stock 3L cams fall flat on high end and the svt ones go till redline.....and some more. if ur using the 3l cams use the 3l uim, if ur using svt cams use the svt uim

A TB spacer might add some volume, but the original I've seen picture of has probably 1-2 liters more volume.

I wish I could get an ST220 UIM, but the 2 I've heard prices on are outrageous. I'm not going to pay well over $1000 for an intake.

Does anyone know if the Mazda6, Jag, or Lincoln intakes will fit under the hood?

[96blackse]

A TB spacer might add some volume, but the original I've seen picture of has probably 1-2 liters more volume.

I wish I could get an ST220 UIM, but the 2 I've heard prices on are outrageous. I'm not going to pay well over $1000 for an intake.

Does anyone know if the Mazda6, Jag, or Lincoln intakes will fit under the hood?

IIRC mazda 6 uses basically the escape intake. jag/lincoln the TB is gonna be on the powersteering pump side...

I heard the 05 taurus's have an improved UIM, never had one in my hands my self, but from the pics more of a taper on the runners for increased velocity but nothing close to the taper on the st220's runners

The big problem with the plastic UIM's is the EGR, the EGR tube goes right in the place to disturb the airflow after the TB... Easy fix, just delete EGR, its there ONLY for emissions and nothing else. And if you are worried about emissions tests trust me it will do just fine even cleaner than the stock 2.5 even without the EGR.