Rb25 Intake Plenum Upgrade - Rb26 Intake Or Ebay Special?

[JZP]

Hey, I'm cleaning up my track car front mount intercooler & plumbing.

If I'm going to spend some money on undoing the spaghetti plumbing, I've decided that I should have the intake plenum pointing in the right direction to start with.

I just need a simple answer to my question:

Is it worth the hassle of going down the path of 'making' the RB26 intake plenum fit, or am I better off buying an Ebay special with gaskets, etc?

One of the searches I've done on this topic here seems to be a cat fight, so I'd rather a straight up response from someone who's done this before.

[R31Nismoid]

ebay special works out cheaper even after you clean them up.

as to how well the work compared to the other option, thats debated all over.

[The Mafia]

I also got a eBay special that leaked and was useless. Autobarn stock shiny ones that are excellent quality for $350 with all bolts and bits.

[GTSBoy]

Secondhand RB26 plenums and TBs are usually a recipe for getting someone's leaky old throttleshafts and wondering why it doesn't run right afterwards.

[JZP]

It seems my suspicions were sort of right, might be best to avoid the RB26 plenum.

There seems to be heaps of 'shiny' items on ebay.... like anything - buyer beware! Seems to be a bit of a gamble.

I also got a eBay special that leaked and was useless. Autobarn stock shiny ones that are excellent quality for $350 with all bolts and bits.

Do you have an opinion on how the Autobarn one performs?? Any pics/specs you can share?

[kitto]

If i were you, i'd just retain the factory plenum. Just make your current piping look neat.

[Zorro]

The Autobarn plenums are cheap crap, they are the same as the chinese ebay ones! Im looking into either a Greddy or going the rb26 itb setup myself! Greddy would be alot easier & cheaper, but the rb26 itbs are cooler! Im leaning toward the itbs & RIPS can do/(supply) all the coversion work too!

[The Mafia]

The Autobarn plenums are cheap crap, they are the same as the chinese ebay ones! Im looking into either a Greddy or going the rb26 itb setup myself! Greddy would be alot easier & cheaper, but the rb26 itbs are cooler! Im leaning toward the itbs & RIPS can do/(supply) all the coversion work too!

I disagree. I've had them side by side, and they are completely different.

The Autobarn one that I got was finished better than a greaddy (polished) but the parts and kit wasn't as good. This was very easily fixed for about $10 worth of bolts, and some vacuum hose.

The ebay one had dags everywhere, and leaked water into the intake (I had it professionally pressure tested).

The autobarn one is sitting on the car right now, doing a very good job. On an RB25\30 motor.

ANd Zorro - Be prepared to spend about $2k changing your intake manifold, and getting adapters etc. And you'll need more to sort it out getting it running properly if you don't have other mods in place like a tunable ECU etc for the intake side change.

Its not just a case of whacking it one and everything is sweet.

Edited November 8, 2011 by The Mafia

[methz]

f**king LOL at the ppl who think they know it all.

im with mafia.

but i bite the bullet and bought a cheap FREDDY manifold 4yrs ago from ministryofbass. got it skimmed, hasnt missed beat since.

and why the f**k would u waste ur money on a ugly ass rb26 plenum, like mafia said spend about 2k.

go hypertune 4 that money just about.

[JZP]

I disagree. I've had them side by side, and they are completely different.

The Autobarn one that I got was finished better than a greaddy (polished) but the parts and kit wasn't as good. This was very easily fixed for about $10 worth of bolts, and some vacuum hose.

The ebay one had dags everywhere, and leaked water into the intake (I had it professionally pressure tested).

The autobarn one is sitting on the car right now, doing a very good job. On an RB25\30 motor.

ANd Zorro - Be prepared to spend about $2k changing your intake manifold, and getting adapters etc. And you'll need more to sort it out getting it running properly if you don't have other mods in place like a tunable ECU etc for the intake side change.

Its not just a case of whacking it one and everything is sweet.

Good to see you have had some real world experiences. I see you were also one of the 'originals' that went down this path some time ago. Do you have any pics of your current setup (mabye a link)?

I found this on fleabay from a distributor in Tassie (nice and shiny):

[BLITZ-26]

why dont you have a look at the plazaman plenums they are amazing quality work well and you dont lose all your bottom or mid range with the short runners?

[BLITZ-26]

why dont you have a look at the plazaman plenums they are amazing quality work well and you dont lose all your bottom or mid range with the short runners?

[Zorro]

yeah fn lol at the people who think they know it all! - well said lololol oh the irony! Oh look its shiny it must be better..... seriously I used to sell those Autobarn plenums, they are cheap crap! But hey if its looks you are after then as long as it works you'd be happy! IMO there is nothing wrong with the look of the rb26 setup, but the itb setup is superior & its performance is proven! The cost is higher, and i think its worth it for what im doing, its not going onto a std 25, but a fully built 25/30 & im fully aware of whats involved! Blitz is right plazmaman makes a very nice plenum setup too! But i can understand you wanting to defend your pos manifold that you got ripped off on.... after all it is shiny! lol

[Silvia GTR]

f**king LOL at the ppl who think they know it all.

im with mafia.

but i bite the bullet and bought a cheap FREDDY manifold 4yrs ago from ministryofbass. got it skimmed, hasnt missed beat since.

and why the f**k would u waste ur money on a ugly ass rb26 plenum, like mafia said spend about 2k.

go hypertune 4 that money just about.

This

[JZP]

yeah fn lol at the people who think they know it all! - well said lololol oh the irony! Oh look its shiny it must be better..... seriously I used to sell those Autobarn plenums, they are cheap crap! But hey if its looks you are after then as long as it works you'd be happy! IMO there is nothing wrong with the look of the rb26 setup, but the itb setup is superior & its performance is proven! The cost is higher, and i think its worth it for what im doing, its not going onto a std 25, but a fully built 25/30 & im fully aware of whats involved! Blitz is right plazmaman makes a very nice plenum setup too! But i can understand you wanting to defend your pos manifold that you got ripped off on.... after all it is shiny! lol

Did you think I was serious with the 'shiny' comment?? Really? It's a track car ffs. For the record, I'm really after performance.

[Zorro]

ok my sarcasm seems to have been missed some how? JZP, my last comment was largely directed at Methz & to a lesser extent the mafia!

Dude seriously, its your car, your egine, your money do what ever the f you want to it! I gave you my opinion & thoughts regarding this mod (for whatever its worth) , as im going down a similar path! I couldnt give two shits about looks, performance & reliability are my main concerns! Im even going to give mine a black wrinkle coat finish, cos shiny is the ghey!

The cheap ass manis are fine if budget is number one priority, they work (so long as you dont get one with a pourosity problem), the genuine GReddy ones (which all the cheap ones are copied from) are proven performers. The plazmamans, RIPS manis etc are excellent, and lastly the rb26 itb manis are cool (you can even get a nismo plenum section), but a pita to fit & expensive, but for some reason i like the idea of it & i can do it for a fair bit less than 2k! Rob @ RIPS modifies the rb25 runners to adapt the 26 itbs & plenum so you can still retain the vct, correct injector position & water pipe for $850NZD!

good luck!

[methz]

470hp at wheels on 26psi thru my stock rb25, is proven aswell.

its not always about spending the most money on the most expensive parts.

make something work. yeah greddy manifolds are nice. but is the extra $900 worth it when something does the EXACT same job. flows f**king AIR.

meh i dnt need 2 argue, i know what does and doesnt work cause IVE tried it.

good day

[The Bogan]

I've been told by my tuner that for under 300 killerwasps the stock setup is the best for response, longer runners or something, I'm now running a China spec plenum and China spec throttlebody, face was machined and cleaned out the ports, done and dusted, new China spec gear is not like the old stuff.

[The Bogan]

I've been told by my tuner that for under 300 killerwasps the stock setup is the best for response, longer runners or something, I'm now running a China spec plenum and China spec throttlebody, face was machined and cleaned out the ports, done and dusted, new China spec gear is not like the old stuff.

[JZP]

ok my sarcasm seems to have been missed some how? JZP, my last comment was largely directed at Methz & to a lesser extent the mafia!

Dude seriously, its your car, your egine, your money do what ever the f you want to it! I gave you my opinion & thoughts regarding this mod (for whatever its worth) , as im going down a similar path! I couldnt give two shits about looks, performance & reliability are my main concerns! Im even going to give mine a black wrinkle coat finish, cos shiny is the ghey!

The cheap ass manis are fine if budget is number one priority, they work (so long as you dont get one with a pourosity problem), the genuine GReddy ones (which all the cheap ones are copied from) are proven performers. The plazmamans, RIPS manis etc are excellent, and lastly the rb26 itb manis are cool (you can even get a nismo plenum section), but a pita to fit & expensive, but for some reason i like the idea of it & i can do it for a fair bit less than 2k! Rob @ RIPS modifies the rb25 runners to adapt the 26 itbs & plenum so you can still retain the vct, correct injector position & water pipe for $850NZD!

good luck!

Ahh, it's all good - thanks for the feedback. Reading it back - I must have been in a bad mood. Appreciate your input.