Intake manifold/plenum options

[Chopstick Tuner]

Can't find a thread on this so decided I'll make one to hear opinions. Just want to get some opinions on the different intake manifold options for RB's, particularly if you have actually seen or experienced the ones you're going to mention. 

Has anyone used the Otaku Garage ones, NPBoosted etc? Reputable or just look the part? 

And yes I'm aware plazmaman is great, just want to see all the options and what's out there, because mostly I see people run either plazmaman or cheap ebay lol but surely there are more? 

Also have a number of my own reasons for running an ffp, for anyone who's gonna tell me to stay stock. Aesthetics is certainly one, which is why I'm not actually too fond of plazmaman haha

 

So leave your opinions and reviews below. 

[robbo_rb180]

Otaku/rep/copies notorious for splitting
Any short runner manifold will be a performance hit in the low/mid range, even the plazmaman one.

Used Genuine Greddy and lost all low/mid torque, Quality was good 2007/2008
Currently using Plazmaman Plenum on std runners. Got all my low down torque back and Quality is great 2018

[Chopstick Tuner]

On 30/08/2021 at 7:25 PM, robbo_rb180 said:

Otaku/rep/copies notorious for splitting
Any short runner manifold will be a performance hit in the low/mid range, even the plazmaman one.

Used Genuine Greddy and lost all low/mid torque, Quality was good 2007/2008
Currently using Plazmaman Plenum on std runners. Got all my low down torque back and Quality is great 2018

That's interesting as I haven't heard bad things about otaku intakes yet, but I haven't heard much about them either. And yea def don't want to sacrifice too much low down, I've got an Rb20det after all haha

[joshuaho96]

On 8/30/2021 at 2:25 AM, robbo_rb180 said:

Otaku/rep/copies notorious for splitting
Any short runner manifold will be a performance hit in the low/mid range, even the plazmaman one.

Used Genuine Greddy and lost all low/mid torque, Quality was good 2007/2008
Currently using Plazmaman Plenum on std runners. Got all my low down torque back and Quality is great 2018

Does the Nismo plenum make more sense then for people that want to light a lot of money on fire for basically zero benefit? They claim the intake runner length is 73.8mm compared to 48.5mm for the OEM part. Plenum volume is 4.1L vs OEM 3.4L. Supposedly cylinder 5/6 have a different runner geometry as well to try and get it to have more even air/fuel distribution.

[GTSBoy]

On 8/31/2021 at 5:27 PM, joshuaho96 said:

They claim the intake runner length is 73.8mm compared to 48.5mm for the OEM part

They what? The runners one RB25 etc are waaay longer than 2 or 3 inches. Are you talking about RB26?

[joshuaho96]

On 8/31/2021 at 4:02 AM, GTSBoy said:

They what? The runners one RB25 etc are waaay longer than 2 or 3 inches. Are you talking about RB26?

Yeah, this is an RB26. Probably should've mentioned that part.

[GTSBoy]

On 9/1/2021 at 4:44 AM, joshuaho96 said:

Yeah, this is an RB26. Probably should've mentioned that part.

In that context, the Nismo plenum, if it offers the benefits that they claim, would be a good thing. The larger plenum volume will certainly help on big power cars. The improvements to the runner geometry might help. The length increase would be unnoticeable (except inasmuch as it might contribute to the large volume).

[Chopstick Tuner]

Thanks for the comments so far. 

 

Anyone else have experience with different intakes? Seems to be a case of either buy plazmaman/greddy or some ebay junk (or fancy name ebay junk with their own website) lol 

It's for an Rb20det btw

[Shoota_77]

Have a look at IMR in NZ.  He’s a one man show that makes some pretty awesome intakes.  I’ve got one for my car that will be DBW. It’s very well made and looks awesome  I’ll probably powdercoat it as well ven though the raw aluminium looks bloody good.

Mine-

 

You’d have to hit him up for a price for an RB20 manifold as it will be obviously different to an RB26.

[GTSBoy]

A short runner manifold an only be teh suck on an RB20.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

I would keep the stock RB20DET plenum and run Plazmaman swept back piping.

Save that money and put it towards a sex spec modern turbo with a divided housing, twin scroll manifold, twin gates. That RB20 needs all the help it can get And throwing a plenum on is going backwards.

[TurboTapin]

Has anyone dynoed the difference between using just a top plenum/oem runner vs short runner manifold? I'd love to see a graph and the difference. 

[Chopstick Tuner]

On 02/09/2021 at 8:01 AM, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I would keep the stock RB20DET plenum and run Plazmaman swept back piping.

Save that money and put it towards a sex spec modern turbo with a divided housing, twin scroll manifold, twin gates. That RB20 needs all the help it can get And throwing a plenum on is going backwards.

Not keeping stock, for a few reasons like I said. I do intend to keep the runners as long as I can to not lose so much low down torque. Aside from short runners causing the curve to be higher in the rev range, therefore sacrificing low down, a forward facing is not going backwards. 

It's also getting a 6boost manifold and a Garrett turbo lol so those are in the plans

[Chopstick Tuner]

On 01/09/2021 at 8:18 PM, Shoota_77 said:

Have a look at IMR in NZ.  He’s a one man show that makes some pretty awesome intakes.  I’ve got one for my car that will be DBW. It’s very well made and looks awesome  I’ll probably powdercoat it as well ven though the raw aluminium looks bloody good.

Mine-

 

You’d have to hit him up for a price for an RB20 manifold as it will be obviously different to an RB26.

Thanks for the input I'll have to look into it, but def need runners to be a lot longer than that lol

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Just remeber you don't have VCT and you have a 2.0L motor so the best option here if you want to go FFP is the Plazmaman plenum that utilises the stock runners.

Remember to go a divded rear housing on the turbo and twin scroll manifold. You'll need all the help you can get.

[Chopstick Tuner]

On 02/09/2021 at 10:19 AM, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

Just remeber you don't have VCT and you have a 2.0L motor so the best option here if you want to go FFP is the Plazmaman plenum that utilises the stock runners.

Remember to go a divded rear housing on the turbo and twin scroll manifold. You'll need all the help you can get.

Yeah plazmaman def seems to be the go, I was hoping to see if they had a good competitor for performance that just looked better hahah. But options are just a bit more limited on an Rb20det, without sacrificing what little it has low down lol

[GTSBoy]

On 9/2/2021 at 9:42 AM, Chopstick Tuner said:

Aside from short runners causing the curve to be higher in the rev range, therefore sacrificing low down, a forward facing is not going backwards. 

 

On 9/2/2021 at 10:08 AM, Chopstick Tuner said:

without sacrificing what little it has low down lol

These are the key points. Any sacrifice of what the RB20 has to offer before the boost threshold only hurts driveability. You can make an RB20 make lots of power, but when you do you get nothing, nothing, nothing, wheelspin.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Solution, nitrous for downlow

[Chopstick Tuner]

On 02/09/2021 at 11:00 AM, GTSBoy said:

 

These are the key points. Any sacrifice of what the RB20 has to offer before the boost threshold only hurts driveability. You can make an RB20 make lots of power, but when you do you get nothing, nothing, nothing, wheelspin.

I'm not disagreeing lol it's a street car so I want drivability, hence my search for a good intake that doesn't have tiny runners. There's always gonna be *some* sacrifice. But I'm not chasing massive power so it should be still good to drive, for huge power I'd look for an rb25det. 

 

[Stick180]

On 30/08/2021 at 7:36 PM, Chopstick Tuner said:

That's interesting as I haven't heard bad things about otaku intakes yet, but I haven't heard much about them either. And yea def don't want to sacrifice too much low down, I've got an Rb20det after all haha

Bad things are literally all you hear about the Otaku Garage intakes.