2G Evo 3 intake mainfold or aftermarket?

[Xarzor]

I've been thinking about upgrading my intake manifold for a little while and can't decide whether to go with an aftermarket or doing something like a evo 3 swap.

My goals are around 400hp with this car. Until I decide to AWD swap or buy a GSX I'm happy with those numbers.

It appears to me that you will have to drill and tap all your own holes with an aftermarket manifold? Like the holes for your manifold sensor, vacuum lines and injectors. How much added cost is there to getting your aftermarket manifold set up and running? Is it worth buying a used evo 3 instead? They're going for around $450 shipped off of ebay.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Those Ebay prices aren't very good. Most people sell them for $200ish. Many of the aftermarket manifolds like JMF and Magnus have predrilled and tapped ports.

 

[DogWhistle]

The EVO 3 manifold has shorter runners than the DSM intake. The effect of this is reducing some lower RPM torque for a little more response in the mid range RPMs. Whether that’s a benefit to you depends on how you plan to drive your car.

Many aftermarket manifolds have limited ports on them so you can install a vacuum port manifold that will allow you to connect several vacuum lines at the same time. Connecting a MAP sensor can require a mounting kit.

The classifieds here occasionally have a member selling an aftermarket manifold where these mods have already been done.

 

[gofer]

The title of your thread is a bit deceiving, it seems like you're asking if a SMIM is worth it or should you go with a evo 3 IM instead.

The cost of a SMIM goes beyond just what you pay for one from a vendor, which is already usually more than a OE evo III IM. If you install a SMIM you also need to factor in the cost of relocating your battery or getting a smaller one, moving the brake fluid reservoir to clear the larger IM plenum, and making IC piping changes since a SMIM will relocate the TB. The evo III IM will support your hp goals and bolt into place without making any modifications to your IC piping, battery, or brake fluid reservoir to run it.

Only thing I suggest is if you're shopping for a evo III IM try to find one with a coil pack bracket since the stock 2g bracket doesn't work. If you find a good price for one w/o a bracket you can buy a fabricated one from BoostedFab, only place I know that makes them aftermarket. https://www.boostedfabrication.com/collections/4g-csm/products/evo-3-coil-pack-bracket

 

[Xarzor]

The title of your thread is a bit deceiving, it seems like you're asking if a SMIM is worth it or should you go with a evo 3 IM instead.

The cost of a SMIM goes beyond just what you pay for one from a vendor, which is already usually more than a OE evo III IM. If you install a SMIM you also need to factor in the cost of relocating your battery or getting a smaller one, moving the brake fluid reservoir to clear the larger IM plenum, and making IC piping changes since a SMIM will relocate the TB. The evo III IM will support your hp goals and bolt into place without making any modifications to your IC piping, battery, or brake fluid reservoir to run it.

Only thing I suggest is if you're shopping for a evo III IM try to find one with a coil pack bracket since the stock 2g bracket doesn't work. If you find a good price for one w/o a bracket you can buy a fabricated one from BoostedFab, only place I know that makes them aftermarket. https://www.boostedfabrication.com/collections/4g-csm/products/evo-3-coil-pack-bracket

These are things I was wanting to know. I was looking at a JMF manifold on STM tuned and noticed the extra charge for injector ports. I was wondering what other costs I would encounter. I want to be able to upgrade the IM and not not have a large investment that I don't fully utilize, considering I don't plan on tracking the car.

Correct me if I'm wrong with a evo 3 IM you can use a larger throttle body? Does anyone know what the optimal size is?

 

[DSMPT]

It appears to me that you will have to drill and tap all your own holes with an aftermarket manifold? Like the holes for your manifold sensor, vacuum lines and injectors.

Usually it comes with vacuum ports, no need to drill/tap for anything of those. Injector ports are on cylinder head side, so you don't need injector ports on intake manifold unless you are planning to run with 8 injectors, dual fuel rail. The only thing it doesn't come with is a MDP sensor port. But you can use an adapter for a MDP sensor (or Mitsubishi MDP style Omni MAP sensor).

Is it worth buying a used evo 3 instead? They're going for around $450 shipped off of ebay.

The early EVO intake manifold would be a good upgrade from 2g's.
I now see one in eBay for around 230 shipped to the US. You can still find it in the market but those are getting harder to find and more expensive day by day.

Correct me if I'm wrong with a evo 3 IM you can use a larger throttle body?

Comparing to 2g, yes. The early EVO intake manifold port size is 60mm, the same as 1g. So you can use a 1g throttle body without porting the inlet.

 

[Spleen8urLSX]

Like someone had mentioned, it really depends on how you intend to drive it. If that 400 horsepower is your only goal you could do that no problem with the stock 2g intake manifold.

 

[gofer]

These are things I was wanting to know. I was looking at a JMF manifold on STM tuned and noticed the extra charge for injector ports. I was wondering what other costs I would encounter. I want to be able to upgrade the IM and not not have a large investment that I don't fully utilize, considering I don't plan on tracking the car.

Correct me if I'm wrong with a evo 3 IM you can use a larger throttle body? Does anyone know what the optimal size is?

The extra charge for injector ports is if you're going to run an additional bank of fuel injectors (8 v 4), the stock injector ports are in the back of the head so you won't need this unless you plan on running 1000hp+.

The E3 IM has a 60mm inlet (same as the 1g TB) and the RVR IM has a 52mm inlet (same as the 2g TB). If you're unaware, the RVR IM is identical to the E3 IM with the exception of the size of the TB inlet, EGR port, and it's missing an additional vacuum port towards the end of the plenum. If you get an RVR your stock 2g TB will match the inlet size but if you want to maximize your setup and upgrade to a 60mm (1g/E3) TB then you'll have to port the inlet of the IM which I'd recommend doing before you install it.

I'd recommend getting a 1g (91-94) TB and install it with the E3 IM.

Like someone had mentioned, it really depends on how you intend to drive it. If that 400 horsepower is your only goal you could do that no problem with the stock 2g intake manifold.

The Evo3 intake has a bigger plenum and shorter runners than a 2g intake, this means more power higher up in the rpm band. While it maybe possible to get to 400 hp with a stock 2g IM that doesn't mean his setup couldn't benefit from this relatively inexpensive upgrade that bolts on.




For any reading material on this, we've got a really old thread from 2007 that has a lot of good info about the E3/RVR IM.

https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/lancer-evolution-iii-intake-manifold.245603/