Skunk2 Intake manifold Review

tatsuIX · Aug 2, 2009, 01:33 AM

Disclaimer, this is my experience with the new Skunk2 Evo intake manifold, Wow!!!

Product Installation
Nothing but problems and all with the installation... first off I wanna quote "Skunk2's all-new, cast-aluminum Evo Pro Series Intake Manifold�which was tested and developed on the company's own Evo Time Attack race car�is a direct-fit replacement and offers ... blah, blah" well they don’t say whether their Time Attack car is an evo IX because if it is I’d like to know how they got it to fit without hitting the MIVEC Control module and the Cylinder head water pipe (larger than the Evo VIII)???? I had to take the manifold to a machine shop and have it machined (professionally) for it to fit, wow BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!

If anyone of you guys have ever taken an intake manifold off before, it’s a real pain in the ass!!! I never would have thought in a million years that this thing would be such a *****, oh well that’s why I paid to have it done, but I couldn’t help but feel for them.
The second problem and I will quote (again, Skunks advertisement) “Skunk2's Evo Pro Series Intake Manifold is a simple bolt-on affair. Unlike other intake manifolds, Skunk2's incorporates the factory configuration, leaving the throttle body in its original location, which means the original intercooler piping and hoses can be reused.” The throttle body is not kept in the original position, because if it was it would have fit flawlessly like my stock manifold w/ TB did connecting to my ETS UICP (short route), now you can play with the wording all you want ie “original intercooler piping and hoses can be reused.”, yes they can, if the original intake manifold will fit my ETS piping flawlessly then it should fit the Skunk2 intake manifold flawlessly, I mean they did say it!!! incorporates the factory configuration, leaving the throttle body in its original location It didn’t it was off and I mean SHORT, real short! They (my tuner) had to really pull on it to get it to connect while another person used an electrical ratchet gun to fasten the T bolt down, “simple bolt-on affair”, hardly the case!!!

Product Quality (quality control)
The whole point of this purchase was for the so called OEM style cast design and simple install, I won't even get into all the casting debris that filled the runners

total downer, and as far as the smooth transitions from the throttle body opening to the plenum to the runners, well put it this way. They are now, special thanks to James at Reese Tuning for the time and effort

I'm not to worried about all the casting imperfections on the undersides of the manifold but on the visible and in plain sight, there are just way to many for my liking. One of my brass fittings is actually cracked abit, wow how do you miss that?

Tuning and Performance
Wish I had Tuning results to share, but we ran out of time!

Now maybe I just a lemon or maybe inspector 17 just had a bad day, I'd hate to think all these intake manifolds are like this, so buyer beware

spdracr · Aug 2, 2009, 01:44 AM

damn strike 2 for skunk2 so far their throttle body and intake manifold are bad reviews

javicracer · Aug 2, 2009, 02:02 AM

dam im glad that you wrote this review cuz i was debating on get a milspec ported mani, the skunk mani, and reese ported mani!

I guess that ill send my spare mani to milspec.

I wanna see the power!

dsm25psi · Aug 2, 2009, 02:57 AM

wow, skunk really dropped the ball with the evo market. First the tb was FAIL then this lol.

wizzo 8 · Aug 2, 2009, 08:55 AM

Not good

Kracka · Aug 2, 2009, 08:59 AM

Not surprising to hear their intake manifold is a total POS just like their throttle body is. Rip that crap off your car and get a nice ported stock IM/TB combo and be done with it.

Import Junky · Aug 2, 2009, 09:08 AM

haha....just as I thought. Sorry bro, I'm not laughing at you. One of the things I noticed by the pics is that the plenum seemed too short and it definately looked like it would put the throttle body in a different spot. Aftermarket companies really suck sometimes.

scheides · Aug 2, 2009, 09:14 AM

Do you have any pics of the issues you saw?

What a disappointment

Its a 7 · Aug 2, 2009, 09:29 AM

That sucks, there throttle body got bad reviews and well. Enough that i knew i wouldn't have purchased this from them.

vwjeff · Aug 2, 2009, 12:31 PM

Sorry to hear about all this. I just searched for there manifold and it looks like a Nice unit, combined with the t-body 1 would think it would be an awsome setup. But it apairs all there sh*t sucks?
I am looking to get a new intake manifold, I wanna get this Wilson junk off my car asap! Its looking like I will go with Buschurs new manifold or the new DI?

IDRINKV8'S · Aug 2, 2009, 12:42 PM

I think they should just stick to hondas i had good gains from their intake manifold on my type r....

Erik@MIL.SPEC · Aug 2, 2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwjeff

I wanna get this Wilson junk off my car asap!

Now Wilson is junk? Allow us to agree to disagree on that "small" point.

I sincerely hope you never run a business, because karma can be a beotch.

aka.ralliart15 · Aug 2, 2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erik@MIL.SPEC

Now Wilson is junk? Allow us to agree to disagree on that "small" point.

please explain guys....i always though wilson was a great brand and we saw many great results

back on topic:
i guess this sucks too..aww well there are better ones out there right

MrEVO313 · Aug 2, 2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IDRINKV8'S

I think they should just stick to hondas i had good gains from their intake manifold on my type r....

^^^ Same here, I had good gains on my b-series powered teg... They really should just stick to Honda

o-townFLA · Aug 2, 2009, 05:56 PM

Did James recommend this...? You should have had Aby/Mil.Spec make you the new R2 intake manifold...

Great Review, to bad it didnt work out for you...