Phenolic Plenum and Throttle Body Spacers for M45 - VK45

[M4point5]

Hey guys, not new to the car but new to the forum. I know there is some interest in throttle body and plenum spacers for the VK45 but none to be found anywhere. I have been in contact with a company out of Florida that specializes in these phenolic spacers and they are willing to undertake the project with 10 preorders.

Price on the plenum spacer hasnt been determined yet but they will get back to me by Monday. Price on the phenolic spacer is $22.99 for the throttle body OR $69.99 for a billet aluminum spacer.

I am also talking to a couple local thermoplastics shops to see if this is something they can do as well. So who needs these spacers? I sure do, due to the tremendous heat soak. Feel free to discuss!

[atlM35]

I would probably be interested in some spacers, depending on the design and final price.

[M4point5]

I decided to just do this project with a local shop I worked with in the past. These spacers will be cut from 1/4" Teflon sheeting, heat rating up to 500*.

I am going to have the throttle body and upper plenum spacers made but I am also thinking of having a lower plenum spacer made as well BUT I will not personally be installing the lower spacer.

I just need to get my hands on a set of plenum gaskets and the throttlebody gasket. Or I will just make a template. Unlike the phenolic type spacers, the teflon spacers will be a gasketless piece, due to the tensile properties.

I am still not 100% sure on the cost for these pieces yet because CNC work has to be figured in as well...but if anyone is interested I am sure I can get these produced in a good quantity.

[DeanM45]

I have been working on this as well for a while and would be interested in what your shop comes back with price wise for the plenum spacer. Because of the setup of the 45 plenum a TB spacer will not be of benefit IF you are using an upper plenum spacer. The upper plenum gasket can be as thick as 3/4" with no fitment issues or hood close issues. I got my upper plenum gasket off of Amazon for $23. You will need a decent size sheet of teflon due to the upper plenum being a "box" instead of just rail gaskets. This also means that the table on the water jet has to be a good size as well. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out as I am busy with other projects (mainly work) right now.

[M4point5]

Clearance isn't an issue with the thicker spacer - but my concern will be air flow from the butterfly valves. The valves hit the side of the lower plenum a certain way...I don't know that moving the plenum up by 1/2 - 3/4" would have any effect on the airflow or not. I am sure the spacers could be made to any spec I give them.

The throttle body spacer may help - the TB bolts to the lower plenum so I am sure any sort of heat barrier would be of SOME benefit. Especially in conjunction with the coolant bypass.

I will have the plenum gasket Monday or Tuesday...we will see what happens as things unfold.

[DeanM45]

Clearance isn't an issue with the thicker spacer - but my concern will be air flow from the butterfly valves. The valves hit the side of the lower plenum a certain way...I don't know that moving the plenum up by 1/2 - 3/4" would have any effect on the airflow or not. I am sure the spacers could be made to any spec I give them.

The throttle body spacer may help - the TB bolts to the lower plenum so I am sure any sort of heat barrier would be of SOME benefit. Especially in conjunction with the coolant bypass.

I will have the plenum gasket Monday or Tuesday...we will see what happens as things unfold.

With the way the butterfly valves rotate I doubt there would be any issues. Anything less than ~10" of vacuum and they are closed so the runners are utilized more for cruising torque than anything else. The only thing I would be worried about would be a spacer on the lower plenum --- may affect the atomization of fuel. I doubt it but it could because of raising the injector up (injector flow could hit the walls and puddle).

[M4point5]

That is one thing I had thought of as well - which is why I won't be doing a lower plenum spacer myself. I may do a 1/2" spacer and see what comes of it. I know I can do a 1/4" no problem

[M4point5]

Will be going today to see if they have materials for a 1/2" spacer. If not, it will be 1/4". Gasket for the plenum should be here by the afternoon and turnaround for CNC is about a day, two days max.

[M4point5]

Seems we ran into a snag with the shop I was going to use...he says the plenum gasket is too complicated to match because he doesn't have a way to just scan the gasket and cut it. So moving on to find other shops.

[AZM45S]

I would be interested, pending price.

[svard75]

Seems we ran into a snag with the shop I was going to use...he says the plenum gasket is too complicated to match because he doesn't have a way to just scan the gasket and cut it. So moving on to find other shops.

Realistically he needs to build the form in a CAD program first then send it to the computer the CNC machine is on and then CNC a scrap piece of metal or something thinner just to make sure it's the correct size. Maybe it's done a different way now but the CAD part is the PITA so maybe they just don't want to deal with it? Or you could get a independent CAD designer to make your template and save it in the CNC machine format then take it to a machine shop.

[M4point5]

Not necessarily. There are a few companies I have found that you can send a scanned or fax copy of your template for them to CNC. But the shop I was originally going to said they dont have a way to do so...if the corel draw file was made, he wouldnt have any issue cutting it. So I am trying to either get the file made or...idk

The other method would be to use punches to get the shape out of the sheeting. I will be going to a fab shop tomorrow to see what they say.

[M4point5]

Update: Seems all of the shops claim the plenum setup is just too complicated to draw out and cut. Soooo...I will be breaking out the rotary cutter and doing it myself tomorrow or Saturday. Welcome to hours of fun!

[svard75]

What about overseas, like India? You could scan them the part but provide exact sizing. Btw before you have it made out of the gasket did you do gasket matching with the top and bottom? Some gaskets get deformed over time and are even slightly too large. If you wish to entertain overseas work you can probably find someone on alibaba.com.

[M4point5]

Gasket is too big to scan...at least with what I have access to. A HQ picture head on may suffice but I am not down to wait so long from overseas and there is no way to know if it is cut correctly until it arrives. Too many variables.

Also if you look at the gaskets, the throttle body is steel and the plenum is a graphite composite.

[M4point5]

I had a friend draw up the throttle body and plenum gaskets in CAD. I gave those over to the shop - he said it will probably be next week before having time to cut on a scrap piece so just a bit longer and hopefully there will be a spacer available

[M4point5]

So even after I had the CAD files drawn up, the shop STILL cant cut these. No clue why....so this project is now on the back burner until I can find someone kbowledgable enough to know what they are doing.

[svard75]

Overseas man. Someone in China would jump at the opportunity. That shop is just being lazy.