Accufab 75 TB/plenum combo is in...any install tips???

[fellamansteve]

My TB/plenum came in today, checked it out just to make sure everything is in order. I've got a Haynes manual and I've been reading over the swap instructions to make sure I know what I'm doing before I do it, but was curious if anyone else had any helpful tips. Also, it came with two different sizes of PCV tubes. Anyone know which one you're supposed to use with a 2001 GT?

My catback exhaust is supposed to be in tomorrow and I hope to have that installed before I put in the TB/plenum this weekend.

Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[Ken01GTvert]

Here's a few pointers from my past experience:
1. Be sure to disconnect the battery before you start your work (so computer can reset after new TB and plenum is installed).
2. Disconnect the rubber intake tube from the TB, remove the TB (4 screws I think), remove the plenum
3. It may be difficult to remove the TPS from the old TB so be sure to use the right size screwdriver and don't strip the screws
4. It might be easier to attach the throttle body first before installing the plenum. Check it out to see if you have clearance first (to tighten the plenum bolts).
5. Make sure the original rubber gasket (actually it's like a big o-ring) is in place on the lower intake manifold before installing the Accufab plenum.
6. Be sure not to overtighten the plenum to the lower intake manifold (it is plastic after all).
7. I have a 2001 that was built in Oct 2000. It requires the smaller hose. The larger hose is for later models of the 2001.
8. Check and double check all connections and vacuum lines before starting your car back up. Neglecting to re-hookup a hose or having a loose connection will cause the car to idle irradically
9. After hooking the battery back up be sure to follow the correct procedure to re-calibrate the computer. Don't simple start the car back up. Put the key in the ignition and turn the key so the accessories turn on (don't turn the engine over), the needles on your gauges will go all the way to the right and then will go back all the way to the left (this will only take a couple of seconds). Once this is done start the engine normally and go for a drive to test it all out.
10. After everything is working good and you've saved up some more money, get rid of the rubber intake (between the MAF and TB) and replace it with the C&L pipe. It will allow for better breathing.
Hope this helps!

 

[NasaGT]

Nice writeup Ken. One thing a few others have noted - its a good idea to take a reading on your TPS before you take the old TB and plenum off - that way you can make sure its near the original settings on the new TB.

 

[fellamansteve]

10. After everything is working good and you've saved up some more money, get rid of the rubber intake (between the MAF and TB) and replace it with the C&L pipe. It will allow for better breathing.

I've looked into the C&L pipes and came up with a question...can you use them with a drop in K&N Filter and otherwise stock MAF or do you have to get the C&L MAF kit?

 

[Rocketman]

Intalled mine last Saturday. Ken's write up says it all. I did use a torque wrench to tighten down the plenum bolts. Be careful when removing the stock plenum. When I pulled mine away from the EGR valve, the gasket droped down the intake and I had to fish it out.

 

[Ken01GTvert]

Nice writeup Ken. One thing a few others have noted - its a good idea to take a reading on your TPS before you take the old TB and plenum off - that way you can make sure its near the original settings on the new TB.

Hmmm....I'm glad you brought that up....that was one of the questions that I remember I had when I installed it. What determines the TPS reading? I guess I thought if I took it off and just put it on the new TB that things would be the same. What would change the TPS voltage and does this apply to 99+ GTs ?

 

[Ken01GTvert]

I've looked into the C&L pipes and came up with a question...can you use them with a drop in K&N Filter and otherwise stock MAF or do you have to get the C&L MAF kit?

Yes, you can use C&L pipe with stock MAF, meter, and airbox with K&N in place. That's the current setup I have. Once I added C&L intake plenum and Accufab 70mm TB I was running lean and started throwing codes. I removed the C&L MAF and things have worked fine ever since. I plan to put the C&L MAF back on when I get a chip installed so it can be tuned for it so I'm not running lean anymore.

 

[twogts4us]

We had absolutely no problems reusing the TPS. As was noted above, use a good screwdriver and, if at all possible, don't strip the screws! I put the old plenum/TB in my B&D Workmate, and used a power screwdriver (not a drill) with the PROPER SIZE bit. They came out pretty easily, but thread lock makes it a bit of a challenge.
There are actually 5 bolts that hold the plenum to the manifold.
For 01, you'll use the smaller PCV fitting. 02 on up uses the bigger one. I did not use any kind of thread lock on this because it fit very tightly without anything. Once I started putting it on, there was no turning back.
You'll need a 10mm deep socket for the rear bolt on the EGR valve.
The cruise control hookup simply snaps off. The throttle cable slips in. Open the TB butterfly, pull a bit of the cable slack and it will come right out of the track and out of the connector. It's very simple once you see it.
It's a pretty simple swap, no surprises.
Congrats on getting the best plenum and TB combo!!!
Pic of mine below...

 

[sabrooks]

We had absolutely no problems reusing the TPS. As was noted above, use a good screwdriver and, if at all possible, don't strip the screws! I put the old plenum/TB in my B&D Workmate, and used a power screwdriver (not a drill) with the PROPER SIZE bit. They came out pretty easily, but thread lock makes it a bit of a challenge.
There are actually 5 bolts that hold the plenum to the manifold.
For 01, you'll use the smaller PCV fitting. 02 on up uses the bigger one. I did not use any kind of thread lock on this because it fit very tightly without anything. Once I started putting it on, there was no turning back.
You'll need a 10mm deep socket for the rear bolt on the EGR valve.
The cruise control hookup simply snaps off. The throttle cable slips in. Open the TB butterfly, pull a bit of the cable slack and it will come right out of the track and out of the connector. It's very simple once you see it.
It's a pretty simple swap, no surprises.
Congrats on getting the best plenum and TB combo!!!
Pic of mine below...

Is this a good forst mod?

 

[CottonBurnerz]

I did mine 2 weeks ago... here's some tips that may or may not have been covered..

1. get tps reading with voltage meter. Ideal is to get as close to 1.00 as possible. Mine was .96 before and I leave it at .97 after the install.
2. connect TB to plenum first before you install it
3. it will be easier to connect the plenum to the egr plate before bolting it down to the manifold.
4. careful not to strip anything
5. take your time on putting the stock rubber tube on the new TB. Use screw driver of some sort to help. Maybe use some lubricant like engine oil or something to help. I had a PITA time with it.
6. After all the install.. you may experience idle hangs when a/c is on.. that's normal I believe so don't worry about it too much

have fun there's lots of pics that i took during the install in my site.. check 'em out

 

[fellamansteve]

I got in put in Friday night with WD-40's help, started a new thread about it. But a quick rundown of how it went.

We couldn't get a voltage reading on the TPS the way my Haynes manual said to, so we measured the resistance with an ohm meter at idle position instead. We went off that for the Accufab, plus we found a dark spot and shined a flashlight through the plenums to get an idea of how much the butterfly was open at idle. In the end, it didn't idle crazy-high (up to 1200RPMs then dropped down to about 800) and I tried some hard braking at high speeds and she hasn't died or faltered on me yet. Accufab sent me the combo bolted together already so that saved some time We uninstalled the factory one as one piece. I did end up stripping one of the TPS screws, so we had to drill the head off with a drill press...the screw holes on the TPS weren't threaded, so the TPS slid right off. Accufab provided new TPS screws, so that helped out as well. There was a hose that was rubbing against the accelerator cable when we got done, so we zip tied the hose out of the way. I think that's about all the issues we had. It wasn't too bad.

 

[twogts4us]

Is this a good forst mod?

I think so, but I'd do gears before this to really take advantage of the largest part of the gain, which is above 3K RPMS.
I had my catback, shifter, gears and SCT (tuned and) installed in one shot, then I added the Accufab TB and plenum along with the C&L MAF and Trueflow tube a couple months later.

 

[sabrooks]

that sounds great I am not the best mechanic so I will be asking questions. How do you adjust the TPS to get the reading you want? That's my main concern.

 

[sabrooks]

that sounds great I am not the best mechanic so I will be asking questions. How do you adjust the TPS to get the reading you want? That's my main concern. My Accufab was just ordered through Mustangtuning.com they are awesome!!!

 

[Rocketman]

that sounds great I am not the best mechanic so I will be asking questions. How do you adjust the TPS to get the reading you want? That's my main concern. My Accufab was just ordered through Mustangtuning.com they are awesome!!!

I wouldn't worry that much about setting the TPS. I got my combo at Accufab, drove over and picked it up at their office out in Ontario CA. I specifically asked the tech there about the TPS. He said just losen the two screws a little while the car is ideling and move the TPS a little until you get the idle you like. When I first started my car after the install it ran perfect and I never made any adjustments to the TPS.

 

[sabrooks]

I can't wait to get mine. Can you really feel a difference. I owuld think this would vooid my warranty.

 

[fellamansteve]

My Haynes manual said the TPS was not adjustable, and my TB said not to adjust the screws, they were set from the Accufab factory...we said f--- it on the screws and adjusted them a little bit...idles fine for me.

It's hard to tell how much I gained from the TB/plenum alone because I installed my catback the day before and didn't have a lot of time to get a good feel of how that helped the performance of my car before I put the TB/plenum in. I will say that after the TB/plenum went in, 1st gear became worth something at WOT, it was pulling well into 40mph whereas before after you hit 25-30mph, the RPMs would keep rising and the car wasn't going any faster until you shifted. It seems to pull a lot better now. I think it did deepen the sound of my exhaust a little bit, too.

 

[twogts4us]

My Haynes manual said the TPS was not adjustable, and my TB said not to adjust the screws, they were set from the Accufab factory...we said f--- it on the screws and adjusted them a little bit...idles fine for me.

That's cool, but I guess I am confused. The Accufab TB doesn't come from the factory with a TPS...???

 

[twogts4us]

I wouldn't worry that much about setting the TPS. I got my combo at Accufab, drove over and picked it up at their office out in Ontario CA. I specifically asked the tech there about the TPS. He said just losen the two screws a little while the car is ideling and move the TPS a little until you get the idle you like. When I first started my car after the install it ran perfect and I never made any adjustments to the TPS.

This was my experience EXACTLY, except I'm in FL, so the drive to Ontario would take a while! So we spoke on the phone and they told me the same, and I never had to touch it. The TPS has minimal (more like microscopic) adjustment.

 

[sabrooks]

Here's a few pointers from my past experience:
1. Be sure to disconnect the battery before you start your work (so computer can reset after new TB and plenum is installed).
2. Disconnect the rubber intake tube from the TB, remove the TB (4 screws I think), remove the plenum
3. It may be difficult to remove the TPS from the old TB so be sure to use the right size screwdriver and don't strip the screws
4. It might be easier to attach the throttle body first before installing the plenum. Check it out to see if you have clearance first (to tighten the plenum bolts).
5. Make sure the original rubber gasket (actually it's like a big o-ring) is in place on the lower intake manifold before installing the Accufab plenum.
6. Be sure not to overtighten the plenum to the lower intake manifold (it is plastic after all).
7. I have a 2001 that was built in Oct 2000. It requires the smaller hose. The larger hose is for later models of the 2001.
8. Check and double check all connections and vacuum lines before starting your car back up. Neglecting to re-hookup a hose or having a loose connection will cause the car to idle irradically
9. After hooking the battery back up be sure to follow the correct procedure to re-calibrate the computer. Don't simple start the car back up. Put the key in the ignition and turn the key so the accessories turn on (don't turn the engine over), the needles on your gauges will go all the way to the right and then will go back all the way to the left (this will only take a couple of seconds). Once this is done start the engine normally and go for a drive to test it all out.
10. After everything is working good and you've saved up some more money, get rid of the rubber intake (between the MAF and TB) and replace it with the C&L pipe. It will allow for better breathing.
Hope this helps!

How much torque did you use to secure the plunum back to the intake?