Difference between Ef and El Air intake systems

[TadKa]

I notice these systems look quite different with the ef looking more complex. what are the differences and which one would be best for installation on my Ed?

[mcflux]

Many people with EA-EDs seem to go for the XH snorkel for their intake. There might be a difference in shape/fit-ability between the XH and EF/EL snorkels + boxes.

-Dave-

[EA2BA]

Unless yuo change the whole intake manifold etc, etc, then you need an XH snorkle to goto to the exisitng air box.

[Rmyers]

Originally Posted by TadKa

I notice these systems look quite different with the ef looking more complex. what are the differences and which one would be best for installation on my Ed?

Ah you talking about the the intake manifold?? If so, this is called a broad band manifold (BBM for short). The difference is that the manifold has dual length runners, and has a butterfly that changes the direction of aircharge to reroute the air into one or the other. Longer runners improves low down torque while shorter runners are good for high end power, and therefore the manifold will switch the direction of aircharge from long runners to short runners at about 3800rpm. To do this it uses a vaccum switch which is controlled by the ecu (which i should add adjusts the timing maps to suite whichever mode the manifold is in).

If your going to do it, it is best to install either an EL ecu aswell or have some form of aftermarket engine management that can adjust the timing maps to suite the two different modes, otherwise from what i'v heard, it will most likely be detremental to performance....

[EA2BA]

it sure does hurt performance after 4,000 rpm though, below that, it takes of hard and flies, I have gone from 97.3 to 81.8 because of BBM and no change to ECU, I should be over 100 with the few other mods I have done as well, so on with the mods to get it right.

[TadKa]

thanks. I'll look at finding a el manifold and ecu then. still a little confused about the difference between ef and el. I understand the bbm better now though.

[EA2BA]

the difference is that EL has a redesigned top half (slightly better) and wil have all the required vacuum points for map sensor etc, so does EF, where the AU wont, but they all use the same lower half.

If your car does not have smartlock then the EL Ecu will have to be smartlock over ridden or smartlock installed (the point I am at now).

The piping going to the Throttle Body makes no difference, an AU with no filter made around 118rwkw and with EF piping and pod made the same, so apart from how it looks, it does not seem to make or lose power.

EDIT: I should aslo add that an EL ECU witth stuff up your trip computer if you have one, most the reading will be wrong and useless as well.

[TadKa]

thanks dude. very helpful

[EA2BA]

No worries, any thing else, just post it up, a few of us have done it correctly, and few of us have just chucked it in (i.e. ME ), so there alot of people to help give good advice.

I also hear without the knock sensor installed you also get pinging.

[Walkinshaw]

I ran BBM and EL ecu on an EA motor with no knock sensor, had no issues with pinging

[Psycho Chicken]

Same as above on EBII, no pinging problems at all.

EL piping is meant to be better, I'm sure someone ran it on the dyno and picked up a few kw over EF piping.

[EFFalcon]

and EL piping doesn't crack.
i changed from EF piping to EL piping then mandrel bent intake.

[LUXO_8]

also, EF piping is prone to splitting along the joins if your car backfires, as it is moulded/joined plastic, whereas the EL piping is solid rubber