[Aquafuzz]

My wife just bought a 2017 Crosstrek Prem. And would like a bit more acceleration. I’ve seen some different add-ons to include a billet manifold spacer, cold air intakes, and performance tuning. The billet manifold spacer is reasonably priced, around $300, and seems to be a quick install. Has anybody had any experience with this and does it provide the noted horsepower/torque as advertised? What other performance upgrades would fit a minimal budget for this particular car?

 

[FoaRyan]

My wife just bought a 2017 Crosstrek Prem. And would like a bit more acceleration. I’ve seen some different add-ons to include a billet manifold spacer, cold air intakes, and performance tuning. The billet manifold spacer is reasonably priced, around $300, and seems to be a quick install. Has anybody had any experience with this and does it provide the noted horsepower/torque as advertised? What other performance upgrades would fit a minimal budget for this particular car?

In my experience with the Crawfords (not sure if they're still manufactured), the spacers help a little in the middle of the RPM range, where you might notice the response is normally very flat. I think the technicalities make it so that your peak HP RPM is lowered by 250 or something, but I don't think mine ever reached top RPM anyway. So I look at it like this: my mid-range performance is improved, where I spend a lot of time accelerating, and passing is slightly easier, the top end might be lowered but you're actually reaching the same peak HP sooner if that's the case.

I would also like a retune, someday, to be mapped for the different airflow. It seems like that would round things out and make the ~160hp engine play in the 175hp range. Another piece if I was doing all that would be to look at the exhaust. Seems like it needs the headers/manifolds addressed first in my opinion, rather than a muffler to just make noise.

 

[CRSS REK]

I've never heard billet manifold spacer? Where can I get one? Brand? I'm also looking for a great cold air intake. I found the Takeda Momentum Pro 5R. Anyone else know anything about this brand? I have a 2019 Premium Edition. Looking to install a Borla Exhaust and Get it tuned somewhere... Im in So Cal, Orange, CA. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[FoaRyan]

That intake looks pretty good. Should isolate it better than the stock from engine heat. I guess it eliminates the secondary screen behind the filter, too? I don't know how badly that was ever needed, in fact I forgot mine was still in there. Probably doesn't matter without a retune.

The spacer was made by Crawford, and I think it was a limited production so there weren't that many of them. Unless they made more I might have grabbed one of the last ones out there a few years ago. I jokingly call it my "poor man's hi-rise intake," but it did seem to affect the performance characteristics slightly.

Here's mine:

 

[LostinTexas]

Be careful about dumping air into an engine. Without a tuned exhaust and fuel, it can be detrimental. Usually won't hurt, just make power fall on its face. Good part, easily reversible.
The towers may help increase air velocity going in, and may even help some, just not as much as a proper tune, and a self help tuner like I had on my bike would be very nice.
You have to decide the cost vs gain.
Good luck.