Manifold and air clearner

[lonnie]

On my Unique I have a Torker single plane manifold with a 650 proform carb and the long oval cobra air cleaner 351W.
The car has problems taking throttle but got better when I replaced the 750 Holley with the 650 proform but still not right. So I bought a Edelbrock Performer dual plane manifold. My mechanic feels that the Performer manifold will not work right and would like me to get a RPM Air-gap first choice or a Performer RPM second choice. Our concern is that both manifolds will
raise the carb and clearance with the oval air cleaner is only .6 now.
What I would like to know is what air cleaner are you guys using with a air gap or rpm manifold. Also are the RPM manifolds worth throwing away a brand new Performer?
Thanks guys
Lonnie

[ralphscott]

I have an Performer RPM on my FE and am running a Stellings & Hellings #AC2 (Tony Branda) type air cleaner on a Quick Fuel Q650PV. Going down from the 780 Holley, that I had originally, improved enormously the ability of the car to start out from a stoplight without reving the engine. My problem was the cam/carb combo. The smaller carb increases air velocity. I think if you go with an intake that has increased flow you may also decrease velocity and it may not be an improvement. I guess I would look at carb jetting first.

As Phil says my $.02

Ralph

[scott h]

i have a RPM air gap using a standard 14" round air cleaner and it practically touches on the outside edges. the top the oval should fit since it is not as wide the overall height should be ok with a 2 in or so filter

[robbinsshkr]

Lonnie,

what exactly do you meen when you say it has a problem taking throttle? is it trying to load up at an idle, stumbles when you nail the throttle from a stop or just runs poorly through the entire rpm range? Hard to diagnose over the computer, but I would think you could make what you have work??? I wouldn't think a 650 or 750 would be too large on a built 351w, but not knowing the other variables such as cam, jets, etc makes it even tougher, stumbling when nailed from an idle could be a squirter. what do the plugs look like, black and wet? I may be totaly wrong, but I would try messing with the jets or the air / fuel mixture before swapping intakes.
just a thought.
Eddie

[lonnie]

Thanks guys for the infomation. Sounds like there are air cleaners that will work with the RPM manifolds.
For more information about the engine and the way it's running please read these post I made 2 years ago.
http://www.uniquecobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7308

I am still having trouble with the idea of just throwing the Performer manifold away.
Seems to me that the RPM manifolds are more of a race manifold like the Torkor and may be no better. I seldom drive the car as I have had a lot of problems with it and my level of confidence in the car is very low.
Lonnie

[traveler]

lonnie ,

I have a stroked 351w in my car with an air gap intake and i noticed an improvement in my car performance after installing the air gap .

The long oval air cleaner will not fit with the air gap . I went to a short oval from Moon and it has worked fine .

Rick

[ralphscott]

After reading your post of 2 yrs ago and seeing the carb set-up #'s which look OK I have to suggest that you ask the engine builder if did they put crank advance into the engine. That is what the guy who built my engine did. Did not tell me, he was a drag racer and thought he was doing me a favor. I had to take the front off and reset it to '0' . The engine ran awful one gear cog off . You may want to talk to the builder.. I don't think changing the intake is going to make that much of a difference.

Ralph

[lonnie]

After reading your post of 2 yrs ago and seeing the carb set-up #'s which look OK I have to suggest that you ask the engine builder if did they put crank advance into the engine. That is what the guy who built my engine did. Did not tell me, he was a drag racer and thought he was doing me a favor. I had to take the front off and reset it to '0' . The engine ran awful one gear cog off . You may want to talk to the builder.. I don't think changing the intake is going to make that much of a difference.

Ralph

Wish I could I was told a few years ago he passed away. Funny you mentioned advancing the cam. I was talking this morning to my mechanic and he mentioned the same thing. Hope that's not the case. Can it be done with the motor in?
I ordered the Performer RPM.
Spent about 4 hours under the car Monday inspecting it. Car was built in 1995 4400 miles on it. Number of little things new valve cover gaskets etc nothing major but some surprises. Car has MGB front suspension and left front tie-rod is rubbing rotor right very lightly with the car up in the air and the nuts coming out of the remote oil filter adapter
are touching and can not be tighten.
Will keep you informed as to how it all works out.
Lonnie

[weaver]

Lonnie was your car built by Bill Keller, who was the original owner?

Alan

[ralphscott]

Yes it can be done it is a little tight. If that is what needs to be done you'll figure out how to get in there to do it.

Ralph

[scott h]

could be the squirters, my 460 boat needed bigger squirters to get over that hesitation, not enough gas when you mash the pedal. also the first carb i got was defective, impossible to adjust ,possibly a bad carb out of the box. upgraded to a holley 650 HP -no problems. I also experienced the fact that the larger oval wiill not fit, haven't gotten around to try thr smaller one.
Has any used or have comments on the small triangular shaped air cleaner that edelbrock sells

[lonnie]

Lonnie was your car built by Bill Keller, who was the original owner?

Alan

Alan yes it was built by Bill. It's a red 427 with black stripes FE roll bar and a splitter in the grill opening.
Lonnie

[lonnie]

Got all the little things done under the car. Got the intake and valve covers did compression test was 155 to 170. Has standard ratio roller rockers heads have been port matched. I don't think I'll have the manifold done. We did clean up the manifold ports a little. Lot of grinding to
do the manifold ports and I'm not looking for any more HP.
Do you guys block the water port in the middle of the manifold? Gaskets to do this come with the gaskets. My mechanic is planning on installing them.
Lonnie

[ralphscott]

Why would he want to do that?

Ralph

[lonnie]

Why would he want to do that?

Ralph

He tells me that with the manifold not having any water going through it the fuel will be cooler. I'm not so sure about doing this as I have read that a heating manifold works better on street cars.
Lonnie

[ralphscott]

We used to use cool cans (Iced downed coils through which the fuel flowed before getting to the carb) decades ago when we drag raced (at the strip) to increase the "punch" of cold fuel. Basically increasing the density of the fuel charge to the engine.

I guess with the natural heat off the engine, and there is a lot, I would want the cooling effects of the radiator fluid circulating through my intake. Otherwise the intake will become a heat sink. I think they cooled the intakes due to vapor lock problems which were a problem years ago.

Perhaps the other guys on the forum will chime in on this form personal experience.

Ralph

[Jim Harding]

Do you guys block the water port in the middle of the manifold? Gaskets to do this come with the gaskets. My mechanic is planning on installing them.
Lonnie

That middle port is for exhaust gasses. The coolant ports are at either end of the head/intake manifold. I'm guessing that the manifold is OE, as most aftermarket intakes delete this feature.

[lonnie]

Jim the port is there on a brand new Performer RPM. Good thing I'm not doing the work I thought it was a water port. So I guess it's fine to cover it.
Lonnie

[lonnie]

Got the MSD 6AL and the tack adapter installed and the wiring done today. Hope to get the manifold and distributor done next time we can work on it Wednesday or Thursday. Mounted the 6AL and tack adapter on firewall.
Anyone know what you would use a 3000 RPM rev limiter on?

[scott h]

big rig diesel??