zimm17

From my prevous post we figured out my 1" carb spacer is just an adaptor. I need to loose some height on my carb (454 mag). I'm looking into the performer airgap or victor jr. The victor is required if I go to the r-tech supercharger someday. Which one is better? I'll have to measure to make sure they are at least 1/2" shorter than my current high rise intake/adaptor setup that merc used.

How do I protect the raw aluminum water jacket from salt water? Will after every ride flushing do the job, or are they going to get eaten in a season? Should I coat them with something?

Pat McPherson

I am assuming you have a Carter square bore carb with a 1" 4 hole spacer on top of the good old GM/Merc dual plane intake.

If you are going to continue to run the engine stock, it is much better to stay with a dual plan intake. You will see a loss of low end torque with a single plan intake.

A bare aluminum manifold will only last a couple of years run in fresh or salt. The thermostat area gets eaten away...
If you want one to last longer have it hard coat anodized. CP Performance will sell you Edelbrock stuff with an anodize option for an extra $150 or so.

I have sitting in my basement an intake off of a 454HO crate engine. It is the same intake that you have on your 454mag but without the brass lining and it is for a square bore carb.
It has never been used; I bought in a package of parts from a fellow that bought a crate engine to build up with a blower.
$50 buys it.
You can run it until your are ready for your supercharger and then just throw it in the trash...

d1mbu1b

Is there any way to coat the alluminum manifold's or head's water passages after they have been machined?

Or is a closed cooling system the only way to do this?

Pat McPherson

Aluminum parts can be hard coat anodized if the are bare and clean.

Liberator21

It's easier and cheaper to just bolt on a Rochester.
I know, I know, you hate spread bores!

Pat McPherson

$50 and a set of gaskets for my solution. It is a little more work than replacing the carb. Maybe?

Liberator21

True.

zimm17

Thanks for the offer on the $50 intake, but I'm going with a closed loop cooling system now so a bare intake is no longer an issue. I'll go with an edelbrock airgap performer rpm and save 50lbs off the engine as well as make some more power.

Pat McPherson

Closed cooling is a good idea and the airgap is a great choice.
But how you going to save weight by swapping one aluminum intake for another and adding closed cooling?
That spacer/adapter does not weigh that much...

zimm17

Good point, I forgot I had an aluminum manifold right now. I will go to Stainless marine manifolds which will save weight. Also opens the door for aluminum heads too.