[rohrt]

Thanks for posting this B-man.

I would think the biggest downside would be removing the intake and having all the coolant go right down the cylinders?

I would think the benefits would be getting the intake up to temp quicker and possibly a more even temps in the intake itself.

[goatless]

Just had a thought as I looked at this thread again-
While I'm not too concerned with getting heat into the carb, would this actually help cool the carb in higher temperatures or heavy load? How hot does a cast iron intake get? It would seem that running coolant through it could actually draw out heat.

[Ed Fitzgerald]

As I read this thread several things spring to mind. Vizard said the unheated intake was the one with the worst gas mileage while it appears it had the best HP gains. I wonder if in fact this might be due to the gas itself being cooler in the bowls. In the north the gas companies compensate for contraction under 10 or 15 Celsius. This was done in large part to them pumping more gas and getting paid for less because the atoms in the gas were packed tighter due to temperature. Now could there be a direct variation in the added power in the gas and the lower volume because of this. Ed

[Ed Fitzgerald]

If I were using a performer intake with blocked exhaust ports and a carb with an electric choke to further modify the intake I would weld up the exhaust crossover ports in the intake. Then drill and weld (2) 5/8's bungs on either side of the crossover and install hose bibs in each. Run the heater return hose to one side and on the other run in back to the water crossover. Now to be really proactive in your search for the truth... install a hot water valve in the hose leading to the intake from the heater. The valve is activated with a push /pull cable. Install with cable pull under dash. Cruise with it open and close when you want that extra HP at the track or strip. Ed

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by rohrt

Thanks for posting this B-man.

I would think the biggest downside would be removing the intake and having all the coolant go right down the cylinders?

If you remove the water cross-over at the front of a normal uncut intake manifold, you need to drain the water from the cross-over first, like you would ANY intake manifold so possibly you could get water in the cylinders from the water cross-over IF you did not follow NORMAL intake removal instructions.

The heat cross-over normally has exhaust gasses passing from the heads to the open exhaust cross-over intake passage. No water there so far.

If you decided to do the water method in the normal exhaust cross-over you would plug the intake manifold close to the intake gaskets and then add the water to the sealed chamber you have now created by the plugs. Again, no water can get to the cylinders.

Hope this helps.

The factory exhaust cross-over USED to have a butter fly valve that blocked exhaust on one manifold and forced it thru the exhaust cross-over to heat the car and then the exhaust went out one exhaust pipe. When the manifold wamed up the butterfly valve opened and let the exhaust go out both pipes, (Lower restriction vs the cross-over so the exhaust gas in the intake over time basically cooled off to engine temp).

The proposal is to have the ability to add heated water to the intake if you drove the car in the early spring or late fall without cold drivability issues.

In the summer the water could be drained or colder water right from the lower radiator hose plumbed into the manifold thereby keeping the intake closer to ambient air temp.

Tom V.