[TA63]

Anyone out there porting intakes? I emailed SD performance with no reply. I have a 1970 Iron intake, and an edelbrock performer I was given I'd like to have done for modest 400 builds. 400 HP or so with quadrajets.

[77 TRASHCAN]

SD Performance had a landslide wreak havoc at their home,/shop. It put them in a bind. When they got going again, they were behind schedule.
They have been working on their work on hand, not taking any new work.

I'd try to contact Dave again. His work is the best
I doubt there's anyone c else that can CNC port a Pontiac intake.

Others, from time to time have had difficulty getting ahold of Dave. Their business has been challenged a couple of times now with mudslides.
If Dave and Lisa would just move to Oklahoma, we'd all benefit!!!

[R 70 Judge]

Jim Robertson does very nice intake and head porting. He’s on the board from time to time.

[Drag Star Le Mans]

I know SD isn't doing iron heads anymore and not sure about manifolds? Like 77TRASHCAN said the slide really messed things up and clean up was extensive. No way they are moving to Oklahoma, Canada is their home. Where are you located TA63?

[77 TRASHCAN]

Drag Star,
Just kidding on Dave and Lisa, moving anywhere.
I've read that Dave will still work on iron intakes.

I got on their website. Looks like the site is somewhat scaled back, still says they are playing catch up...

I hope all is well with them. Seems like a couple of folks here, are close to them???

[25stevem]

Both Intake Manifolds are capable of producing over 400 hp in stock form.

[Formulajones]

Just for the record, if all you're looking for is 400 HP they'll do that easily without porting them.
Many of us have topped 500hp with them with very little if any work to the intake.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

Others, from time to time have had difficulty getting ahold of Dave. Their business has been challenged a couple of times now with mudslides.
If Dave and Lisa would just move to Oklahoma, we'd all benefit!!!

I was one of those that had a difficult time reaching Dave. This was long before any mud slide. Back around the time he was planning to move to Canada. He lived in California before that. He did eventually reach out to me but by then I had already persued another avenue.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Wish someone would share the recipe for improving the RUNNERS with least work for most gain.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud

Wish someone would share the recipe for improving the RUNNERS with least work for most gain.

I never touched the runners on the ones I've done. I simply port match to the heads being used and blend that about an inch up into the port, then I modify the top of the intake under the carb that's been talked about a million times on this forum. I blend that into the runners as best as I can, and that's it. I don't touch the runners anywhere else, and that recipe supports 500-520hp on a well built 455 with a good set of cylinder heads and the right camshaft. I've even done that deal and reached that goal on the RA/HO intakes and those are supposed to be worse than the iron piece.

To be honest, even what is considered the fully ported OEM intakes don't get all 8 runners the full length either. It's about impossible to do that unless you either start cutting the intake apart, or send it off to be extrude honed.

[25stevem]

Where the real Choke points are in the runners of a duel plane Intake can not be accessed unless you can weld the Intake back up after you cut it open.

Just keep this in mind when looking at your Intake .

A basically straight section of runner flows very efficiently, once you put even just a 45 degree bend into the runner ( as in when a Plenum joins the runners ) your going to drop 20% your flow capabilities or more!

[Jim Moshier]

Steve, Is that why they put waffling or turtles in the bottom of the intake so it's not a flat 90 degrees turn for the mixture?

[Steve C.]

Poor man's extrude Hone process...

Use muriatic acid to etch out the inside of aluminum intake manifolds. to increase the runner volume slightly. A sheet of stainless steel can be used to cover the port openings in order to retain the liquid.
Keep in mind this is a harsh and toxic chemical, extreme caution is advised. Don't breath that stuff !

It's not a fast process and you will need to change batches as it works.


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[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by Jim Moshier

Steve, Is that why they put waffling or turtles in the bottom of the intake so it's not a flat 90 degrees turn for the mixture?

The waffling at the bottom of the plenum has something to do with cooling the aluminum during the casting process.

[Steve C.]

" Notice the “waffle” pattern at the bottom of each plenum – this is an intentional feature that helps keep the fuel and air consistently mixed on their way to the cylinders."

https://stateofspeed.com/2018/11/10/...take-manifold/


".... and see a "waffle" pattern in the bottom of the plenum, don't smooth it too much..."

How to Port & Polish an Intake Manifold

https://itstillruns.com/port-polish-...d-5568931.html

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[Dragncar]

I asked about the waffle to a head porter, manifold guy in Michigan who has a intake of mine. He makes the best manifolds there is in many folks opinion. Ported some of the best Pontiac heads ever to have been done.
So I ask him if it would be any benefit to removing the waffle in my Victor going on my 461. I was told it is simply there for cooling in the manufacturing process. Was told not worth it for me. He is the expert so I will go with what he said.
Also asked about turtles and was told they help in some situations.
I always thought the cast waffles were there for performance reasons too. But the best Victor I have ever seen did not have the waffle.
Victors are very thick on the plenum floor, heavy intakes.

[Cliff R]

Complete waste of time funds to mess with the Performer intake. The runners are really small and not much to work with.

When I "modify" the factory intakes the focus is on opening it up under the carb, not messing much with the runners. The runners simply get the best port match to a stock Felpro intake gasket that I can, and smoothed/blended some, and any casting flash removed, etc. The plenum areas under the carb are opened up to pretty much the same size/shape as the RPM intake. I also add some material on some to give it both bolt patterns in case the owner wants to run a square flange carb w/o an adapter...

[25stevem]

If you have a performer already to run on your 400 cid motor or smaller, then as long as your heads are no more then lightly bowl ported and you don’t mind a big HP nose over starting at 5200 rpm, then there is nothing to fear about running that intake.

It certainly has its place in 3500 lb or more cars with less then 3.08 series rear gears if you do not have a factory intake and or want to shed a few pounds on the nose of the car.

[Skip Fix]

If you use a Performer the center divider can sometimes rub on the secondary blades.

[Steve C.]

Jim Hand reported only the Edelbrock Performer intake ran as well as the stock cast iron unit on his car, as we know it was a well tuned stock type 455 in a 3900# vehicle. At the time of the testing it ran in the range of 12.5 to 12.75 at 107 to 109 MPH. Setup to need the high torque/power from about 1400 to 5200 RPM.

And in a 1997 issue of Pontiac Enthusiast magazine Pete McCarthy reported even the lowly Edelbrock "Performer" produced good low-end torque with stock D-port heads.

Ummmmmmmm.... Imagine the modifications that one could perform with a proper port-match on the cylinder heads in use and some porting of the intake runners. At least blending the taper to an inch or two in. Smooth and clean up the central plenum chamber if you'd like, often there's room for enlargement or improvement.


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