I currently have a Fort "T" intake manifold on my 352. I know that I can get better performance from an aftermarket intake, but I don't know why the Ford manifold doesn't perform well. Anyone know? Also, can I make any mods to the Ford intake to improve its performance? It's just a daily driver, not a racer.

Joseph

 

Put a 1" or 2" spacer between the carb and intake. This will mess up an A/T kick down rod though.
Also, back in the days of the Fox Chassis Mustang 5.0, guys used to send their intakes to:

Extrude Honing | Bonehead Performance

 

Wow! That is cool, but yeowza! That is pricey! I was hoping for a bit more down-to-earth option (although, as I said, this is pretty cool).

Joseph

 

You can do it the old fashioned way by using a Dremel tool, to smooth and match the contours of the ports to your gaskets. Then make sure the manifold is extremely clean of metal particles. Then you might need to rejet your carb.

 

I've always found that which way you route the rope between the various ports has huge impact on the cast iron manifold's performance...…..as a boat anchor......

 

Joseph

 

@ 85 lbs that's an awfully big anchor. Good one Oz.

 

I'm not really bothered about the weight, though. Yes, it is @#$%&* heavy, but I have an engine hoist, and it's going into a truck. I'm far more interested in what it can or cannot do, and if/how I can modify it to perform "better" (whatever "better" means). Can I modify the plenum to improve flow, or fuel atomization, or ...? If the answer is "NO!" (or "No, and we don't understand what made you think you could") that's okay. I posted on another forum that the learning is just as important as the results (to me). I have a spare boat anchor ... oops, I mean, an extra Ford manifold ... leaning against the garage, so I'm not out any money if I screw it up, and the cost is a lot cheaper than a Performer RPM. But the only thing I can find is on port matching. Surely there is more to designing an intake manifold than that.

Any ideas?

Joseph

 

Your time is better spent on improving the flow of the heads if you must screw with something. Besides grinding the ports to match the gaskets, smoothing them and putting riser blocks between the manifold and carburetor there's not much you can do.

 

Im also doing a budget FE build. How much power gain could i see in doing the port matching and adding a spacer? Is it a noticeable difference or is it just better to break down and spend the coupe hundred and buy an Edelbrock intake?

 

IMO the most advantage of the aluminum manifold is the 50 lbs you lose. If you use the aluminum manifold and the right carburetor you need headers, a cam and decent heads if you're going to see significant gains. Edelbrock has a top end package for the FE engine that looks, to me, like the thing to do if you have $2400 handy.

 

Yeah, I'm starting to think headers, cam, and intake. I'll probably have to keep the stock heads for now, though (C8AE, I think). It's only money, right?

Joseph

 

Also changing to a electric fan or even going to a clutch fan will give you a seat of the pants feel of improvements if
your doing a pedal to the metal test run..
Also change out the timing gear set to a double roller set may find new power once the oem timing set has been changed out.
Plus running straight in take manifold vacuum to your dizzy over the carb timed vacuum may show some improvement.
Orich

 

I've tried hooking up the dizzy vacuum can to manifold vacuum. I'm still on the fence on that one. I'm also on the Fordification group, so between all of the feedback, I'm starting to form ideas about my next rebuild. Gotta keep the stock heads, but everything else is being considered. There may be a Performer intake in my future ...

When I have my plan a little more firm, I'll ask again for feedback.

Joseph

 

Iron heads will prove themselves over aluminum one. But for the racers engine are always being pulled down for one reason or another.
Racing is a rich mans hobble an a poor mans dream!

Orich