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Thanks for the Victor Manif. suggestion, but that is not a manifold for everyday use nor to achieve low end torque. Edelbrock say so anouncing a 5500-8500 rpm range.
My problem with the Blue Thunder was that a pore was seeping water from the water passage to the inlet pushrod hole of cyl. #1 in the manifold.
Drilling and sleeving and welding did not help, maybe because the welder was not up to the job.
I did move one pushrod hole by drilling slightly offset toward the head and sleeving, but had a problem with the pushrod touching the hole at the bottom towards the center of the engine.The problem is that the pushrods are not at 90º as the cylinders are , but maybe at 100º or so. The holes in the manifold are drilled at 90º angle and paralell to the intake plane surface, and even with a generous hole you get little clearance at the top and the bottom of the hole oposite sides.
I tried a new set of pushrods which I ordered specially for an FE engine , and got 3/16" diameter rods. The old ones I am still using have a 11/32" shaft. If I have problems with 11/32" pushrods, how are guys with 3/16" rods getting along?
The new repair is going to cost a little more, and that will buy a new manifold. So I ordered a new FE Performer RPM , and will do the port matching and hope that I will not have to work on the pushrod holes also.
And my question is: is this happening because of my Dove billet rocker setup or is this problem common to all Fe engines . Is EVERYBODY sure that their pushrods are not touching the holes in the intake manifold and bending on operation? Go take the covers off and check! I broke 3 pushrods in 3 outings until I found out!
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