FE cast manifolds?

[Michael C Henry]

Most cast manifolds were originaly intended for the larger production cars. Those engines were tilted downward in rear. So those manifolds had the carb mounting flanges on a different incline, so the carbs would sit level. I have a 427 sideoiler which sits almost level in my replica. So the inline dual four tunnel wedge intake manifolds carb mounting flanges are inclined up in the rear, even more so than the incline of the hood. Is there an after market or original cast (aluminum) manifold for a FE that has the carb flange parrallel with the valve covers, single or dual fours? Not talking about one-off hand built manifold at this point and time.

[blykins]

I wouldn't worry about the carbs sitting like that. It's a common occurence.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Michael C Henry

I have a 427 sideoiler which sits almost level in my replica. So the inline dual four tunnel wedge intake manifolds carb mounting flanges are inclined up in the rear, even more so than the incline of the hood.

Can you lower your tranny mount, to tilt the engine a little?

I don't know how much that will affect the performance of the carbs, but is probably more important for hood clearence.

[Michael C Henry]

My car is allready twentyfour years old. The Stelling and Helling air cleaners , I now have, with foam element are resrtictive. I'd like to move up to taller K&N elements or a cast Cobra aircleaner with a descent element. Ground clearence is allready limitted, so I feel dropping the transmission mount is not an option. The front third of the front aircleaner is up against the inside of the hood surface. The rear aircleaner is above the outside hood line. So to get taller aircleaner elements I'd have to bring everything upwards. The front would need to come through the hood the rear would also come up likewise. Most hoodscoops are open at the front and taper to meet the hood line at the rear. If I could buy an intake manifold that had the carb flange(s) were parralllel with the valvecovers, I might make a change there. Most pictuers of manifolds do not really show the angle difference in angles of carb flange(s) to valvecover. That picture would need to be taken from the side at a right angle and at a low. Thats why I'm asking.

[lineslinger]

Michael,
Take a look at this engine. The rear mount carb flange on the intake manifold is parallel with the top of the valve cover while the front mounting flange is below valve cover height, is that what you are trying to accomplish?

[mr0077]

Mike, my stock Ford manifold has about 9 degrees of incline (down in front) relative to the engine. I never had a problem with my 390 CFM carbs, but when I changed to 600 CFM carbs it flooded and stumbled on moderate to heavy braking. I figured it was because of the carb tilt, so I lowered the primary float levels about a turn or so and it eliminated the problem. It was so steep that when I tried some of the old (BK/BJ?) style carbs with the fuel balance tube between the front and rear bowls, gas would run out of the front (secondary) sight plug when the rear (primary) fuel level was brought to the bottom of the sight plug.

Anyway, on your problem, if you're thinking of swapping manifolds, maybe you should have the carb pads on yours milleddown and more level...measure the angle of the engine from level on level ground (which is the same as the ports on the manifold) and how much you need the carbs lowered, and see if you can get a wedge milled off so it both lowers and levels out the carbs. I have heard of people doing that, but don't know/haven't heard whether it has any performance effect.

FWIW, if you change to paper elements (better filtration and cheaper than K&N but more restrictive), you will have about a 6-7 HP loss compared to no filter at all (based on my dyno results on a 427 putting out 400 HP at the wheels)...to me, that is not restrictive.

[Michael C Henry]

The carburetor float levels have been adjusted to compansate for the incline, it runs just fine. The problem is the angle of the carbs, and so the aircleaners, are counter to the hood and scoop. Sofar any improvment would require more filter heigth. So now you start talking about hoodscoops that are as high in the rear as as the front or higher. I do not want a great big unsightly lump on my hood. Dual fours are an old school solution . They have since made large single four barrel carbs that will handle the needs of a large engine. Having thought about different solutions , I'm now asking if there is a production cast alluminum manifold , single or dual four, that has the carb flange(s) at or near the same angle as the valvecover? I keep refering to the valvecover but the basic attitude of the engine is what I'm talking about. It doesn't need to be an NOS piece that has not seen daylight in decades. I'm looking at Eldelbrock Victors, Doves, etc. I like the airgap style. It's the angle thing. Webers are flat but another big leep.
Would I have to have a custom built manifold?

[Anthony]

You could have a machine shop mill the top of the manifold to reduce the carb height and change the angle, but the shorter carb height may hurt performance.

[sideoiler10]

Michael,

I am runniing a sideoiler with a set of new/original style dual 600s topped with the K&N elements in the S&H cleaners. The hood clearance is about one quarter to one half inch, and I use chrome acorn nuts for the hold downs. The hood scoop is the standard low height, not the higher type that some Cobras use. The ground clearance is also tight, but everything is well above the main crossmember below the oil pan. It doesn't drag on anything, but of course I am always careful when pulling into and out of driveways with angle changes.

Which intake are you using? Mine is the OEM C3 because it allowed the greatest clearance. The way the engine and tranny are mounted, the air cleaners set almost perfectly level, with the engine itself tilted down slightly in the rear.

If you need photos of anything or other info, let me know. Bob

[sideoiler10]

I forgot to mention that prior to installing the OEM low riser iintake, I purchased a Blue Thunder 2x4 intake, but I returned it because I too was afraid it was too tall in the rear to fit under the hood. The OEM low riser was obviously not my first choice, but given the space limitations I had, it worked for me.

I can take some measurements off mine if you want them.

Let me know, Bob

[FFR428]

The only factory cast intake I know of that has level carb pads were the 3x2's made for the Tbirds. Those are few and far between to find. They are different from the Galaxie style 3x2 intakes with the stepped carb pads. The single 4v intakes in the Tbirds were std issue FE with angled carb pads that used a angled spacer on them to sit level. Maybe you could have someone angle cut some carb spacers to get the desired effect your after?

[Michael C Henry]

I've seen angle carb spacers. They make the tops of the carbs not in the same plane which would make using a single aircleaner not doable. Also they would be rasing things up again. Are the Edelbrock Victor manifolds parallel or angled?
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