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Topic: Need some advice on aftermarket intakes (Read 3058 times) previous topic - next topic

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Well my thermostat stuck open.  Easy fix.  When I tried to get the lower bolt out, it broke off in the intake (Exploder lower).  With the water pump in the way, I can't drill it out and re-tap.  Is this my opportunity to look into an aftermarket intake?  Am I going to see any HP difference between the Exploder and say a Typhoon?  It looks like i have to pull it all out again anyway.  Sigh.
'88 Bird 5.0, TW 170s, HO cam, Scorpion rockers, Explorer intake 70mm TB/EGR, MAF conversion, 24# injectors, 8.8 3.73 disc rear end swap, console swap, leather seats, 11" front discs, 15-1 rack, TC springs all around, x-pipe, BBK headers,  welded sub-frame, unlocked digital speedo.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #1 –
Send the Explorer lower to TMOSS over on the Corral and have him port it for $100 plus shipping.  The Cobra style upper/lower is a really good combo for a 302 motor and anything more tends to kill low RPM torque.  You need port velocity so just changing your intakes to one with larger runners could do just the opposite and decrease port velocity.  Do some searching on the subject and you will get educated pretty quickly.  Ed Curtis at FTI is really knowledgeable on this subject as he is a cam guru and that is what they live and die by.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #2 –
good tip!  I'll contact him.  Thanks Darren.
'88 Bird 5.0, TW 170s, HO cam, Scorpion rockers, Explorer intake 70mm TB/EGR, MAF conversion, 24# injectors, 8.8 3.73 disc rear end swap, console swap, leather seats, 11" front discs, 15-1 rack, TC springs all around, x-pipe, BBK headers,  welded sub-frame, unlocked digital speedo.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #3 –
The cheapest route is probably going to be a replacement GT40 lower. That being said the Typhoon, if it was really cheap, would probably be ok as well. The Typhoon is a Chinese cast knock off of the original Edelbrock Performer RPM (not the Edelbrock Performer as some state). There are some trade offs with the Typhoon though. Most combos will loose about 10ft/lbs of torque below 4000rpm with the Performer RPM/Typhoon but pick up about 10-15hp above 5000rpm. Is the trade off worth it? It depends on the situation. For a street driving car the GT40 is better for most people. However most people don't have 3.73 or greater rear gears. The real question is are you going to feel that loss of 10ft/lbs of torque below 4000rpm and the gain of 15hp above 5000rpm and is it worth it to you? In my case I'm going to find out. In the near future I'm going to be swapping from the GT40 intake currently on the car to an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake. If the car becomes a slug (which I doubt) I plan on getting a custom cam made to tie everything together. I've attached dyno graphs of a test Anderson Ford ran in the early 2000s when they ran a 306/Twisted Wedge 170/cam combo with a bunch of intakes. The original article can be found here: https://www.andersonfordmotorsport.com/content/intake.htm

I'll be swapping this onto the engine in my Thunderbird over the summer.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #4 –
Interesting.  It's amazing how close these are until they start to diverge like you said in the upper RPM bands.  For me,  with an AOD,  I never make it that high (5000 RPM is redline) so I'm going stick with the Explorer and have TMOSS port my lower.  The next decision is whether to keep my 1" spacer or go to 1/2"  (I can't clear the TB without at least 1/2").  Some say you get more low end with longer runners i.e. 1" spacer.  Any insights?  Or is that just folklore. 

You have an AOD too,  do you spend much time in those high RPM ranges?  Is that hard on the engine?
'88 Bird 5.0, TW 170s, HO cam, Scorpion rockers, Explorer intake 70mm TB/EGR, MAF conversion, 24# injectors, 8.8 3.73 disc rear end swap, console swap, leather seats, 11" front discs, 15-1 rack, TC springs all around, x-pipe, BBK headers,  welded sub-frame, unlocked digital speedo.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #5 –
If you currently have the space to keep the 1" spacer I would however with your current combo I doubt you will notice anything between the 1" or 1/2" spacer or going completely without one hp or torque wise. I have to have a 1" spacer to clear the tall valve covers and with my intake setup a cowl hood was needed but it's just a 2".

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #6 –
Quote from: marianadeeps;447503
Interesting.  It's amazing how close these are until they start to diverge like you said in the upper RPM bands.  For me,  with an AOD,  I never make it that high (5000 RPM is redline) so I'm going stick with the Explorer and have TMOSS port my lower.  The next decision is whether to keep my 1" spacer or go to 1/2"  (I can't clear the TB without at least 1/2").  Some say you get more low end with longer runners i.e. 1" spacer.  Any insights?  Or is that just folklore. 

You have an AOD too,  do you spend much time in those high RPM ranges?  Is that hard on the engine?


As far as spacers go a 1/2 inch is fine. I run that as well for throttle body clearance. The 1 inch won't make any difference.

As far as going above 5000rpm. Well lets just say that driving around on the street this morning the engine in my Thunderbird hit 5400rpm several times without beating on it. Wot upshift points you know.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #7 –
thanks guys.  The 1" just barely fits -- dents my hood blanket right to the metal. but never dented the hood.
'88 Bird 5.0, TW 170s, HO cam, Scorpion rockers, Explorer intake 70mm TB/EGR, MAF conversion, 24# injectors, 8.8 3.73 disc rear end swap, console swap, leather seats, 11" front discs, 15-1 rack, TC springs all around, x-pipe, BBK headers,  welded sub-frame, unlocked digital speedo.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #8 –
Found a direct comparison between the Typhoon and Cobra/GT40 intakes: https://www.andersonfordmotorsport.com/content/waves3.htm
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #9 –
Thanks TJ.  Looks a lot like the other report.  The GT40 is slightly better until around 5K RPM, then the Typhoon is better.  I'm looking forward to getting my lower back from TMOSS and getting my bird back together.
'88 Bird 5.0, TW 170s, HO cam, Scorpion rockers, Explorer intake 70mm TB/EGR, MAF conversion, 24# injectors, 8.8 3.73 disc rear end swap, console swap, leather seats, 11" front discs, 15-1 rack, TC springs all around, x-pipe, BBK headers,  welded sub-frame, unlocked digital speedo.

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #10 –
And when you get it back from TMoss it will outflow the Typhoon across the board.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Need some advice on aftermarket intakes

Reply #11 –
Yeah!
'88 Bird 5.0, TW 170s, HO cam, Scorpion rockers, Explorer intake 70mm TB/EGR, MAF conversion, 24# injectors, 8.8 3.73 disc rear end swap, console swap, leather seats, 11" front discs, 15-1 rack, TC springs all around, x-pipe, BBK headers,  welded sub-frame, unlocked digital speedo.