Tweet
hey Brad,my last two 604 i have had problems blowing out intake gaskets,have you seen a rash in this lately?
-
-
Brett,
I am about as fussy as it comes with intake manifolds so let's discuss your actual problem----
are we talking new engines or rebuilt?
are we talking oil leaking from the ends or air into the runners?
coolant leaks are not common but I will ask--??
if its oil I have a permanent fix for it without removal of the intake
if it is an air leak it is probably a self inflicted problem from misuse of a lift plate
here is a link to my sermon on lift plates
let me know what the actual problem is that your having and we can go from there
Brad
Comment
-
new motor,the gasket pushes out at the head right at the runner,usually the front runner.so air into the runner,then the rpms go way up and oils that plug...and we don't use lift plates any moreComment
-
Brett,
It sounds like you were victim of poorly installed intake manifolds and that is very a common problem.
here is a link to our checklist for new engines ---notice that one of the first things we check is the intake
We have never experienced the condition that you are describing but we reject all engines with improperly installed intake manifolds.
It appears that someone has led you to believe that a lift plate was causing this failure.
If your failure is due to an improperly installed intake --a lift plate had nothing to do with it.
sorry we did not get this information to you sooner as to avoid your expense to repair
Brad
Comment
-
we did testing on the Walker air cleaner system last week and once we have compiled the information where it is easy to understand it will be posted on our website, on our FB and I will put a link here as well
honestly ---during the testing procedure I wasn't overly impressed-- but after discussion with associates I see the benefits
our testing was not static air as with normal dyno testing but with high speed air flow directed at the air cleaner as if it is on a big track seeing 100 MPH+ air speeds
stay tuned
Brad
Comment
-
Sorry for the length but it was easiest to copy and paste the report
OK, here it is ---results and comments of our high speed air flow testing using the Crate Innovations flat base with standard top and the newly developed Walker System
A little intro into our report----
Several years ago when we tested the flat base system on our engine dyno along with every possibility and combination of base and top we could think of----Result: there was nothing that was comparable in power to the flat base.
Different tops made little to no change in power ---it was the base itself that was key.
As with anything there are always negatives to the situation.
The Flat base that produced exciting power, raised the air cleaner system so high that it was very difficult for the driver to see over.
That was the obvious negative but in todays aerodynamics the air cleaner being raised above the hood an extreme amount created downforce issues ----and in this era all racers can understand and relate to downforce.
In addition to the two negatives mentioned above the event of dynamic (moving) air would be harder to deflect and control with the air cleaner assembly so high in the air.
With all that said the flat base makes exciting power numbers and in the crate world 2 digits is an eye opener but this product was 4 plus compared to anything so we ran with it despite the negatives involved.
So here it is—
The flat base system (no matter what the top) will beat any drop base system by a minimum of 4 HP –(5 to 6 is more common)
Except---the Walker System
Walker has developed a “drop base†system that not only brings the air cleaner assembly down out of the air a significant amount but also maintains the power gains that we see with the drop base.
This alone is a Win in the advancement of technology but lets look deeper.
At static air pressure with all things equal the flat base numbers are 1 digit better throughout the RPM range over the Walker--nothing previous was within 4 digits.
That was with STATIC air (typical dyno room) (slow air speed)
Real world operation the air filter can possibly see air speeds of 100 MPH plus
Flat Base dynamic air:
We set up an air mover that produced air speed in the 80 to 90 MPH range and directed this air at the air cleaner.
Our testing always begins at 2500 RPM and we were not able to run the air speed on the flat base until 4500 RPM
Below 4500 the engine was so choppy that we were afraid of damage to the engine or our dyno.
Flat base air speed tests were started at 4500 (which in all fairness you should never see high air speed at 2500 anyway)
Test continued to 6800 RPM and the results were not dramatic from a numbers aspect although they were lower than static numbers however, what did stand out was acceleration rate was diminished and with close examination of the graph results there are small dips in the torque curve leading to the slower acceleration
Walker System dynamic air:
The same air mover was set up in the same position.
The Walker test was able to start at our normal 2500 starting point without any disruption.
Power numbers remained stable through out the pull and were slightly higher than static numbers.
Graph results were flat without dips and acceleration rate was comparable to static.
The Take Away here is:
Both systems show better power than anything ever tested by us.
The Walker system addresses the adverse situations that can impede the benefits of the flat base.
A note about testing at our facility:
We use controlled air temperatures and a computer-controlled weather station to make all final adjustments.
We also perform all tests in a format of A-B-A-B
This test session was performed on a 604 engine that had already seen a break-in procedure performed on an earlier date with all numbers being stable.
This test session had 48 dyno pulls and was done within a continuous 4 hour period
Brad
Comment
-
Any chance that any gains on the walker system were from the tiny bit of forced air into the air cleaner by the speed of the air. Maybe the flat base is letting the air at speed just shear across the top of the carb and actually pull a small vacuum until the engine gains enough RPM to overcome it. I am only theorizing.Comment
-
Mopar, although there is no intention of forced induction with either system----I can follow your thought process and with adding the adjective "tiny" to your thoughts I will concur.
More of the benefit is developed from your next thought of the air "shearing" across the top of the carb and creating a vacuum above the carburetors venturi which is working against the engine vacuum that is attempting to pull a calculated air/fuel mixture through the venturi and booster combination.
In a simpler explanation----air moving straight across the top of a carburetor creates confusion for the carburetor functions----
both systems have impressive power gains
If you can control the dynamic air to the filter---driver vision is not a concern and down force is not an issue then use the flat base it is economical and fits all existing filter elements
The Walker system addresses the mentioned adverse conditions but it is substantially more money and does have a unique filter element.
Brad
Comment
-
What would be a good starting point on the floats with one of the angled carb spacers. If the old way was setting fuel at the bottom or middle or whatever reference point in the sight glass on either side with carb flat where do you set them now with it angled?Comment
-
you should always level the carb to check and set float levels ----this is done by jacking different corners of the car
if you have windows on both sides of the carb bowl, you do not have to be perfectly level---
figure the difference---(if left is a little high and right is a little low---your good)
but you still want to be in the ball park of carb level before checking
Brad
Comment
-
Do you set them at idle pressure (3-3.5) or clamp the line till it comes up to race pressure (6.5-7) then set them?Comment
-
Fabulous question Mopar---
most people do not realize that fuel pressure affects float level
with the exception of a methanol carburetor-----we recommend that the floats be set at race pressure
now I have to ask----what fuel are you running?
because with all gasoline fuels we recommend a steady constant pressure from idle to full throttle
with some belt driven pumps we will run a small bleed that will pull a pound or so away at idle but the actual intention is to keep the pump from spiking pressure on corner entry.
brad
Comment
-
On gasoline with a waterman pump with a regulator in the return line stacked on the drysump pumpComment
-
Let's chat about timing lights--
one of my pet peeves is timing that was incorrect because of a snazzy timing light.
I have several shelves of engines with the pistons knocked out of them because of timing and almost all of these were timed with an advance type timing light--
50% of the time it is because the user does not know how to actually use the light but I have seen many of these lights be 3 to 5 degrees off even when they are used properly
here is a video that I did with my thoughts on timing lights.
Brad
Comment
-
100% agree with you on that, Brad. We tossed or sold all of our advance type lights quite a while back for the same reasons you state. The old fashioned ones are much more accurate and reliable. Thanks for bringing this to the attention of those unaware of their problems.Comment
Comment