newbie with mod questions

[1987cp]

From Holley brands, there's also the Weiand Action Plus.

Although, what I'm finding weird right now is that after swapping the four-hole insert in my 1" carb spacer for the open insert, it's chosen to wake up a noticable bit of extra power across the powerband - exactly the opposite of what I'd expected.

(For those who don't know, I'm playing with an Offy "360-degree Equa-Flow" divided single-plane intake. It's supposed to pull from 1800rpm to 8800 depending on carb selection. It's theoretically not a great choice when my cam is advertised to quit by 5500, but it was cheap at a swap meet so I had to try it. I'd expect the open spacer insert would be nothing but disaster on a dual-plane intake.)

[OVERKILL]

The Professional Products 351W dual plane aluminum intake is what I ordered for mine, and I believe it's supposed to be basically equivalent to an Edelbrock dual plane, but at a much lower price. Just search on eBay for "351W intake" and you'll find 'em listed as Typhoon 351W intake manifolds. Mine was about $150 shipped.

The "Professional Products" intakes and the like are off-shore Chinese clones of American products, so yes, it's pretty much the EXACT SAME as the Edelbrock product, because it's a clone of it.

The business is quite lucrative really, though I think, morally wrong. They company is an American off-shore trading company, who contracts companies in China to "reproduce" products that they ship over. So, the products themselves are "produced" in China, but clones of American products that have been shipped over there as "reference models" to be copied. The products are then mass produced, no actual R&D is involved, so the clones can be sold for a MUCH cheaper price (no R&D involved in ripping off somebody else's design) and thus undercutting the original manufacturer and other companies who are competing in the same market, but of course have overhead costs associated with American casting facilities, actual R&D......etc.

Just out of principal, I would never purchase any of their products. That's why my Mustang wears a TFS-R that proudly states "Made in the USA" on it.

[gadget73]

Just out of principal, I would never purchase any of their products. That's why my Mustang wears a TFS-R that proudly states "Made in the USA" on it.

While I agree with you on the morals point, I will gladly point out the mild irony that you as a Canadian are shopping for US made products Thanks for the business tho! lol.

[OVERKILL]

Well, I don't mind supporting the US economy, you guys do just as much for our economy as well, so it's a two-way street there

I make it a point to purchase parts that are made in North America, just bought a Fluidampr for the Mustang today. I could have bought the Professional Products SFI damper for much less money, but I feel I am getting a MUCH better product this way, and again, keeping the money where it belongs.

[gadget73]

I tend to be a big advocate of staying conservative with exhaust systems, so you might look into a 2.25" system before springing for 2.5" - especially on a stock motor, it'll keep velocity up wile still allowing more total flow than stock 2" pipes (assuming that's what's on there).

2.25 is probably more ideally suited for a stock or mild motor in all honesty. Only reason I usually make mention of the 2.5" tails is simple parts availability. I do believe the stock Impy tails are 2.25, however they have a resonator and stuff, and are actually more expensive. Most exhaust shops can bend up 2.25" pipe for you though, so its not a huge issue. You could even do 2.25" up to the mufflers, and 2.5" over the axles.

[1987cp]

Actually, according to my catalog '94-'96 B-body exhaust (all) use 2" tails - mufflers are 2.25" in, 2" out. (In fact, I used '94-'96 Caprice/Impala mufflers on my LTD b/c the dimensions were right.) And judging from my experience in buying my replacement Squire tailpipes, buying kink-bent replacement stuff just doesn't make sense financially (~$45 each plus $25 to UPS for one that had to be shipped from Indy, versus ~35 each for Dynomax tails for either Mustangs or Impalas) unless you really want that exact part.

Just from an efficiency standpoint, wouldn't it make more sense to neck down out back like the factory systems do, rather than go larger? Since some of the heat will have dissipated by that point in the system, so the condensing gasses will appreciate the smaller diameter to keep up the velocity. In fact, I remember when Car Craft had a fancy custom system made up for their nitrous'd '86 Mustang, it started out with 2.5" collectors, went up to 3" for a bit, then 2.5" through the mufflers, and 2.25" out back - and it did make more power on the chassis dyno than a plain 2.5" system.

I would guess that going up in diameter would probably be more like having a 2.25" system that dumps right at the rear axle?

[bubbaking]

im going to be making a trip to the pick a part yard soon and thinking about getting a new intake and carb due to problems with mine. Anyone know of any vehicles that would make a good doner?

[Grand Marquis GT]

All aftermarket.

Source a good edelcrock 4bbl, 4bbl intake, and get the lokar TV/throttle cables and stuff.

It should do a good job of waking it up

[1987cp]

Like Tom said. The '83-'85 Mustang 4-barrel intake manifold (or a '60s 289 4-barrel) is also good for a very mild, daily driven vehicle, but you'll want to get the EGR spacer with it. Also not sure about junkyard availability (don't see a lot of 5.0 Mustangs in the yards around here), though the manifold without spacer can sometimes be had on eBay or try posting in the For Sale section here. The Edelbrock model 2121 intake is non-EGR, so there are no holes to worry about plugging or capping off, and you can still run any carb you want. And even if you get an old factory manifold, nothing really beats coughing up the money for a brand-new Edelbrock carb such as the model 1404. I bought my carb and intake new, and it was the best ~$400 I ever spent on the car, but there's obviously no harm in saving a few bucks scoring the manifold used and as cheap as you can find.