open carb spacer onto a dual plane intake

OOPS! I think I kinda asked the same question just now

 

I put the open spacer on this morning, adjusted the cables and such until it would idle again, as the further distance caused it to bottom out at about 2500 rpms. Still need to adjust he kickdown lever, but waiting for the engine to cool.

It sounds different. It shouldn't but it does. Maybe because the front bench seat was removed this morning, and I am driving with one bucket, so far.

Idles fine, with just a bit more lope. Accelerates wonderfully. Not sure if it picked up .1 second until I get to the track again.

 

For anyone who cares, picked up a .12 on my 1/8 ET, and 1.5 mph on my speed with that open spacer.

 

thats good. open spacer usually improves top end power, or can indicate that you need a better intake. usually performers are starting to quit around 4,000 and are done by 5000-5500 rpm. spacers can bandaid this limit to some degree. i forget where you are at as far as cam & exhaust. if you have something that will rpm to 5500 or so, you might want to look at a stealth or performer rpm, or maybe a torker 289 on ebay. i got the torker because its cheap ($70 inc ship on ebay) & because i know it makes power from about 2000 up to 6500 rpm. used to be the only decent intake for the sbf in the 70's & 80's. you do need gears & some stall for it to work right. dont even think about a torker II. performer rpm or air gap, or stealth might be best for you depending on your future plans.

 

Great to heare, Scott!

Sounds like the spacer might've been good for more than a couple of h.p.'s!

(and only 20 bux )

 

I have the Summit version of the Edelbrock performer package cam, mild-moderate. I would love to find a better intake on e-bay, or anywhere else. I put the 289 performer on when I first bought the car, just to get it running and put on the 600 cfm. Kicked myself in the A$$ afterwards, when I figured out how puny it is.

True, it is only good to about 4500 rpm. They advertise higher, but it is gasping at 4500. I tried to rev higher on the track, but only lost time. I am now looking at something single plane, maybe air-gap. But, I would need to sell the performer 289 so the wife would let me upgrade.

Any takers. Only used for 2 years, and about 1000 miles?

Think about it...it is for a good cause!

 

Here's a good thread on a different site with some real world comparison between spacer plates.

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/010305.html

 

i am using the same setup...except i have the inch spacer with the 4 holes in it.....it was an instant difference....much better i think

 

I actually think I picked up some low end torque. It idles like crap, until 160 degrees, really rough and lopey (actually sounds good, but hard to drive until it warms up). It has much quicker response, and seems to get up on the rpms faster. I even got a 2nd gear scratch after putting it in and tuning the carb a bit.

I really like it. And they say the 4 holes, and the tapered 4-holes are even better?!?

 

I have a open 2in on a air gap, really seemed to help on the top end, but is a bit slow on the launch even with a 4400 stall converter. Same goes for using a single plane like the Victor Jr., better have plenty of stall and rear gears to make the combo work effeciently. Cam, heads and headers all must be coordinated for peak performance. Been there, done that, on buying "speed parts" because they were cheap, only to find out, you get what you pay for. Ended up costing twice as much to get the thing right, if I had bought good products in the first place. School of hard knocks, I think they call it. Bad part about it is, after finally getting the better parts that worked, the cheaper version's were almost impossible to get rid of for any kind of money, related to their cost(unless another dummy like me comes around). JMO

 

Old Guy (Wise Guy, as in man of knowledge, not smart-a$$)

you are very right. I originally wanted to restore to Just-Better-Than-Stock with a stock look. Then I tested it on the track and got hooked.

PRoblem is I bought Performer 289 intake, carb, and cam, then decided that I wanted more power. Now, I am in the market for higher performance parts.

Almost think it would be easier to just buy a newer block, and build it up to a fast motor, then do a swap. I could probably sell the stock motor as is easier than trying to sell the parts off.

OR, just store the parts in the attic and rebuild the stock motor for when I blow up the newly built one with the newer block.

Oh, wait, I need one integral ingredient for all this dreaming....Money! THat is why I bought the Performer 289 and cheap cam in the first place.

 

hey i was thinking the same exact thing...i am glad someone else understands my situation

its funny....you think you are building a kick a$$ engine...spending the $2000 and doing it right....then you run it and you like that feeling...then you say...hey i bet if i do this it will get me a little faster...but if i am going to do that...then i might as well do this....and then reality hits when you look in the bank and say...where the hell is the money...oh yeah....i dont have any...


i totally understand your situation..i am in the same boat....

 

Luckily, my engine was still "new" with only 55k miles on it when I got it. And all of those were literally put on them by my wife's great grandmother going back and forth to church and the grocery store over 20 years, then it sat up for 10 years.

I never got into rebuilding the engine, just adding all the parts to the existing motor.

When I rebuild, I will go for 11.5:1 compression, maybe a 331 stroker, something with the potential for real power down the road. Even if I don't use it right now.