aluminum intake

[MBAKER]

Did a search but got mixed reviews. If raw water cooled, and only used in midwest freshwater lakes, will an aluminum intake like an Edelbrock Performer be ok without a coated water crossover? Seems like it shouldnt be a problem with water itself, I dont know if electrolysis or anythign else will affect it though. If it matters, the boat is trailered, and only in water 1 day a week at the most throughout the summer.

 

[Bondo]

Re: aluminum intake

Ayuh,.... An aluminum intake will give reasonable service in Freshwater, raw water cooled...

Not so much in Saltwater...

 

[MBAKER]

Re: aluminum intake

By reasonable do you mean, 2 years 5 years, 10 years, etc.

I know its a little different, but I was involved in dirt track racing for years, same GM small blocks, iron heads and aluminum intakes. We always ran straight water in them and never saw any problems. I know its a closed system and not picking up freshwater all the time, but I never saw any problems with intake corrosion, and they were filled with water 6 months out of the year, then drained for winter. That was the same intakes over a course of say 10 years on different engines. Is there something different about the boat cooling system that would change the results?

 

[Bondo]

Re: aluminum intake

Well,... It's an open ended question, because not all Freshwater is created equal....

Generally speakin', freshwater ain't an issue, but yes, corrosion Does happen....

 

[Don S]

Re: aluminum intake

By reasonable do you mean, 2 years 5 years, 10 years, etc.

I know its a little different, but I was involved in dirt track racing for years, same GM small blocks, iron heads and aluminum intakes. We always ran straight water in them and never saw any problems. I know its a closed system and not picking up freshwater all the time, but I never saw any problems with intake corrosion, and they were filled with water 6 months out of the year, then drained for winter. That was the same intakes over a course of say 10 years on different engines. Is there something different about the boat cooling system that would change the results?

You probably weren't using water out of a lake to put into your bikes either. As Bond-o was saying, you will probably be ok, but no one can set here and say go for it no problem.
Give it a try, the worst that could happen is you get water in your oil.

 

[jumpjets]

Re: aluminum intake

I have had the same question!

I have a raw water cooled engine, but I want to install an edelbrock intake. I take my boat out on the atlantic and the NC ICW though. It only sees saltwater. I imagine that it will corrode rather quickly. Is there a coating I could put in the water passage of the intake? Is that difficult to do?

 

[Bondo]

Re: aluminum intake

I have had the same question!

I have a raw water cooled engine, but I want to install an edelbrock intake. I take my boat out on the atlantic and the NC ICW though. It only sees saltwater. I imagine that it will corrode rather quickly. Is there a coating I could put in the water passage of the intake? Is that difficult to do?

Nope,.... Nothin' that'll actually work anyways... Ya need an Iron intake...

 

[MBAKER]

Re: aluminum intake

Is volvo's vortec intake aluminum? I was trying to research it and came across a few threads that made it sound like it was aluminum? possibly with brass inserts thought?

 

[jumpjets]

Re: aluminum intake

Nope,.... Nothin' that'll actually work anyways... Ya need an Iron intake...

Well, thanks for saving me the trouble of finding that out the hard way. I guess I'll clean up that "CSS Merrimac" lookin' iron intake and paint it a decent color.

 

[Don S]

Re: aluminum intake

Is volvo's vortec intake aluminum? I was trying to research it and came across a few threads that made it sound like it was aluminum? possibly with brass inserts thought?

Yes, they are aluminum. But the water passages are lined with bronze or brass, don't remember which. I'll see if I can find where I read it. If I do I will post it here for future reference.

 

[briangcc]

Re: aluminum intake

Ok stupid question...why are you swapping to aluminum? Especially the Edelbrock performer?

Here's why I'm asking....in the Pontiac world, there was a well written article by Rocky Rotella (tech editor for High Performance Pontiac if I recall correctly) comparing a number of aftermarket intakes to the stock GM intake. Same engine setup was used in all tests. What he found was that when comparing the cast iron GM intake to the Edelbrock performer, there was no significant gain made in HP/torque. The only real advantage in switching to the Edelbrock over the GM was a weight savings - 20 or so pounds.

Now I'm not up on Chevy engines as I am on Pontiacs but is there really that much of a gain in switching your intake to what you have currently? Or are you making the change from 2bbl to 4bbl (at which point I'd concede the need to make the change). Now if you were referring to swapping to the Performer RPM, well that's a whole different ball of wax Just watch your clearances with the RPM intake as its taller than stock.

 

[jumpjets]

Re: aluminum intake

Ok stupid question...why are you swapping to aluminum? Especially the Edelbrock performer?

Here's why I'm asking....in the Pontiac world, there was a well written article by Rocky Rotella (tech editor for High Performance Pontiac if I recall correctly) comparing a number of aftermarket intakes to the stock GM intake. Same engine setup was used in all tests. What he found was that when comparing the cast iron GM intake to the Edelbrock performer, there was no significant gain made in HP/torque. The only real advantage in switching to the Edelbrock over the GM was a weight savings - 20 or so pounds.

Now I'm not up on Chevy engines as I am on Pontiacs but is there really that much of a gain in switching your intake to what you have currently? Or are you making the change from 2bbl to 4bbl (at which point I'd concede the need to make the change). Now if you were referring to swapping to the Performer RPM, well that's a whole different ball of wax Just watch your clearances with the RPM intake as its taller than stock.

I had planned on installing an RPM airgap....for a silly reason. Yeah, it might get me an extra pony or two, but at 4400rpm, it won't amount to much. I just got chrome valve covers and air cleaner, and I thought the alum intake would really compliment them. My engine bay is old, dirty, and ugly right now.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: aluminum intake

Have some fun, that video may seem corney and it is. but it does touch on some important tech...older dual planes only saw half of the carb and the new airgap allow's it to see both..Seems trival but its valid and most marine intake's are old. Watch the end for those who like to tinker...:lol:

 

[briangcc]

Re: aluminum intake

I had planned on installing an RPM airgap....for a silly reason. Yeah, it might get me an extra pony or two, but at 4400rpm, it won't amount to much. I just got chrome valve covers and air cleaner, and I thought the alum intake would really compliment them. My engine bay is old, dirty, and ugly right now.

Ahh now I see. You're actually not installing a performer, you're going for the RPM. Big difference in the manifolds you're talking about. The Perfomer is a stock replacement while the RPM series is a bump up (including RPM range) and also taller than stock.

As for that stocker you have, you could clean it up by bead blasting it and then painting it. Just tossing it out there as it would save a few bucks over the purchase price of a new intake. Or lob it up on evilbay/craigslist once you have it cleaned/painted and get a few bucks towards your new intake.

 

[MBAKER]

Re: aluminum intake

I was planning to change intakes, so that I could put a different carburetor on the new engine. I currently have a 2 barrel Mercarb, and was thinking of going to an edelbrock carb during the repower process. Other than that, I dont care about the aluminum necessarily, but its hard to find a 4 barrel iron intake for Vortec heads. This carb has always seemed to act sluggish, maybe its in my head, but our old boat with a rochester sure acted a lot better. I know they are very similar, but the Rochetster sure seemed like a better carb.

For what its worth, when I talked to someone at Marine Power about a new engine I asked about intakes and he told me that they typically use the std aluminum for freshwater, and the brass lined for saltwater use. He said they have done that for years without problems.

 

[Bondo]

Re: aluminum intake

I was planning to change intakes, so that I could put a different carburetor on the new engine. I currently have a 2 barrel Mercarb, and was thinking of going to an edelbrock carb during the repower process. Other than that, I dont care about the aluminum necessarily, but its hard to find a 4 barrel iron intake for Vortec heads. This carb has always seemed to act sluggish, maybe its in my head, but our old boat with a rochester sure acted a lot better. I know they are very similar, but the Rochetster sure seemed like a better carb.

For what its worth, when I talked to someone at Marine Power about a new engine I asked about intakes and he told me that they typically use the std aluminum for freshwater, and the brass lined for saltwater use. He said they have done that for years without problems.

Ayuh,... I think Michigan Motors sells 'em...

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: aluminum intake

Just looking at that video, I noticed that the HP and torque increase was small......and this was with an engine that has high compression, aluminum heads, "trick" cam, free flowing exhaust system etc. (things you do not and can not have in your boat except aluminum heads maybe........)

In your engine, the increase in performance would be largely insignificant.

I would use the additional money and effort for gas (or beer!)

If you want more performance, get more "cubes"


Just saying.


Rick

 

[briangcc]

Re: aluminum intake

Since you're going with the "bling" factor, you might as well step up to the polished intakes. Be prepared to either clear coat or polish it religiously to keep that shine up.

 

[MBAKER]

Re: aluminum intake

Bond-o
Any experience wiht teh Michigan Motorz iron manifold. I know some GM dealers were selling one at one time for restricted rules circle track classes, but it was poor quality and eventually discontinued. Im curious as to whether it might be the same one, that would be my hangup on it. Whereas with an edelbrock, you know what you are getting.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: aluminum intake

Actually opening the plenum divider will increase power and ad touqre...but not that much and more than you might think. A crisper response is a good acronym