Drilling/tapping intake manifold for vacuum port?

[98 SNAKE EATER]

My '69 RR has a Team G intake and a Demon Dominator carb.

Hood clearance is a bit of a problem, so it's been running without an air cleaner since it was built :icon_redface:


After some quick measurements, I figured I could ditch the 1" carb spacer to make some room for a custom air cleaner :cool:


Pulled the carb to rebuild over the weekend and realized the spacer had the only vacuum port

So now the plan is to drill and tap the intake for a vacuum port, but after eyeballing the intake, the front and rear walls look to be much thicker than the sidewalls....


They're also curved whereas the sides are flat.


I've always seen ports tapped into the front or rear of race intakes, but would I have any issue tapping into the sidewall?


I figure vacuum is vacuum, right?

 

[daredevil]

Oughta work.Nice Bird btw.

 

[Pistol Pete]

I can't see why it would be a problem. If it were me, I'd clamp a wood block inside the manifold and drill from the outside into the wood, but not all the way through. Then take a shop-vac and vacuum the chips out of the hole. When you unclamp the wood you can mop up any missed debris at the bottom of the intake with a grease dipped rag.

 

[ZR9B]

If its just for the PCV I have had them in the bottom of the air cleaner with out any trouble..looked like a store bought set up...was on the car when I got it and it ran like that for 2 years.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

If your just using it for PVC then why bother? Don't have a vacuum advance distributor right? So unless you have a power brake booster just replace that PVC with a breather and call it good. It should be baffled anyway or just go with the air cleaner idea works great.

 

[Meep-Meep]

On a big open plenum intake like that it shouldn't matter where the tapped PCV hole is, but regardless I wouldn't put it directly over one of the ports. Is there any room on the carb base plate? Some carbs have an undrilled boss. If you want to use the back of the intake for a vacuum source you can tap a smaller hole like 1/8" NPT or even two. Or perhaps a parallel thread with a shouldered fitting and a gasket. No one said it has to be a 3/8" pipe. As long as whatever method you choose provides enough flow. And I wouldn't run on the street without a PCV.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Yeah, I definitely want to keep the PCV

Main reason being the fumes :eusa_doh:

On my '29 five window coupe, I had a pair of breathers and the fumes were nauseating

Swapped one for a pcv and I was able to sit in traffic again without blinking all the time

 

[RustyRatRod]

Dude, you gotta get that scrap out from between the frame rails.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Dude, you gotta get that scrap out from between the frame rails.

At least it's not a small block, but still.....

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Decided to go another route....

Kep the carb spacer and mocked up a little template for the air cleaner after picking up a K&N 6-Pack filter (I wanted a Fram, but it was surprisingly waaaaay more expensive)

Then headed over to the laser shop where they made some cardboard templates and test fitted before cutting the plates out of aluminum

Because of the high rise of the Team G intake along with the carb spacer, the baseplate had to be moved forward on the carb to prevent touching the rear curve of the scoop, but took advantage of how wide the scoop is by turning the filter sideways (cross ram style)


Fits great with room to spare


Top plate gets painted orange tomorrow, leaving a nice canvas for some kooky RR/Coyote theme :icon_scratch:

 

[747mopar]

That looks sweet, nice job

 

[ZR9B]

Looks like you took the easy way out...looks great

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Let me guess the 440 siting offset and noticeable through the scoop made you make a plate that had an offset base and turn the cleaner sideways? I have that too just the way the drive line is set up on these cars but sure looks weird from the front. Nice job on the cleaner want to make another one?

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Let me guess the 440 siting offset and noticeable through the scoop made you make a plate that had an offset base and turn the cleaner sideways?

The engine offset is still noticeable through the scoop, but that's not the reason I went sideways.

The high rise of the intake and 1" carb spacer caused clearance issues with the curve of the scoop.

At the height the filter is now, if I were to turn it long ways (6-Pack style), I'd have to chop a hole in the back of the scoop in order to fit.

Nice job on the cleaner want to make another one?

It would be difficult without having the car on hand since there's a bit of trial and error for fitment.

That being said, if you have the same intake/carb setup as mine, my guys at the laser shop would have no problems making more plates

They do excellent work and save the templates for all my projects.

Here's a nifty little winch cover plate I had them cut for my Land Cruiser

 

[benno440]

need some airbrushing on the top lid like mine lol

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

need some airbrushing on the top lid like mine lol

I went a little basic for now....

I'll come up with a cheesier theme later on ;)