Many manifolds

[myk]

So guys, I'm already looking to the 'mods I'll be doing this winter after the car shows die out.  One of them is ditching the Edelbrock Performer intake and installing a CH4B to complement my new headers and exhaust.  My question is, how can I tell if the old intake I'm looking at is good to go?  I figure I could put a straight-edge on the mounting sides and look at that?  Or are intakes pretty much free from defects unless they're visibly damaged?  I'd hate to go through the effort of sticking one on and realizing it's "bad" or something.  Also, I discovered an old Torker II intake I still had and might either play with that as well.  Any input is appreciated, thanks...

[Dino]

They're cast iron so they don't really warp, but they can crack.  Just do a visual inspection.  Do you think that manifold will be an improvement over the performer?

[cdr]

ALUMINUM 

[RallyeMike]

You have to run them over with a tank to harm them. They really don't warp or crack. A quick visual inspection should do it. Probably the most common issue is stripped-out carb stud holes. These can be repaired, but its nice to find one that doesnt need it.

[myk]

They're cast iron so they don't really warp, but they can crack.  Just do a visual inspection.  Do you think that manifold will be an improvement over the performer?

Thanks for the responses guys.  Well, Chris and a buncha other guys here run the CH4B and swear by it, so I figure I'd give it a try. 

As for the Performer intake, I'm told that the "regular" Performer intake flows worse than stock.  I remember the car when I had the stock iron intake; I'd get a chrip from 1st to 2nd gear, but as soon as I installed the "Performer" that chrip went away and the seat-of-the-pants torque feel.  Of course, I had thrown out the stock intake and I've been living with that mistake ever since...

[don duick]

any reason why you cant use the new edelbrock performer RPM. If its hood clearance, use a cold air intake with a pod filter between the grill and radiator panel. you will notice an improvement with cold air.

[Nickrc3]

You have to run them over with a tank to harm them. They really don't warp or crack. A quick visual inspection should do it. Probably the most common issue is stripped-out carb stud holes. These can be repaired, but its nice to find one that doesnt need it.

+1 - Yes, that was my issue in purchasing my CH4B on Craigslist last year. All threaded holes (except for the vacuum port) were severely stripped. Heli-coiled everything.
Don't forget the need for a coil relocation bracket, if you intend to mount the coil on the intake.

Very pleased with the performance.

[myk]

any reason why you cant use the new edelbrock performer RPM. If its hood clearance, use a cold air intake with a pod filter between the grill and radiator panel. you will notice an improvement with cold air.

Cold air intake on a 'carb?  Interesting.  Is that something you have to fab up?  

I have thought about the Performer RPM but I didn't want to mess with the throttle and KD linkages.  Also, isn't the RPM more of a mid to high RPM intake?  

You have to run them over with a tank to harm them. They really don't warp or crack. A quick visual inspection should do it. Probably the most common issue is stripped-out carb stud holes. These can be repaired, but its nice to find one that doesnt need it.

+1 - Yes, that was my issue in purchasing my CH4B on Craigslist last year. All threaded holes (except for the vacuum port) were severely stripped. Heli-coiled everything.
Don't forget the need for a coil relocation bracket, if you intend to mount the coil on the intake.

Very pleased with the performance.

I'm pretty sure the Performer I have now and the CH4B have the coil mounted in the same spot so I should be OK...

[69wannabe]

The CH4B is your best choice other than the performer RPM.  I ran the same style intake on the 383 I had in my charger for awhile and liked it alot!!! The torker intake would be a mistake my friend. You would be swapping it off there pretty quick. I tried a holley street dominator on my 440 and just didn't like the loss of torque in the lower rpm range but it was strong up in the higher rpm's. Typical for a single plane (open) intake. I went to the RPM intake and never looked back, the CH4B's are great intakes but are hard to come by these day's but if you can pick up one at a fair price in good shape I wouldn't pass it up!!!!

[myk]

Yeah I lucked out for once and found a CH4B for cheap.  Of course, now everyone has me thinking about the RPM.  But again, isn't that a mid to high RPM intake?

[Kern Dog]

When I built my first 440 in 2001, I took an 80,000 mile 440 from a 78 New Yorker and simply honed the cylinders and reused the stock pistons. New rings and bearings, new gaskets too. Mild cam: The MP 280/474. Edelbrock Performer RPM with a Holley 750. Hooker 1 7/8" headers. The engine idled nice and made great power. I ran a 14.01 at 100 mph with a crappy, tire spinning 2.2 60 foot time! If I were to get it to hook, it surely could have been a mid 13 second setup. The intake has been part of every 440 build I've had in the Charger from that first one. The second was a slightly hotter setup. .030 over with six pack pistons, 9.7 compression, the 284/484 cam. It ran great but threw a rod at 846 miles!
My current setup is a 440 based 493 with the 4.15 crank, MP 284/528 solid lifter cam, 2" headers and a demon 850 carb. In all of the builds, I've never thought any of them felt soft out of the hole. Plenty of torque in all of them. The RPM is still a dual plane intake after all. The Holley Street Dominator has similar power numbers even with its single plane design.
Fitting an air cleaner atop the RPM intake requires some planning though. Some here have suggested using a FORD SVO air cleaner base since it has more "drop" than any Mopar style does. I never knew about this when I was trying to fit mine all together. I have the Cast aluminum Mopar Performance air cleaner lid and had to have a modified base made.

I have no experience with the CH4B but I've never heard anything bad about it. For an stock or slightly hotter build, it might be just right for you. The RPM isn't easy to find cheap at swap meets or anywhere, really. Count on $175 or more at a minimum. You already have the CH4B, so I'd give it a try and report back what you think.   

[bill440rt]

CH4B on a 440 with an Eddy 800 here. 
Previously running a Performer.
I felt a difference for sure going from the stock intake to the Performer, and again when swapping to the CH4B.
I've been told the CH4B is on par with the RPM, & I didn't want to deal with the linkage/clearance issues either & wanted to retain the original style unsilenced air cleaner.
No coil issues here, either. 

[myk]

And that's what I was hoping to avoid with the CH4B: messing with the linkages and the hood clearance.  Actually, I was thinking of Don's idea about using a cold air intake with the tall RPM intake, like you'd see on a modern car, but I'm wondering if one of those things could flow enough CFM.  It'd be really stupid to add headers, full exhaust and a nice intake only to choke it all of with a restrictive air cleaner setup...

[Dino]

Hey Myk if you're going the RPM route then send me the CH4B would ya, I'm running that damn performer as well.   

[myk]

Hey Myk if you're going the RPM route then send me the CH4B would ya, I'm running that damn performer as well.   

Yeah I hear ya.  But like everything else on my car, I'll take 10 years to decide what path to take lol.  I'd still be rolling around on those 15" Jeep/Cherokee turbine wheels if it wasn't for you and your car ha ha...

[firefighter3931]

The CH4B is on par with the RPM on most pump gas street builds. It also has much better hood clearance and requires no linkage modifications. Huge bonus ! 

If you had a big solid cam and were going to buzz the engine up to 6500 the RPM would make a bit more power. With a mild build using a hyd cam and shifting at 6000 or less there is no appreciable difference between the two in terms of torque and horsepower. 

I've got one on the shelf saved for a future 493 pump gas street build 



Ron

[69wannabe]

Of course Ron hit the nail on the head!!!!! I went with the RPM intake sine I was ready to drop in the 440 and couldn't find a CH4B intake anywhere so me being impatient I just ordered the RPM from summit to get the engine together and in the car quickly. If I was you and got the CH4B I would use it and you will feel the difference especially with your other upgrades!!! The plus side of the CH4B's are that you will not have to modify an air cleaner and your throttle linkage will work without any modification's unlike the RPM intake.

[don duick]

Myk

If you are interested in cold air intake, I made a snorkel using a 3 inch exhaust pipe and welded it to a plate and then riveted to my stock air cleaner. bought a 3 inch plastic flexible tube from the autoparts store and routed it to that hole next to the battery. I noticed an improvement in performance especially driving at night. an easier alternative is buy a Spectre air cleaner I have seen then on the Summit site.

[don duick]

oops

[myk]

Myk

If you are interested in cold air intake, I made a snorkel using a 3 inch exhaust pipe and welded it to a plate and then riveted to my stock air cleaner. bought a 3 inch plastic flexible tube from the autoparts store and routed it to that hole next to the battery. I noticed an improvement in performance especially driving at night. an easier alternative is buy a Spectre air cleaner I have seen then on the Summit site.

Thanks for the idea.  I did read somewhere that using a cold air intakes with a cone type filter, or a snorkel/tube setup might not have the necessary surface area to pull enough air like a standard air cleaner setup would, but it seems like it works for you.  I also saw the Spectre air cleaners at Summit and I'm very interested in using that setup; a cold air intake makes perfect sense and SHOULD build power...