Carb spacer......worth it?

[RECHRGD]

This isn't a huge problem, but sometimes in the summer I will boil the gas when I turn the car off and have the predictable hard starting afterward.  The engine is a '71 440 with Mopar 452 alum. heads, performer RPM intake and a Holley 750DP (w/ proform main body).  With a dropped base air cleaner I have barely 3/4" of hood clearance.  Summit has some phenolic spacers that are .375" high in both the 4 hole and open types.  I'm guessing that with the gaskets it will be about 1/2".  There are also 1/4" spacers available, but I doubt they would do much to cure the problem.  Do you guys think that the .375" units would stop the boiling problem or should I just live with it, keeping the hood clearance that I have now?  Would the 4 hole be a better choice for a mostly street driven car?  Thanks, Bob

[histoy]

A 1/2" phenolic spacer helped my engine, but didn't completely stop the problem you're having.   Getting a valley pan with the heat crossover blocked off would probably help more.

[RECHRGD]

A 1/2" phenolic spacer helped my engine, but didn't completely stop the problem you're having.   Getting a valley pan with the heat crossover blocked off would probably help more.

Already have the valley pan with the blocked heat crossover.  When you say it "helped" you engine, do you mean as far as heat or otherwise?

[RECHRGD]

I just found a heat shield that Holley makes and it's only 1/4" thick.  I'm thinking that may be the way to go......

[BrianShaughnessy]

I talked with this dude at Carlisle...  very nice carb spacer / heat block deal.   http://www.coolcarb.com/   might be worth a look.

Otherwise...   I usually recommend hooking up the return lines either thru a factory vapor separator or a fuel filter with a return outlet.

[histoy]

I meant that the phenolic spacer helped reduce the amount of heat that was causing the gas to perculate in the carb, however my intake still had the heat crossover functional, so the spacer didn't completely eliminate the problem.

[firefighter3931]

Bob, get the heat insulating base gasket....they work ! 


Ron

[bill440rt]

Bob, get the heat insulating base gasket....they work ! 


Ron

Ron, is this the gasket?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Edelbrock-9266-Divided-Square-Bore-Spacer-JEGS-/310373172740?hash=item4843aec604&item=310373172740&pt=Other_Vehicle_Parts&vxp=mtr

I installed one as well. Works great!

[RECHRGD]

Thanks for the replies guys!  I'm looking at the Holley 108-51 insulating gasket.  It's .260" thick and a 4 hole unit.  Anybody have any experience with it.  It's made of a "composite" material and that's my only concern, being that it may distort over time.  Thanks,  Bob

[firefighter3931]

Bob, get the heat insulating base gasket....they work ! 


Ron

Ron, is this the gasket?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Edelbrock-9266-Divided-Square-Bore-Spacer-JEGS-/310373172740?hash=item4843aec604&item=310373172740&pt=Other_Vehicle_Parts&vxp=mtr

I installed one as well. Works great!

Yep, that's the one....it works great and will reduce carb temps significantly. Awhile back i posted a thread with some temps using the IR heat gun and there was a big difference comparing the manifold and carb using an insulator. If i remember correctly it was 40-50* 


Ron

[firefighter3931]

Thanks for the replies guys!  I'm looking at the Holley 108-51 insulating gasket.  It's .260" thick and a 4 hole unit.  Anybody have any experience with it.  It's made of a "composite" material and that's my only concern, being that it may distort over time.  Thanks,  Bob

Either the Holley or Edelbrock base gasket will work fine....



Ron

[Steve P.]

I agree completely and also recommend the use of a return line. Not needed on every application, but cannot hurt and will send cooler gas forward on most cars. Inlet line placement can be a bitch to keep away from exhaust heat and the return line really helps...  But do one thing at a time and take notes as to what worked and to what degree. This will help you and everyone reading this in the future.

The return fuel line did the trick on VegasMike's old 68'. Before that he had nothing but hot gas problems...

[RECHRGD]

I agree completely and also recommend the use of a return line. Not needed on every application, but cannot hurt and will send cooler gas forward on most cars. Inlet line placement can be a bitch to keep away from exhaust heat and the return line really helps...  But do one thing at a time and take notes as to what worked and to what degree. This will help you and everyone reading this in the future.

The return fuel line did the trick on VegasMike's old 68'. Before that he had nothing but hot gas problems...

Thanks Steve....  I should have mentioned this earlier, but I always have run a return line.  That's probably why this dosen't happen very often.  Over the years I just keep doing little improvements here and there to get all the bugs out.  I think this final little tweek should fix the problem entirely...  Thanks again,   Bob

[Steve P.]

 

[RECHRGD]

Well, I got a fel-pro #60123 1/4" gasket and installed it today.  The car wouldn't start!   It would just fire up and rev like I had it floored for a second and then die.  I replaced it with the original thin gasket and everything was fine.  When I really looked at this thing, I noticed that the brass grommets that are supposed to keep you from over tightening the carb, were taller than the gasket.  There's no way that it could make a good seal.  I guess I'll try it tomorrow and put the thin gasket with it.  No, come to think of it. it looks like I'll need one on both sides of it.  I thought this was a 0ne shot deal.  Maybe I'll just leave well enough alone and forget it.....

[Chryco Psycho]

or grind down the spacers in the corner holes , odd for a Fel Pro part to be bad

[RECHRGD]

OK, so today I go to O'reilly's and they sell me a Edelbrock 9266 gasket.  It's listed in their catalog as compatable with the Performer RPM intakes.  But, it's the divided type gasket.  The RPM's divider does not come all the way up the carb. Is it OK to use it as is, or should I cut the divider off of it?  Or better yet, get the 4 hole type that Holley makes?  Thanks,  Bob

[Chryco Psycho]

cut out the divider , if it is not pinched it may tear out

[RECHRGD]

cut out the divider , if it is not pinched it may tear out

Thanks Neil!

[Chryco Psycho]

Anytime Bob 

[tracpack440]

I  was having the same gas boiling problem. I found a similar thread awhile back.  I installed a edelbrock phenolic spacer and  changed the intake gasket with the cross over block off.  Wow what a difference. I have a stock intake. First thing is the power increase from the 1 inch spacer.  And the exhaust is about 20% louder. I am running flow masters and my neighbors like me even more.