Quote:
Originally Posted by pancake
I beleive I read in the post that you used and adapter plate to mate a TBI to an older manifold. This could save me a lot of time and work. Did you like the adapter plate, or would you modify the stock manifold to fit the older heads?
|
Pancake: I modified the stock TBI manifold to fit the older heads and it was a pain in the azz. The only advantages I see to using the stock manifold are that it is available everywhere and dirt cheap (usually included in a "system") and makes the throttle linkage line up. If you are using a 700R4, it also ensures the TV cable is in the right spot.
To modify the stock manifold, the two center holes on both sides of the manifold need to be oval-ized to allow the different bolt angle to line up with the holes in the heads. I tried using a cutter in a die grinder to enlarge the holes, but the cutter I was using quickly loaded up with aluminum and was worthless. I didn't have any other suitable cutters for the die grinder, so I used a coarse rat-tail file and filed the oval holes by hand (15-20 minutes per hole - phew!). Second, you need to compensate for the different bolt angle and how the four center bolt heads seat against the manifold. The shims you showed in Post #172 will work - that is what I used on the passenger side. On the driver's side, I could have also used the shims, but instead used a 4-1/2" cut-off wheel in my grinder and
carefully changed the angle of the manifold so that the center bolt heads would seat flush.