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    Blown, Stroked, & Sprayed

    Ed Blown Vert's Avatar
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    Exclamation Mopar Intake Manifold Shootout, Part 1

    Mopar Intake Manifold Shootout, Part 1
    This became an obsession. We blame eBay. Once we'd purchased one or two cheap and collectible intakes online we became transfixed, recklessly bidding for the next screamin' deal or oddball intake. By the end of 2006 we'd spent a little over $3,000 on used intake manifolds. It was stupid by any measure, so we needed to manufacture a cause. The next six pages add up to justification.
    Our collection included 20 intakes for low-deck, big-block Chryslers alone, so we needed a 361-, 383-, or 400-based motor. Last month's story, "The 383 Mopar" (available at www .HOTROD.com now), showed our buildup of a very basic 383, 0.060-over for 395 ci with the stock 3.38-inch forged crank. We beefed it with ARP bolts, a Chenoweth Racing Enterprises girdle, Milodon oiling, and custom Diamond Racing Pistons slugs for 10.3:1 compression with the 88cc chambers in the bone-stock, '70-style, 906 casting iron heads. Last month we misreported the camshaft specs: Our Comp Cams custom solid-flat-tappet grind actually uses lobes 6581 (intake) and 6583 (exhaust), which are part of Comp's MM series designed for the faster ramp rates that are possible with the large-diameter Mopar lifters. The specs are 239/247 degrees of duration at 0.050 tappet lift, 0.573/0.597-inch lift (less lash) with our Comp 1.6:1 roller rockers, and a lobe separation angle of 110 degrees; the cam is installed at 106 degrees. Testing was done with 171/48-inch-diameter Hooker Super Comp Headers, 18-inch extensions, and open exhaust. The carb for the 4150-style intakes was an 850-cfm Holley, and we made best power with our Mallory billet, mag-pickup distributor (PN 3257711) set to 39 degrees total timing.
    Big-block Mopars are great for testing because intakes can be swapped without touching the distributor, disturbing any water crossover, or changing intake gaskets. We tried 14 common manifolds in two days, jetting each to find peak power. We tested every intake for idle vacuum, and they fell between 9.2 and 9.8 inches at 900 rpm. We also checked manifold height by placing a straight-edge on the carb flange and measuring the distance up to it from the valley-tray hold-downs front and rear. Use that info to decide if these intakes will clear your hood. Finally, we'll tell you where we got each intake and how much we paid for it.
    The power data is based on the average of two dyno pulls (thereby removing any single-pull anomalies), and oil and water temps were kept consistent. In each case, peak torque was very close to 4,000 rpm and peak horsepower was at 5,900 rpm. We also give you data points at 3,000 and 5,000 rpm, plus average power numbers in three rpm ranges: 2,500-4,500, 4,500-6,000, and 2,500-6,000.
    This test is mostly useful for guys with mild street 383 Mopars, though the info is valid for 440-based engines as well (which are identical other than a taller deck height). There are also lessons here for any engine, including the predictable trend that dual-plane intakes make more power in the low range and single-planes shine in the high range. However, once you weed out the really poor manifolds, look how close all the others actually are. Compare the Weiand tunnel-ram and the Edelbrock DP4B, two completely diverse intakes. The average power numbers from 2,500 to 6,000 on these two are nearly the same. You have to dig deep to see the differences in rpm range. You'll also see that there's a group of single-planes that are virtually identical (the M1, Street Dominator, and TM6) and some dual-planes that also tested very closely (the Action Plus, DP4B, and Performer). The numbers are so close that you would never know the difference in a car.
    The reason the power numbers are so similar is because the engine is so tame. Bone-stock cylinder heads are the cork in the operation, and with low power and rpm, the intakes are not challenged. Once we retest some of these manifolds with better heads and a more radical cam we expect to see more variance. The Performer RPM will more clearly outrun the other dual-planes and the differences among the single-planes will become more distinct.
    Offenhauser Dual-Port
    Dual-Ports use an unusual design where the carb's primaries and secondaries are separate in the manifold, with the mix from the front half going into passages in the lower half of the horizontally split ports and the secondaries flowing into the upper half. These intakes are no longer sold, but were originally available with either square-flange or spread-bore carb pads for B and RB Mopars. The original part number for this 383 square-flange intake was 6015-DP. This intake caused the engine to prefer rich mixtures, with an 11.2:1 air/fuel ratio at wide-open. Anything leaner and the engine lost power.
    Price: We bought this one for $20 from a guy who was tired of bringing it to the Spring Fling swap meet for five years.
    Manifold height: front 391/416, rear 4171/432 Peak torque: 436 lb-ft @ 3,900 Peak horsepower: 412 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 397 lb-ft, 227 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 411 lb-ft, 392 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 411 lb-ft, 276 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 397 lb-ft, 395 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 404 lb-ft, 327 hp
    Offenhauser Dual-Quad
    If you want an underhood dual-quad for your B-engine, the Offy is the only one that you can still buy new. Edelbrock makes the CH-28 for inline quads on a 440 but has nothing for 361/383/400 engines. Offy has both low-rise and high-rise dual-quad, 360-design intakes with both square-bore and (wait for this) Quadrajet flanges. The standard-flange low-riser is the intake tested here (PN 5186 for 383s and 5206 for 440s) and we put it with two Edelbrock 500-cfm Performer Series carbs (PN 1403 each). We used the carbs right out of the box; they are intended for single-quad applications, and Edelbrock sells its own dual-quad intakes with kits to tune the carbs properly. We did not have those parts, so the air/fuel ratio was a fat 10.9:1 at peak power. This setup might make a little more power if it were leaner.
    Price: Our used 5186 intake was $175 on eBay, but you can get the low-rise intake new from Summit Racing for $338.99 or the high-rise for $349.95.
    Manifold height: front 331/48, rear 411/44 Peak torque: 431 lb-ft @ 4,000 Peak horsepower: 425 hp @ 5,800 Power at 3,000 rpm: 401 lb-ft, 229 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 418 lb-ft, 397 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 411 lb-ft, 276 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 405 lb-ft, 403 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 431 lb-ft, 425 hp
    Weiand Hi-Ram
    We love tunnel-rams because they usually make power even if they have a throwback look. But this one didn't knock us out, and we suspect it's because we used it with a single four-barrel rather than duals, and because the cylinder heads remain this engine's limiting factor. The Weiand Hi-Ram with a single quad made notably more torque than the single-planes from 3,000 to 3,700 rpm but stuck with them from there on up. Not a good enough reason to cut a hole in your hood for this particular application. Weiand still sells a 440 dual-quad Hi-Ram for 440s as PN 1987 (we've tried them; they work), but the low-deck versions are discontinued.
    Price: This one was $122.50 from eBay. We've had trouble finding a dual-carb top separately.
    Manifold height: front 1051/48, rear 1171/48 Peak torque: 455 lb-ft @ 4,200 Peak horsepower: 453 hp @ 5,800 Power at 3,000 rpm: 406 lb-ft, 232 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 446 lb-ft, 424 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 422 lb-ft, 285 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 431 lb-ft, 429 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 425 lb-ft, 347 hp
    Weiand Action Plus
    This basic street intake is available for 383s (PN 8008) and 440s (PN 8009). It only accepts square-bore carbs and does not have provisions for a choke coil or EGR valve. It does have a vacuum port and mounting brackets for an ignition coil near the stock location at the right front. Interestingly, the Action Plus divides cylinders differently from the Edelbrock performer: The Weiand has the smaller of its dual plenums connected to cylinders 2, 3, 5, and 8, where the Edelbrock splits the planes with the smaller one on 1, 4, 6, and 7. The Weiand makes maybe 2-3 more horsepower above 4,400 rpm than the Performer, but the Performer makes it up with 2-3 more lb-ft in the lower rpm range.
    Price: $175.95 at Summit Racing
    Manifold height: front 331/48, rear 411/44 Peak torque: 452 lb-ft @ 3,900 Peak horsepower: 442 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 419 lb-ft, 239 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 429 lb-ft, 408 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 425 lb-ft, 286 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 418 lb-ft, 416 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 421 lb-ft, 342 hp
    Weiand Team G
    The Team G is a single-plane intake that's taller than the TM6, Street Dominator, and Torker, but shorter than the M1 and the Victor. Unfortunately, it's also weaker than those intakes. Looking just at the peaks, it's down 12 lb-ft and 13 hp compared to the next closest single-plane. That's probably due to the notches that are cast into the 3, 4, 5, and 6 runners to clear the intake bolts. This intake is PN 7533, and the 440 version is 7534. A 440 Team G can be had with a Dominator flange under PN 7538; a Dominator version for 383 was once available but has been discontinued.
    Price: $209.95 at Summit Racing
    Manifold height: front 411/42, rear 531/48 Peak torque: 437 lb-ft @ 4,800 Peak horsepower: 442 hp @ 5,800 Power at 3,000 rpm: 371 lb-ft, 212 hp Power at 5,000 rpm:</strong> 435 lb-ft, 414 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 401 lb-ft, 271 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 420 lb-ft, 418 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 409 lb-ft, 334 hp
    Holley Street Dominator
    The Street Dominator was the hero manifold of the '80s, the one everyone said was "the good one" during bench racing sessions. It's a low-rise single-plane that, oddly, has an EGR provision and that can accept either square-bore or spread-bore carbs. It's the same height as the Torker and the TM6. The PN 300-10 version for 383s has been discontinued, though PN 300-14 for 440s is still available, and some Mopar guys feel that the 440 version is better overall than the 383 version.
    Price: We Paypal'd someone $100.69 for the privilege of owning this manifold.
    Manifold height: front 311/42, rear 451/48 Peak torque: 449 lb-ft @ 4,000 Peak horsepower: 455 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 381 lb-ft, 218 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 446 lb-ft, 425 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 414 lb-ft, 280 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 432 lb-ft, 430 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 421 lb-ft, 344 hp
    Mopar Performance Six-Pack
    Mopar guys rejoice: The Six-Pack did great. We've seen this intake lose a lot of power compared to modern four-barrel intakes on bigger engines or ones with more rpm, but it seemed we just hit a really happy spot with our little 395ci big-block under 6,000 rpm. With out-of-the-box Holley carbs and some linkage FedEx'd from Year One, we saw the best peak torque number and not a shabby top end. You could really drive this and love it. The intake is made by Edelbrock but sold as Mopar Performance P4529005. The 440 unit is also available as Mopar P4529056 or Edelbrock PN 2475. The carbs are the 440 units, Holley PN 0-4144-1 for the center and PN 0-4365-1 for the outers. They are advertised at 350 cfm for the center and 500 cfm for the outers, but two-barrels are rated at a different pressure drop from four-barrels, so the cfm number is inflated. In four-barrel terms, these carbs collectively flow about 975 cfm.
    Price: We got this for $212.50 (minus the carbs) on eBay, but a new one can be had from Mancini racing for $379.95.
    Manifold height: front 451/48, rear 511/44 Peak torque: 459 lb-ft @ 4,000 Peak horsepower: 450 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 413 lb-ft, 236 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 442 lb-ft, 421 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 429 lb-ft, 289 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 429 lb-ft, 426 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 428 lb-ft, 348 hp
    Mopar Performance M1 Single-Plane
    This is a really good intake and is the second-newest single-plane design in the test (after the Victor). In past testing on other engines it has shown itself to really shine, but on our tame 383 it pretty much just ran with the other single-planes. The M1 is available for the 383 (P4529462) and 440 (P4529463) and is also sold with a Dominator flange (P4529724 for 383s, P4529725 for 440s). We'll try one of those in our next go-around.
    Price: Ours came home for $175 via eBay. Mancini Racing sells the M1s for $219.95.
    Manifold height: front 431/44, rear 531/44 Peak torque: 449 lb-ft @ 3,900 Peak horsepower: 456 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 396 lb-ft, 226 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 445 lb-ft, 424 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 419 lb-ft, 283 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 431 lb-ft, 430 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 424 lb-ft, 345 hp
    Edelbrock Dp4b
    Surprise! The oldest design produced the best average power of the dual-planes-of course we're only talking 1-3 numbers better, and that can be testing variance, but still, this thing wasn't at all bad. It's the first of the Mopar aftermarket dual-planes but has not been sold in many years. The DP4B designation means Dodge-Plymouth 4-Barrel, and the C4B (Chrysler 4-Barrel) is for 440s. This intake is most like the stock design, with the smaller of the two planes on the right side and feeding cylinders 2, 3, 5, and 8. The coil bracket is not in the stock location, but even so, many people who want an OE look use this manifold.
    Price: Ours was $104.39 on eBay, but maybe the price will jump now.
    Manifold height: front 311/44, rear 411/48 Peak torque: 456 lb-ft @ 3,800 Peak horsepower: 445 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 419 lb-ft, 239 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 431 lb-ft, 410 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 429 lb-ft, 289 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 419 lb-ft, 417 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 424 lb-ft, 344 hp
    Edelbrock Performer 383
    The Performer is the world's most ubiquitous intake manifold; you can order one from virtually any auto-parts chain. The Performer 383 (PN 2186) is a stock replacement part that's emissions legal for many OE four-barrel applications, and it has provisions for an EGR valve. Its carb pad will accept square-bore or spread-bore carbs. The Edelbrock Performer Package recommended for this intake includes a cam with just 204/214 at 0.050, demonstrating that our 237/242 solid cam is a little too big to match the ideal operating range of this and other low-rise dual-planes in this test.
    Price: The satin PN 2186 intake is $189.98 at Summit Racing; a polished version, PN 21861, is $359.88
    Manifold height: front 331/48, rear 411/44 Peak torque: 455 lb-ft @ 3,800 Peak horsepower: 439 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 418 lb-ft, 239 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 426 lb-ft, 406 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 427 lb-ft, 288 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 415 lb-ft, 413 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 422 lb-ft, 341 hp
    Edelbrock TM6
    Here's an oldie: the Tarantula Manifold 6 for 383s, similar to the TM7 for 440s. This was the "it" manifold of the '70s, and some Mopar guys still seek the TM6 and TM7 like they're the magic elixir. However, on this engine, it demonstrated nothing spectacular, just performance on a par with the other low-rise single planes. Edelbrock no longer produces these intakes.
    Price: We won this auction for $100 on the nose. It's really dirty.
    Manifold height: front 351/48, rear 411/42 Peak torque: 449 lb-ft @ 4,000 Peak horsepower: 452 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 398 lb-ft, 227 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 443 lb-ft, 422 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 421 lb-ft, 284 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 430 lb-ft, 427 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 424 lb-ft, 345 hp
    Edelbrock Performer RPM
    We always say you can't go wrong with a Performer RPM high-rise dual-plane for street/strip engines under 6,500 rpm, and this proves it again. It gives up a little bit of low end compared to low-rise dual-planes but makes up for it on top; it gives up a little top end to single-planes but makes up for it on the bottom. Also, the RPM gives room to grow-we expect that it will look even better once we put good heads on this engine. There doesn't seem to be a hood-clearance problem with the RPM on the Mopars we've seen, so there's no reason not to pick one unless you have a big stroker or a really hairy cam. Versions are also available for 440s (PN 7193).
    Price: The satin manifold is $219.95 from Summit Racing; a polished version (PN 71861) is $389.95.
    Manifold height: front 411/42, rear 511/42 Peak torque: 457 lb-ft @ 4,000 Peak horsepower: 451 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 408 lb-ft, 233 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 442 lb-ft, 421 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 424 lb-ft, 287 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 428 lb-ft, 426 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 425 lb-ft, 346 hp
    Edelbrock Victor 383
    This intake is the tallest, most extreme single-plane we tried. It was designed for high-rpm use with the big-cubic-inch strokers that are being built out of low-deck Mopar blocks, so the Victor 383 (PN 2886; the 440 model is 2954) is out of the league of our little 383. That showed in the torque that it gave up at virtually every point, though it did make the same peak power as the best intakes in the test. The numbers don't look bad, but we suspect this intake would be a little soggy on this tame engine in a real car. It just has too much plenum volume and port cross-section for what we're doing right now. We think we'll be able to show you its benefits in a future issue when we add more cam and better heads.
    Price: $249.95 at Summit Racing
    Manifold height: front 551/416, rear 551/416 Peak torque: 449 lb-ft @ 4,000 Peak horsepower: 456 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 400 lb-ft, 229 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 443 lb-ft, 421 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 421 lb-ft, 284 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 430 lb-ft, 429 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 425 lb-ft, 346 hp
    Edelbrock Torker 383
    This one was the shocker. Even the Edelbrock catalog states, "Great for street high- performance engines operating between 2,500 and 6,500 where low-end torque is not a requirement." We, too, would have presumed that the low-rise, single-plane Torker would have given up lots of low end to the dual-plane intakes. In fact, it only stole a little power down low-like 5-12 lb-ft between 2,900 and 4,000 rpm-and then gave it back up top, making gains of the same 5-13 lb-ft. The average numbers make the Torker look better than the RPM, but in fact they split at 4,000 rpm: The RPM is a bit better down low and the Torker is a bit better up top. And the Torker has a lower overall height! The 383 version is PN 3010 and the Torker II for 440s is PN 5091. Note that our used intake had the flanges hacked for lightening, but performance should not have been altered.
    Price: The unpolished Torker 383 is currently $235.95 at Summit Racing.
    Manifold height: front 351/48, rear 411/42 Peak torque: 456 lb-ft @ 4,100 Peak horsepower: 457 hp @ 5,900 Power at 3,000 rpm: 395 lb-ft, 225 hp Power at 5,000 rpm: 449 lb-ft, 427 hp Average 2,500-4,500: 423 lb-ft, 286 hp Average 4,500-6,000: 435 lb-ft, 433 hp Average 2,500-6,000: 427 lb-ft, 348 hp

    Photo Gallery: Part 1 of Hot Rod's Mopar Intake Manifold Shootout



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  2. #2
    Member c5z28's Avatar
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    On your ass flashing
    my highbeams

    Got the edelbrock performer on the 66' with a 4 barrel carb mad a huge difference over the stock 2 barrel/stock manifold.

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