Finally some good time after year end drudgery. I am ordering parts for my impala project. The engine is finished and I am using a square bore holley 600cfm on this stroked 327. Have gone with an extreme energy 262 cam with larger intake and exhaust valves along with porting. The crank is a balanced 350. Trying to decide between air gap and weiand stealth intake manifolds. Any opinons? Guacamole
I have had one of each... and I like the air gap alot.. Obviously the air gap design is such that it helps create a denser air charge. additionally I have read, or heard somewhere that the weiand stelth is a rip off of some stock manifold?? and while I can't personally confirm this, I have heard that the air gap can also help lower engine operating temps..
I only know one person that has run a stealth, and it was on a new build, so we didn't really have anything to compare it to, but it seemed to work ok. Although, I have heard nothing but praise for the air-gap. I've seen dyno tests where the airgap made more low end than a regular Performer, AND more top end than a Victor Jr. Sounds like a winner to me!!!
Air-Gap... the Weiand is more inline with the regular Performer, not even tehe Performer RPM... But the Air-Gap is a step ahead...
I'm running the Weiand on my 327 simply because it looks better (my engine compartment looks mostly stock). It makes really good power with just a 600cfm Edelbrock and my Crane "sorta an L79" 3/4 race cam. I've never run an airgap, though, so I can't say it isn't that much better.
I like Weiand intakes but I probably wouldn't run a Stealth on a warmed over small block. They are designed for a basically stock mill. I've never run an airgap, but my daughter has one on her Elko and loves it. She had a little problem dialing in the carb (too much carb for the motor) but that 'cause she doesn't always listen to the old man. Don't know where she got her stubborn streak. Anyway, getting back to it, she switched from an older performer and says it really woke her motor up.
Just a side note, if you do go with the air gap, and it sounds like that one has the support so far, you will also want to make sure you have a telescoping magnet in your toolbox, because you will drop absolutely EVERY nut, bolt, and socket down into the gap. Just a suggestion.
Personally, I think you would be happier with something like the Weiand Action Plus. A dual plane intake will give you more part throttle torque and as heavy as those Impalas are it will make a noticable difference during daily driving. I ran a Vic Jr on my '65 Impala for a year or so. I switched to a Dual plane and immediately wished I had done that in the first place. Most Dual planes are good for 5500-6000rpm and in a daily driver that should be plenty good enough 95% of the time.
[ QUOTE ] Air-Gap... the Weiand is more inline with the regular Performer, not even tehe Performer RPM... But the Air-Gap is a step ahead... [/ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I like Weiand intakes but I probably wouldn't run a Stealth on a warmed over small block. They are designed for a basically stock mill. [/ QUOTE ] I think you guys are thinking of the Action-Plus. It is comparable to the Performer. I have a Stealth on my SBF, and I know it has been confirmed that the runners are larger than the Performer RPM's. [ QUOTE ] additionally I have read, or heard somewhere that the weiand stelth is a rip off of some stock manifold?? [/ QUOTE ] I know at least for SBF's, the Edelbrock Performer is a copy of the stock 4 barrel intake. Have you seen a Stealth? And these are just BS manufacturers numbers, but Edelbrock lists the Rpm and AirGap as having a 1500-6500rpm powerband. Weiand says theirs (Stealth) goes from idle-6800rpm.
"The air gap IS a dual plane!" I guess I've never heard of it then. I asuumed he was talking about a Vic Jr.
[ QUOTE ] I think you guys are thinking of the Action-Plus. It is comparable to the Performer. I have a Stealth on my SBF, and I know it has been confirmed that the runners are larger than the Performer RPM's. [/ QUOTE ] Larger does not always mean better. What about port velocity? You can have a lot of lsow down if the runners are to big. This will really screw with the bottom end torque.
[ QUOTE ] I guess I've never heard of it then. I asuumed he was talking about a Vic Jr. [/ QUOTE ] That's OK... It's pretty new technology, not too "traditional" It's actually called a "Performer RPM Air-Gap"...It's basically a long runner version of the performer RPM, with the runners seperated from the floor plate, just like a Victor Jr. Like I said, I've seen dyno tests where it made more low end than a regular performer, AND more top end than a Victor Jr!
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