omc8

iTrader: (7)

Oh ok that explains that. So you made the brackets , good work . Did you get the fittings off ebay too ?

xEtherealx

Found a thread about this intake from 2009

http://www.performancetrucks.net/for...-piece-441542/

Surprised there are no test results in the last 7 years? The guy ended up tossing his in the trash though.

customblackbird

iTrader: (2)

Nope. All my fittings are from summit or jegs. I try not to use the really cheap eBay fittings unless it's for dumb stuff like oil
catch cans or PCV plumbing etc. nothing with fuel or tranny or cooling or important stuff as there really is quality differences.

customblackbird

iTrader: (2)

yup, he opened it up, ported it and threw it back together with 2 tubes of RTV and that's why it had issues.

I refuse to open it up and if it performs like stock but pulls alittle farther I'm cool with that bc when you open the hood it looks a lot better. My car is a warm weather DD in a way and 70% of the time I take it out I'm taking it to a show after work or something where it sits with the hood up. I spend more time looking at the motor than having the hood down.

customblackbird

iTrader: (2)

Just updating this. I just got the car all situated and started it up today. I'm still in the tuning phase due to the medium custom cam, ported heads and the intake but so far no real issues. Hasn't seen any boost yet. I can't get the idle
to be below 700-750rpms and my timing was going super low like 8* when I was commanding 19-21*. I'm going to have to read up on cam tuning. But I'm also only pulling 13-15" of vacuum when I thought I would be closer to 17-19".

xEtherealx

Any results yet? I'm considering this as an alternative to shaving my stock truck intake, looks a lot easier to do and if performance is there that's a win. $130 shipped so def. worth the time savings.

jake 03

iTrader: (5)

I am interested in this also

shnalla

Shave intake looks fantastic. I wonder if it would fit under a 72 A-body hood.
I love the finish of that black wrinkle paint!

customblackbird

iTrader: (2)

I pulled the intake to rule out any vacuum leaks. Seems that the intake isn't the cause but haven't put it back on yet. There is another member who's currently running his and tuning. Said with just he intake swap he's leaned out quite a bit around 2500+ so he feels it's flowing a lot more air. He had a vacuum issue with it leaking once bolted down due to the 2 halfs flexing apart alittle. He disassembled and used a nylon adhesive to bond the halfs permanently and hasn't had any issues. I'm going to go this route as well before I put it back on. Besides me thinking the intake was leaking I have yet to have any issues with my short testing of the intake. I'm going to tune for the stock intake and then swap the dorman so I can see what differences the intake makes alone.

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

You should be pressure testing any fresh intake manifold installation. It only takes a couple minutes and ensures that everything is sealed up from front to back. This goes double for FI applications. Would you like a picture or video of the pressure test?

xEtherealx

Yeah I'd love to see a how-to on pressure testing an intake.

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

I do this to every engine, every time. And more frequently on forced induction setups.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...l#post19588973

This test rules out vacuum leaks, crankcase pressure routes, boost leaks, and issues with gasket sealing. I.e. if you know the intake system (airpath) is rock solid at 5psi, then it should be fine at 0psi on a naturally aspirated engine. I like to go back and do another one of these tests after the engine has been running for a month or two (5k~ miles) to make sure nothing moved. On an FI setup, I usually do these tests whenever I get a chance, and include the entire air path, from compressor cover to intake, and if I can manage it, exhaust system as well.

There is more to say on the subject, that I've encountered in questions over the last month. Such as, check the vent tube also for stoppages (often you simply plug it and assume its free flowing, which can be overlooked as a mistake). And the effect of pressurizing the crankcase slightly to this end, which I neglected to get a video of yet. So a new video is in order, once my intercooler plumbing is made up. Until then you can ask any other question related if you wish.

xEtherealx

How do you keep the air from passing into the cylinders through open valves? It doesn't look like you've got the rocker arms loose in order to keep the intake valves closed.

Also I see you're using threaded bolts to plug up the lines -- I guess that might work at just 5psi but it seems like a potential spot for leaks.

tech@WS6store

iTrader: (2)

Ill take 1 large popcorn, extra butter and season salt please

Great thread!!

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the questions!

If the cam is stock then there is very little chance (or none) you will find a cylinder in overlap. In which case, its a good thing, because the pressure will find an open intake valve and enter a sealed cylinder, increasing the chance of finding a leak.

On engines with serious overlap I just turn the crank pulley using a socket to avoid that range. Sometimes pressure from the test will turn the engine over anyways. Furthermore, it depends how much pressure you are using. On an N/A setup it may not be necessary to go all the way to 15 or 20psi, whereas on the FI setups I like to see at least 16psi. This of course, from the compressor cover all the way to the engine.

A next test is inside the exhaust system. You can pressurize the downpipe, crossover and manifolds, in the same manner. In theory you could do the entire thing at once by blocking both ends and finding an overlap situation- but I've never done it that way.

As to threaded bolts, ratchets, etc... I plug the holes with whatever works if it works. If they leak, I use something else. In a high pressure test obviously you will need something in there seriously clamped down. I wasn't doing a high pressure test at the time, and I got lucky with what I had shoved in there.

omc8

iTrader: (7)

I like your pressure test method , if you add some smoke to it, you can see it leak too. What are you using to cap the coupler with ? Is that 3" pvc plumbing cap that has been taped for the valve stem ?

customblackbird

iTrader: (2)

I pressure test the cold side plumbing but can't pressure test the engine due to the valves being open. I'm not going to remove the rockers to pressure test the intake.

xEtherealx

Yeah I mean what's the point of plugging the PCV hoses etc. if your compressed air is going to make it's way through to the crankcase via a cylinder anyway? That was my question; you can't really test just the intake unless all of the intake valves are closed.

customblackbird

iTrader: (2)

Well as stated you could rotate the motor and hope you find an area that has all the valves closed. still you would have to plug everything off the intake and probably the exhaust.

Its probably just easier to pump a good bit of PSI to keep it steady like 10-15psi and squirt soapy water around the intake and look for bubbles. Even if air leaks out the exhaust or cylinder walls/crankcase you should still get leaks at the intake if there are any.

i know for a fact that my exhaust isnt perfectly sealed unless I start from the header collector back toward the engine. But I would do the soapy water (tire air leak checker around the bead/rim) on the intake before going through the trouble of all this.

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

Home depot sells the pcv plumbing caps, yes. You don't necessarily need to use the valve stem; it depends on the test. In a high pressure test, it would be more important to have a self-sealing valve. But in a low pressure test (For an NA engine) You wouldn't need the valve stem as much. Like I did in my example video, just use a hose and put your finger on it.


First let me say that I've tested hundreds of engines from mild to wild in a variety of applications (4, 6, 8 cylinder) and NEVER had an issue with valves being open causing a problem with the pressure test. For example the LSx at the end of my video has an enormous cam- something like 244/244 @ .050, it pulls 6" Hg at idle. And I didn't even glance at the position of the engine, just fill the plumbing with air and find the leaks.

Second, most throttle body are water tight, and practically air tight. If you block the IACV line (or remove it) and leave the throttle body closed, air should stop in the intercooler plumbing and raise pressure there, avoiding the intake manifold.

Third, even if valves are open, it would have to be during an overlap period, and the amount of flow is insignificant compared to the flow rate of traditional air compressors. It depends on the air compressor of course. If you are trying to use a gas station tire pump or hand-operated tire pump then you will have a problem. On the other hand, a sufficient size air compressor tank will be able to overcome the loss of air through an overlapped valve/cylinder and still give you a chance to find leaks elsewhere (listen for the leaks) in a worst case scenario pressure test. Try turning the engine away from that sequence slightly and you will find that when the exhaust valve closes as the piston is moving down the air pressure will push it the rest of the way down and stop at some point, allowing you to complete the test.


It sounds like you have not tried much, if at all this method. You are guessing about the performance of a test never performed? I suggest you give it a try.
The only thing you need to "block off" Is the PCV fresh air tube which supplies the crank case. This is to avoid pressurizing the crankcase during the pressure test.

The test is mandatory for forced induction setups. There is always a leak somewhere. A boost leak raises compressor wheel speed, raises IAT, and increases exhaust gas backpressure. In worst case situation it can blow the engine (high IAT) or turbo (over speed). At least it is a detriment to performance.