Does anyone sell lower intake spacers that go between the head and the lower intake? I am deadset on using 1996 Lincoln Mark viii valve covers on my build and the blower intake elbow interferes slightly with the PCV opening on the passenger bank. I would like to space up the manifold around an inch. It would work out well anyways because I could tap each runner individually for direct Nitrous. If no one makes these I guess I will have to have a set made.
I have never heard or seen of a spacer to do what you're looking to do, Robert. While certainly not impossible to make you're probably going to get abused by the setup and programming for a special one off CNC'd part. Why not just clearance the intake elbow to clear the PCV hardware?
I might need to do just that ed. The problem however is I do not think there is enough material to clearance. I will upload a photo later today. The boss for the pcv is what is hitting the elbow, so it's interfering without any PCV hardware in there. I might be jumping the gun anyhow, seeing as I still have not clearanced the block to fit the lower manifold. However.... If I did create these spacers, it's possible I could get enough clearance to retain the 2 stock engine knock sensor bosses, which I would not be against. I found someone who creates aluminum flanges for C heads. I could possibly see if they could water jet another set for me just in a thicker material.
You can take a set of intake to head gaskets to any water jet or laser burn cnc shop and they can do it.
I looked into doing this years ago for some off the wall ideas I had at the time. A couple places I called and sent pics of the gaskets to quoted around $200 plus material to create the cnc program from the gaskets and jet out a set. I never followed through with it however. MMR makes the cnc flanges for building your own intake manifold so it may be worth looking into see what thickness they offer and if they could make thicker if needed. I doubt they would turn down any chance to make a few bucks off something custom like that.
You can take a set of intake to head gaskets to any water jet or laser burn cnc shop and they can do it.
I looked into doing this years ago for some off the wall ideas I had at the time. A couple places I called and sent pics of the gaskets to quoted around $200 plus material to create the cnc program from the gaskets and jet out a set. I never followed through with it however. MMR makes the cnc flanges for building your own intake manifold so it may be worth looking into see what thickness they offer and if they could make thicker if needed. I doubt they would turn down any chance to make a few bucks off something custom like that.
Thanks Ken! I think I'm going to call Shelby Mike and see if he could make me a set for a reasonable price first with oring seals so no need for gaskets. That would be trick. If not I think MMR is the next route! Here's a photo showing how bad the interference is. As you can see the manifold is not flush due to those knock bosses so it's already higher than stock. So I need major clearance here.
It is going to be challenging, even with spacers, to make that PCV valve functional again, Robert. What is the magic of the earlier cam covers vs the later covers? As you already know the PCV port on the later design was moved up to the front of the cover.
That first paragraph just spawned another thought. Why not machine off the old PCV port and weld in a flat plate where it was. Sand down the weld, polish it to match the rest of the cover and then weld in a PCV port at the front of the cover that you cut out of a later generation cam cover. It might be a shorter way home, so to speak.
You might be right Ed.... I do have a set of later model covers. will have to weigh the options. Even still, having those stock knock sensors is strangely enticing to me.
There are unused motor mount bolt holes on both sides of the block that are suitable knock sensor locations, Robert. That could make the cam cover surgery solution more apealing.
The motor mounts are 10mm which is too big for the factory sensors however, you can get step studs that would neck down to sensor size and still provide a clean audio signal to the knock sensor.
I went out to the garage and looked at a spare block and did not finding any unused engine mount bolt holes that my faulty memory was telling me were there so the unused bolt hole solution is not on the table. That said, a step stud and 10 mm nut for an existing motor mount fastener location with the top of the stud stepped down to fit the knock sensor could still work well for you. Although there are bolt bosses on the backs of both heads I would attempt to place the knock sensor closer to the center of either cylinder bank for knock sensing purposes.
Mike @ Shelby Mike racing is willing to make spacers for a very reasonable price. In the coming weeks I will get a set made by him. Just need to get some final measurements.
That works out as an unqualified win, Robert. Great Sherlock Holmes work!
Ed
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