I decided since it's constantly raining, I would tackle a bunch of nagging/ocd issues.

I think my biggest mistake was taking the carb off to get to the intake, but hopefully I can install the carb on the intake then install the intake.

I took the intake off to seal up the water loop permanently. It's been bothering me since I replaced the o-rings.

Hopefully you can see the picture, but is this still usable? I'm assuming that since it's the intake, it's not under pressure, so I'm good? It's pitted, but I filed it all flat as I can.

Thanks

 

That looks fine. If there are big eaten areas of the aluminum you can use JB Weld to fill them.

 

Thanks, I figure with using a small amount of gasket sealant on both sides of the gasket I won't have a problem.

 

I also like to use just a little sealant. It will help if you have to reuse it.

 

I'm hoping I never need to take this off again! I'm kicking myself for not doing it right the first time.

 

Active ACV port?

 

Yes, all just like it came from the factory sans the o-ring coolant passageway nonsense. I spent a couple hours cleaning everything, carb, intake, black base plate, all electrical connections etc. intake actually came out a little better than the picture.

Reinstalled the oil pan(another annoyance). Thanks Stu for the stud idea when installing the pan, soooo much easier. Reinstalled thermostat housing.

 

Get ready for a hot intake manifold.

 

Fortunately it doesn't get too hot here and it's only open road driving, no stop and go. Plus even on warmish days, the car seems to run cool, I think my radiator is a bit too efficient.

A buddy of mine fabbed up a great heat shield for his car, but I need to put on a header first.

 

Jeff20B is not referring to hot ambient temperature. He is referring to the fact you have apparently blocked intake manifold coolant with freeze plugs. Now exhaust heat will begin to heat the intake manifold due to lack of coolant flow and yes,this will affect the way engine runs.
When doing this you need to plug ACV to prevent superheating intake manifold. If you're not prepared to do this because you want ACV functional,you must have coolant flow and will need to remove freeze plugs,can't do one without the other.

 

Thanks, my buddy said all we needed to do was weld the port closed on the manifold. He does great work on aluminum, which I can't do. I don't really want to make a bunch of modifications, so I can pull out the freeze plugs if needed.

I told him to hold off on welding till I can do some research when I get home tomorrow.

 

Decided to bail on the project, at least till I get my RB header later this year.

My neighbor, a retired machinist, said he'd make the block off plates for the ACV when I delete the air pump and related nonsense.

Not all was lost though, I was able to deep clean that whole side of the engine and hopefully take off the rats nest to get the rust off.

Question for everyone, is there a way to get the carb bolt driverside rear back on with the intake on? All my manual states is patience, which I'm short on. I was gonna attach carb then install all together to the engine. That way doesn't allow for much room to get the intake back on.

 

I have never pulled the carb and intake together, but that's just me. Since I have a 1980 I didn't start with much cluttering up the top of the engine, but I've never had an issue getting off that nut. Now, I have nearly no smog equipment left, so getting to it is relatively easy (however the metal tube portion of the rats nest is still in place - all that's left in use is the pcv and it's an '82 vacuum rack so a bit bulkier than the '80 - so it gets in the way sometimes). It also depends on whether I'm installing a stock or modded carb, as obviously one is a lot more stripped than the other. The thing I have a bigger issue with is the throttle cable nuts.

In terms of tips... I usually try to get my wrench under/near the ap linkage. On my modded carb with the extended ap arm my wrench actually depresses the arm. Sorry I don't have any 'magic tricks' or the like, although perhaps some others here do. Good luck with your intake work.


Actually, on the topic of intake work... If you end up doing freeze plugs, you really need to plug the central exhaust port on the engine. Someone had done that to mine as they were using an S2/S3 engine (that has that central exhaust port for the ACV) with an SA intake which doesn't cover that port. The reason for this is just as others have already mentioned - without it you'll end up with hot exhaust in your intake. Removing the ACV itself and blocking that off is not enough, you will still have exhaust pulsing into the internal intake cavity. I personally don't run freeze plugs, yet... I just don't pull the intake often enough to warrant them and I'd rather not dive back into the ACV rabbit hole. I even had to chisel out the epoxy plug that was in that central exhaust port (which is called the 'port-air' port when talking about ACV air routing) because I needed to pass smog.

So anyway, my suggestion is either don't ditch the coolant passage or plug the engine port (but only if it's your long term plan, because it is a pain to remove). Welding closed the ACV port on the engine side of the intake is better than nothing (although I'd be curious to see if the trapper air might cause an issue), but plugging the port in the engine will prevent a bit more heat from reaching the intake. Just my two cents.

 

Thanks, this is helpful. After this year, no smog, no visual inspection, so off comes the factory exhaust, air pump etc. all my rats nest is intact, need it for A/C, maybe cruise control? Haven't looked at that. There's no physical room to get my very skinny fingers near that nut, I'll have to play around with it next week.

As for welding on the block side,interesting, but I make a mistake, I'd rather it be on the intake side as i have another intake to experiment with.

 

Yeah, I imagine getting to that nut with all the stock equipment still there is a lot more difficult. I unfortunately still have to pass smog, so I'm going to have a fun time come this August without my smog equipment... You're lucky to no longer have to deal with smog.

Oh, I never meant weld the block, I just meant weld the block side of the intake, as in the mounting surface - perhaps that's what you meant originally anyway. I definitely wouldn't weld the block, but the best option - in my mind - would be to fill the port on the block with a form of high temp epoxy putty. That way it could be removed, but will also keep the most exhaust heat out of/away from the intake.

 

Thanks, sorry for not getting that. That's the plan at the moment.

 

That nut is a pain even with a stripped carb like mine but it is easier. Sometimes a magnetic screw drive and one finger in there is enough to get it started. Then you have to turn it with the wrench a quarter at a time. Its like meditation.

 

Thanks for everyone's input, got it all back together and it runs as good as ever.

I have to run the distilled water for a couple days to flush the system and then drain and fill with coolant.

I could never do all these bigger projects without this forum's help, thanks!