Bret and I were talking when I was last down there about improving the LT1/LT4 intake. Is there anything that can be done to improve the flow? I know edlebrock had tried with no success.

Any experience or input as how to improve design or flow besides gasket match porting?

I thought this would make for an interesting discussion since this hasnt been discussed in length yet to the best of my knowledge.

 

I'd like to know myself. I never have seen a SINGLE person running the Edlebrock LT-1 intake, so I assume it doesn't work any better than stock or you'd see them around more often.

The TPIS Miniram is so close in design to the LT-1 intake it's almost scary. It flows better but.... all the passages are larger, so you would expect that, I guess.

 

As best I recall the LPE intake was good for torque (50#), but weaker than the stock LT1 intake past 5500.

Some people are cutting them open to work on them, but I dont really know too much about whats being done. Maybe Jordon, Phil or someone can comment on that.

 

I don't know what can be done but I talked to Chuck about this when he worked my heads. I have no doubt based on what Chuck's told me that he can get more power out of the intake but I don't want to misquote anything he told me. Hopefully he'll see this post.

I opted to go with a well worked LT4 intake (against Chuck's wishes... sorry Bro) and based on what the intake's flowing, all ported like it is, I'm thinking this intake will do me fine. We'll find out soon enough. I also gave alot of consideration to going with a VicJr/throttle body setup but I'm curious to see what this will do first. If it aint up to snuff I'll take that route... as I was told to do in the first place.

-Mindgame

 

The biggest things that block flow are the injecters. Well Not the injecters them selves but there placement brings the roof down to far and block flow.

We always raise the roof as far as possible

 

Most likely its because Edelbrock never produced them. I saw a prototype on display at an NHRA Nationals event in maybe 1996, but to my knowledge they never sold any.


I believe Myron Cottrell developed the MiniRam first, and GM copied it for the LT1 because it flowed so well. Hard to believe there is anything in a 3" length of rectangular duct that could obstruct flow very much. On the other hand, as noted in another recent post by someone a lot smarter than I am, there is little opportunity for "ram" tuning with such a short runner - in essence giving up some mid-range torque for some top end power.

I believe that Pete Incaudo at CNC Cylinder Heads, in Pinnellas Park FL probably has done some of the best work with the LT4 intake. In the long conversations I had when he was selling me on his LT4 heads and intake porting, he assured me the heads would flow better with the intake in place than without the intake, and flow test showed that bolting the intake on increased flow by 3%. Looking in both the runners, and into the plenum, there was a lot of machine work done - much more than gasket matching. Just to check, Second Street was unable to duplicate the CNC "intake" flow gains with a heads/intake from LPE, nor on another setup. Seems like Pete knew what he was talking about - at least on the intake side. Too bad the exhaust flow was a total disaster in those heads.... .

 

I weld the top of the intake, behind the injectors.. so I can raise the pinch point of the intake as high as possible...

 

Jordon!

I am thinking of raising the roof on the intake and the heads and moving the injecters.

What do you think? I am thinking of starting with a LT1 intake and raising the roof at least .250 of an inch and maybe moving the floor up also.

 

Ellis, moving the injectors location is going to be more of a pain for what it is worth (little to nothing). As Jordon said, people have welded up the area behind the injectors some and raised the roofs which actually is just straitening the port out more than anything.

Jason

 

Anyone find a cheaper alternatice to www.hogansracingmanifolds.com ?

Is there a way of welding in longer runners?

 

I was looking at my LT4 intake last night and noticed the inside of the intake was VERY rough. I know you can clean up the runners, but what about the inside? Would there be any benefits of doing something like Extrude Hone's media process or is the inside rough for a reason?

 

Yeah I noticed that too, that and theres a lot of "junk" in the way, sharp turns, fuel rail crossover dip, etc....Its interesting that the guy Fred mentioned actually increased the flow of the heads with the intake...

 

Sharp turns can often be there for a reason, and they likely are.

 

I can understand sharp edges. The two openings for the TB have fairly sharpe edges and I'm not going to round any edges. However, there's the casting flash and a VERY rough surface that makes me wonder.

I wish there was an easy way to flow these intakes. I've got four LT1 intakes that I could use as guinea pigs.

 

Casting flash is one thing, polishing the intake tract is not done though, exaust yes, intake no. On an only high RPM engine, then this may not hold true.