1960 intake manifold info needed

[Don Izzo]

I am thinking about swapping out my original cast iron intake and wcfb and replacing with an after market set up. does anyone know what intake I can use that will allow me to retain the use of the WCFB and air cleaner under a stock hood? It not what manifold and carb will fit with what air cleaner? Thanks
Don

[Rob M.]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Just curious: Why would you want to do this thing?

greetings,
Rob

[Don Izzo]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Rob, I am having an oil burning problem with my recently rebuilt motor that I am trying to chase down. It's been suggested by many that it might have something to do with the intake. Figured it's cheaper to buy and try a new manifold and carb then to have the manifold pressure tested to check for cracks, then have all the mating surfaces milled flat. I have some errosion at the carb mounting surface, between the two exhaust holes in the top front of the manifold. Figure I need to have this surface milled as well. If the replacement parts don't solve the problem than I will rule out the intake and I will go back to the original equipment without spending the time and money on the machine work, which will be a real pain trying to find a shop that can do the work! I can always sell the new manifold and carb when I am done with them. Just need to know what will fit and allow me to close the hood for the test ride. If it does solve the problem, I will leave the new components on for a time while I resolve the problems with the original equipment. I AM NOT TRYING TO HOTROD MY 60! This is an original matching numbers car down to every component.
Don

[Kent D.]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Don,

I don't see how the intake manifold can have anything to do with burning oil being that there is no oil pasage throgh the intake manifold.

Kent

[Don Izzo]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Well Kent, I suggest you read some of the prior posts here where I listed the original problem. There are many ways a failed intake gasket (and the many different causes and locations of a failed intake gasket) can introduce oil, yes oil, as well as antifreeze into the combustion chambers. But yes a failed intake gasket or a cracked intake in any of the underside crossovers as well as other locations in the intake can cause oil to be sucked into the combustion chanbers from the lifter valley, resulting in oil consumption.

Don

[Mike B.]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Don,

A cheapo Edelbrock SBC aluminum 4-barrel manifold with a matching carb such as the Edelbrock 1406 with electric choke will fit under the hood. Note that the modern Edelbrock carb throat is 5-1/8" diameter vs. the WCFB 4-1/4" so your air cleaner won't fit. However an aftermarket style with a drop type base will.

Alternatively, I have spare clean, stock 4-bbl cast iron manifold that you are welcome to borrow for the cost of shipping if you wish. Then you can bolt your WCFB and aircleaner right on that. I live in NJ.

Good luck,
Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Don------

I seriously doubt that changing the manifold is going to have any effect, whatsoever, on the oil burning problem. It is true that your problem may very well be due to oil being drawn in through the intake manifold gasket in the lifter valley. However, the problem is rarely due to the manifold. It's due to the fit of the manifold between the cylinder heads which is influenced by the decking of the cylinder heads, block, or other block/head-related anomolies. This effects the geometric relationship between the manifold and the cylinder heads.

I've been "down this road". I changed manifolds THREE times (including TWO new ones). None had any effect on the oil burning problem, at all, even though I'm convinced that the problem with that engine was caused by the intake manifold gasket leakage problem. I was NEVER able to solve the problem, no matter what I did. I may learn more when I "autopsy" the engine in the future.

[Don Izzo]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Joe if replacing or reinstalling my intake doesn't solve the problem I will be forced to remove the one head and have it checked. I only own the car 6 years and had the engine rebuilt as I got the car in pieces. I got about 1500 miles on it when I found three cracked valve springs. They were the old original springs which the rebuilder chose to reuse. I pulled the heads and had him replace everything except the newly installed guides in both heads about 200 miles ago and now it has started to smoke. The motor was stuck having sat for 20 years, but the engine rebuilder says he followed my instructions to magnaflux the block before overboring and pressure test the heads. Who knows with these guys it could be anything.

Don

[mike cobine]

Re: 1960 intake manifold info needed

Don,

With your manifold off and the port sides very clean and the heads very clean, try this.

Paint a thin coat on your gaskets with some of the old red gasket goop or some wet slow drying paint. DO NOT let them dry.

Stick the gaskets on the intake and put the intake the engine on very quickly and torque down several of the bolts.

Then remove the intake and see where the paint is missing on the surfaces.

If missing/light across the whole top, then the heads have been angled milled.

If they are high on the head ports, then the heads have been flat milled.

If they are where they should be, check for spots missing or very light that indicate it isn't sealing.

It seems to me there is something made for this but I can't remember what it is.

Another thought - when does it smoke?

You said after it warms up, but is it at idle, under throttle, or coasting?

Go out on an open section of road. Drive steady and check for smoke. Floor it and check for smoke, then drive steady again to check, and finally downshift a gear and take your foot off, letting the car slow itself down and check for smoke.