Hello everyone, I am new to this site and new to the Buick World! I've got a 72 Buick skylark gs455, and it currently has a 74 Buick 455 engine in it. Current mods are Stock Intake / Q-Jet 650 Carb. Stock Heads, exhaust manifolds. Mostly stock everything except it has an Upgraded MSD Pro Billet Distributor, MSD Blaster Coil 2, Flowmaster 2.5 Exhaust with X-Pipe, Electric Fan Conversion, Shift Kit (TH400) and an Open Element Air Breather with K&N Filter. My question is, I'm looking at buying a Buick B4B Intake and I've read alot about smog pump / air hole plugging and other forums and sites saying that it'll bolt right on. What is needed to bolt this intake on. I've looked at a few pictures of the Intake Ports on the 70-71 heads and 72-76 and They all seem to be a little different. Does this matter? The intake ports are taller / rectangular, however in the center, the intake has a rectangular port (B4B) and on my stock cast iron intake, it is more squared. I will post 2 pics for comparison. Please let me know what is needed or if this is a difficult convert / upgrade and what benefits I'll see out of it other than just the initial weight savings / better heat dissipation. Look forward to hearing from anyone. Thanks
The b4b is made for the 67-71 BBB. It can be made to work on the 72 up heads but the heat crossover holes and the a.i.r. holes need to be blocked. If the heads are off the engine you can do it by tapping the A.I.R holes use some set screws and jb weld as a sealant. For the exhaust crossover holes TA now sells some plugs. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?248750-350-400-430-455-Cylinder-Head-Heat-Crossover-Plug-Kits&. Ray
Hey Thanks for the Reply RG67BEAST, So, the intake is really made up to accomodate the 67 to 71 BBB. Ok thank you for that information. I currently do not have the heads off. I guess that would be the easiest way to do this then. I'm going to have to block the "heat cross over holes" and the A.I.R Holes then? Ok, I'm new to this, so please excuse my ignorance lol, and all of your input is greatly appreciated. So if I don't plug the A.I.R Holes or the Heat cross overs, what would happen ? I'm presuming air / pressure leak / tuning issues / pressure leaks etc ? Tapping the A.I.R Holes is the only way ? Is there any benefit to adding this intake over my stock cast iron one ? Thanks,
To use the b4b you need to plug the holes as they lead to the exhaust bowls as shown. These are plugged with the exhaust x-over holes flush w/bowl but it's not the only way. The A.I.R. holes were simply tapped on the joint face about a 1/2" jb weld applied to set screw threads screwed in below the surface and jb added until flush for appearance. Another option is pipe plugs If leaving the heads on the engine you could a later 72 up metal gasket w/b4b and use cup plugs in the 4 ex-crossover holes as they will not be sealed and the two outside A.I.R head holes on each head. The b4b with the 72 up metal intake will effectively seal the #3,4,5 & 6 A.I.R. holes. I don't know the hole sizes perhaps someone else can chime in. I do have a b4b and 72 up gasket if you want to see pics of what I'm talking about. Another option is to sell the b4b and get a Performer intake. This intake when used with 72 up heads and the the 72 up 455 metal intake gaket will seal the A.I.R. holes and make the exhaust x-over funtional. (I would still block the x-over holes if you don't live where the winter is really cold.) I've not done it with composite gaskets. TA should know if you plan to use theirs. Ray
You can use a Performer or a late-model B4B intake on those heads with no plugging of any holes. The B4B will make a slight amount of HP more than the Performer so it doesn't make too much difference which one you use. The weight savings is worth it just to get rid of that clump of cast iron. Late model B4B in the pics in this ad. It has the full width flange: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.p...take-Manifold-Q-Jet-style&highlight=edelbrock I'd plug the 4 large exhaust x-over holes in the head and drill one 1/4" hole in one of the plugs closest to the choke. This will allow the intake to warm up nicely for street use but keep the majority of the heat out of the intake for more HP. The small air holes don't need anything done to them but it wouldn't hurt. They are plugged by the intake flange. You should be able to plug the holes with the heads on the engine if you can find the right size hole plug for the big holes. If you have to tap them, just keep the filings out of the intake valley. Any filings that go down the exhaust passages won't matter because they blow right out the exhaust pipes. You cannot use an early B4B such as the one in this ad. Notice the way the intake flange is noticably cut in in the center compared to the late-model: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?256186-Early-B4B-intake
I must have two late b4b's. I believed they came out with the new ones in 2007. I've had both of mine before then. Thanks for the heads up. Anyhow even a new one will not cover the two end A.I.R holes as shown in the pic.. The performer has slightly more meat in this area Ray
Hey Thank you very much guys. The pics really helped me visualize what it was that you were all explaining, I get it now. Yeah it is all for street application, I wasn't looking to build / product a "strip" only car, so I wasn't sure if the upgrade was worth it at this point or not! So, if I use a 72 and later Gasket, it will solve some of my issue by plugging some of the holes, but I'm still going to be plugging a few of the A.I.R Holes and tapping seems to be a real effective way. I did read that these heads use a nickel base rather than cast iron, is this correct ? Thanks for all of the responses! Your site / forum is incredible. I'm glad I became a member! Are there any other intakes (aftermarket) that will work for these 72 and later 455's that won't require any plugging / filling ? Just strictly bolt on and go other than the stocker ?
Edelbrock Performer. Use the later (73-76) intake gasket with a valley pan and maybe a new set of intake bolts. I did this to my engine a couple weeks back and didn't have any issues at all. Used felpro metal gasket and some TA stainless bolts. The hardest part was getting the old stock intake off the engine without breaking anything.
Hey so you mean use the Edelbrock Performer Intake, not the B4B, and get a 73-76 Gasket / New Bolts. At that point, I won't need to tape or fill any holes ? Just a straight forward installation ? How did it work out for you? I look forward to hearing back. What year is your motor ? Carb set up etc ? Thanks
The performer intake has more of an edge to it than the b4b does. The edge material covers the AIR holes at the end of the heads which the b4b leaves open. If you use the performer with the later intake gasket it'll work perfectly for you. The intake gasket either needs to be the stock metal one piece gasket or you need to run a metal valley pan with the seperate gasket set. For a stock motor just go to the local parts store and ask for the felpro intake gasket for a '74 or so Buick 455. I used new bolts because the stock ones were pretty grubby and I didn't want to reuse them. They may have worked, but I got a set of stainless ones from TA just to make sure I wouldn't have any sealing or rusting issues later. I'm running an Edelbrock carb, which uses a metal plate to help it seal. The plate is included with the intake manifold. If you want to run a q-jet than you need to use a spacer. My motor is a bone stock '73 455 with the AIR and EGR removed and an HEI installed. The intake and carb were done to fix a rough running issue and to pass emissions testing since the blockoff plates at the AIR and EGR ports would have been an automatic fail.
Just finished this intake swap on my 73 455 using the edelbrock performer and stock valley pan. No plugging anything, just be sure to use plenty of high temp sealer the red stuff around all the openings and be sure that you get enough on the front and back to fill the gap.
