spacer ?

If I add a 1" spacer,do I need to add a gasket below and above the spacer between the carb,or just under the spacer?

 

I do believe you'll need a gasket above and below the spacer.

 

Yes, you'll need both below and above. Some of the spacers come with at least one so you'll just need one for under the carb. Don't forget you'll need longer mounting bolts if not already included with your spacer:beer.


Matt

 

Thanks Guys.

 

What is the power gain average with a spacer on stock 455? Just curious. I was thinking of getting one also. Also, Are you using a 4 hole spacer or a single square hole spacer? thanks.

 

Chad I'll be putting on a 1" open spacer on my 455.From what I understand you can get 5-10 hp increase with a spacer.

Generally a 4 hole spacer will increase throttle response and acceleration,and lower torque within the rpm range due to air and fuel flowing longer.It can also compensate for a large carb or cam.

An open spacer kind of does the opposite.It will decrease your acceleration and throttle response,possibly giving you more traction.It raises the power band and torque in the rpm range and can compensate for undersized carbs and cams.

There is some good advice in this thread.
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=99970&highlight=carb+spacers

 

2 gaskets

 

Gents, i will be fabricating a 1", 4 hole, wood spacer and putting it on this weekend. Will advise on the performance changes.

Best of luck Tom with your spacer, look forward to hearing how it performs.

 

Steve,

I fab'ed a 1" Aluminum 4 hole at work. I'll have the carb off today, I'll snap a few pics for ya.

 

with a buick 462 13.7:1 cast iron modified intake with open plenum and cut down divider, would a 1" open or 1" 4 hole spacer make more hp and torque? which spacer would et the best and mph the highest? (car is a 72 455 with k-b maxi 4 cam, mt headers, 3: exhaust, 4:10 gear, 9" coan convertor

 

Bill, with my combo the 4 hole made more HP and torque than the open spacer.
I ahve a 455 bored .030, 9.3 cr, TA113 cam, ported 430 heads with standard valves, TA headers, Performer intake port matched and ported with plenum cut. 800 cfm quadrajet.

Tim

 

Hi Tim,

Did you dyno or do track testing?..sounds like your manifold and carb is similar to mine...It feels like i have picked up low end torque with the spacer (I have a phenolic 1" 4 hole but have not tried it...Can u feel the difference in low end and throttle response?..my combo is more radical then yours with 13.7:1 comp., maxi 4 cam, 4:10 gear with coan 9" 3500-4000 rpm stall, m/t 1-7/8" GScA headers (it feels like i picked up low end with the open 1" spacer vs no spacer previously)

 

I dyno'd the package and I picked up a few HP.
Here are some numbers:
- ---------W/O 4 hole spacer --- W/4 hole spacer
RPM'S ---- --- LBS - HP -------- LBS - HP
3,300 ---- --- 501 - 315 ------ - 498 - 313
3,600 -- ----- 500 - 343 ----- - 499 - 342
3,800 -- ----- 504 - 364 ------ - 509 - 368
4,000 -- --- - 507 - 386 ------ - 516 - 393
4,200 -- ---- 510 - 408 ------ - 517 - 413
4,400 -- ---- 503 - 421 ------ - 510 - 427
4,600 -- ---- 494 - 433 ------ - 500 - 438
4,800 -- ---- 483 - 441 ------ - 488 - 446
5,000 -- ---- 470 - 447 ------ - 473 - 450
5,300 -- ---- 448 - 452 -------- 452 - 456

 

Over the weekend I fabricated a 1 inch wood, 4 hole spacer and installed it. After warm up and driving to work I had to turn down down the idle screw by almost 200 rpm to get back to the 650 setting!!! That was a surprise, must be the additional velocity. Smoother exhaust pulse and throttle response is still great. No vacuum leaks. As I don't have a dyno, except for my seat, I can't give detailed changes like the above, but the spacer certainly hasn't taken anything away from the SBB. Will plug in a vacuum gauge at lunch today and give y'all an update, was reading 16-17 inches prior to the spacer.

 

Hooked up the vacuum guage after work last night and it was reading 16-17 inches, so I started adjusting the ilde mix screws in and the vacuum started dropping. I began adjusting them out and I picked up two more inches of vacuum and 200 rpm. The additional velocity from the spacer made a big difference in the idle mix and speed settings. After I turned the idle speed back down to 650, final reading on the vacuum guage is a solid 17+, no wobble in the needle. Took the GS for a test drive and the "seat dyno" registered more pull all the way through 4500 rpm through 1st and 2nd!

Love these Buicks!

 

Sad to say that over the weekend I had to replace the 1 inch wood space with a thinner one. After a couple of weeks of driving to work and criusing on the weekends, the snorkels of the cold air intake were pushing on the hood, causing it to come out of alignment. Made another out of 5/8 inch with equally good results, having same vacuum readings and idle speed as the 1 inch.

 

Well adding this 1" four hole spacer is the best and cheapest add on I could have done to this 350 engine.The response and acceleration is incredible.I get that same floating feeling I get in the 455 when I get on it.

 

hey Easy ,what kind of wood did you use to make that 1in. spacer? that sounds like a good idea,any instructions ?:dollar:

 

I used a good quality 5/8 inch plywood, no knots, chips, split grains, checked flatness with a good straight edge. Using the base gasket for a template, i drew it onto the wood, drilled the starter holes for my jig saw, then slowly cut the throttle bore holes slightly undersized, and finished the bore holes with a file. Go easy with the file though, it's easy to chip the wood out of the bottom of the spacer. (I did a better job at this with the second one than i did with the first.) Then I cut the outline of the spacer with the jig saw, following the template lines from the base gasket. To install I used two thin gaskets above and below the spacer.

Runs great!

Good luck with yours.

 

hey thanks easy ,i'm going to take this information and make one for my 350.tell your son we thank him for serving this beautiful country and GOD BLESS HIM AND THE USMC .:blast: