Edelbrock C4B
 

I need to replace my intake. Can't get the water neck off (threads stripped on one side and head of bolt rounded off on the other!). I found this intake + 750CFM carb + distributor for $200 locally. I've got a 283 with Rochester Quadrajet now and stock coil and point-distributor.

It seems like a good deal. I've done alternators, brakes, water pumps but no real engine work. Are they easy to replace?

Thanks!

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

If you can do brakes you can do an intake. If your truck is running good now I would focus on getting the old water neck off and heli-coil the stripped hole. Chances are pretty good you will need to do some work to that Edelbrock carb from the looks of it. If the HEI is from the same place I bet it will need some work too. You can buy a new HEI from Skip White for less than it will cost you to tune up that old HEI.

Just my .02

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

good deal yes but unless you have a high lift higher duration cam that carb will drown you. intake looks good send it through a parts washer or media blaster and tape off for paint :metal:

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

x2 on the above.

That intake new is only a little over a 100$. the problem with used intakes is you never know what your getting into till you try to tighten a bolt down. Chances are he left the carb on it because one of the carb bolts is stripped and rigged to stay in place. thats what i normally find on older aluminum intakes.

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

If u want to run it get an adaptor for the Q-jet and sell the Edalbrock carb and the dizzy to recoop some money.By the way u cant run a big cap HEI with that intake, u would need a smal cap one. Good luck.

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

Something to think about, refurbishing the HEI will get you a fresh unit, buying a Skip White will give you a fresh Chinese unit. I've had better luck with rebuilding my OEM stuff than cheap aftermarket new parts.

That intake hasn't been made for well over 30 years. It is a good one and it is quite collectible. It's worth the effort to repair any stripped holes. I restore a good number of intakes for my collection or to resell and it's always been time well spent to fix up and old one when you go to resell it.

I'm running an earlier version of that manifold on my current truck.

Before, 40 bucks from a swap meet...
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...oject007-1.jpg

After some helicoils, removing stuck fittings and powdercoating work...
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...project081.jpg

Old speed parts are like money in the bank.

As to the original poster though, like the guys above said, a 750 is too much for your engine. You'd need to resell the carb and replace it with a smaller one. Figure that intake is worth 100 bucks as it sits, the carb say another 100 and the used HEI about 40 bucks. Those prices are pretty much everyday swap meet prices. Figure your effort to resell the 750 carb and buy a 600 and it doesn't seem like it would be worth the effort. It's an okay deal but not a steal.

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

Interesting. First negative feedback I have heard on the Skip White stuff. Personally I have never used him but he seems to be the go to guy for HEI around here.

I completely agree about the cheap Chinese stuff.

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

I'm not bashing on Skip Whites stuff, he sure sells a bunch of them. I'm just saying that you know the parts have to be cheap quality. A decent module for an HEI costs near as much as he's selling his whole unit for. I'm kind of pessimistic but I have never found anything that is super cheap to be good quality in the long run.

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

Thanks for all the advice. My 283 is running great and I hate to mess with something that works. It's just that water outlet. No idea what thermostat is in there and I think it's sticking open most of the time judging by the lack of real hot heat this past winter.

My quadrajet seems ok (thermo-mechanical choke). I think I'll pass on this intake.

Any advice on getting the two bolts out? Should I grind off the bolt heads on the water neck, pull it off and then? I've got a few books and they're great for replacing parts but not much info on stuff that's broken in the first place.

Thanks!

Re: Edelbrock C4B
 

PB Blaster, time to soak and lots of patience. I've seen the bolts bound as much to the housing from corrosion as well as corroded threads. Grinding the head off may keep you from snapping the bolts off level with the intake. That would be a big plus. If you can get the housing off you will have a better chance of soaking the threads with PB Blaster. Then use a pair of vise grips or a stud wrench to get the remaining piece of the bolt out. There is a good chance the housing will be corroded to the bolt. It will take some work to get it off without breaking it. Chances are the housing will be pretty pitted anyway and will probably need to be replaced. I'm sure other will have more advice. Good luck with it.

stuck bolts
 

You might try PB blaster, or another penetrating oil...let it soak overnight, then strike the top of the bolt head with a ball-peen hammer. That might be enough to get it loose enough to come out. Be gentle with the wrench (vise grips too)...if you have to, you can put some heat to it with a torch before trying to back them out.

Just what I would do if it were mine.

Scotty

Re: stuck bolts
 

I think I'm past being gentle with the vise grips (if you know what I mean!). I don't think the PO ever changed that T-stat but I can see that there is one in there. I think I'm going to ask my neighbour if he'll weld a nut on and then try that.

Thanks for the reply.