Quick intake question

[WadmalawJoe]

I currently have the Edelbrock Preformer intake with no oil filler tube so I have to pour my oil through the valve cover. With the baffles and such I have to pour slowly and it grieves me. I want to change my intake and go with the air gap intake anyway so..... Is there any reason I can't get a intake with the oil filler tube and switch to pouring my oil in that way? I have a 72 350 motor. It's a option that varies by type of intake not by the type of motor is isn't it? I haven't looked to see if they make a air gap with the filler tube option yet, but that will be an option I will be looking for. I have only installed one intake and that was 15-20 years ago. So sorry if this is a dumb question.

Thanks!
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[Lee H]

Don't think you can get an air gap with an oil hole, I don't even think there is room for one. Go with the air gap and a set of valve covers that have a place to put the oil in.
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[GASoline71]

I've never owned a vehicle with a fill tube in the front. Always in the valve cover. Not sure how slow the oil goes in for you, but it seems like a moot point to change an intake just to pour oil faster. Maybe that's just me...

But if you are looking for justification to buy an Air-gap. Buy an Air-gap.

Gary

[doubleb's69]

As far as my research goes they don't make an Air-Gap with the filler. I agree with Lee H ^.

[GRX]

Agree with above as well concerning the intakes. Probably your baffle - be patient. And being that the SBC only have a small oil return hole at each end of the head, they don't exactly drain back all that fast anyway. Also ....

Olds v-8 have a nice convenient fill tube on the front timing chain area. Pontiac v-8 have a nice pan separating the lifter valley and intake. Not all is peaches & cream in the Chevy world.

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by GRX

Agree with above as well concerning the intakes. Probably your baffle - be patient. And being that the SBC only have a small oil return hole at each end of the head, they don't exactly drain back all that fast anyway. Also ....

Olds v-8 have a nice convenient fill tube on the front timing chain area. Pontiac v-8 have a nice pan separating the lifter valley and intake. Not all is peaches & cream in the Chevy world.

Boy that's an understatement. Everytime I have to do any distributor work on an SBC or BBC comes to mind as well.

Gary

[jocko]

concur with the comments - you either have to go with a factory manifold made for a somewhat earlier small block or an aftermarket one that fits older small blocks (generally OLDER aftermarket stuff - i.e. why the new air gap doesn't even make it with a front fill tube).

But, have you considered adding one of the long truck valve cover oil fill tubes?? It might buy you a few more seconds of sanity... Bottom line - the time it will take you to change your manifold will not make up for the extra time it currently takes to pour your oil for years and years to come worth of oil changes. So, the simplest approach might be the valve cover fill tube and an attachable + sealable large capacity funnel.

[GRX]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Boy that's an understatement. Everytime I have to do any distributor work on an SBC or BBC comes to mind as well.

Gary

Agreed. Divorcing the front water cross over from the intake on a Pontiac v-8 makes intake swap amazingly simple. No need to mess with coolant, oil, or the distributor.

[WadmalawJoe]

Thanks everyone!
Yes, pouring the oil in slowly is not that big a deal.
I guess I was looking for an extra excuse for wanting to change the intake
My truck's performance is just not where it should be and I remember that truck that I changed the intake in 15-20 years ago. It made a huge difference. My truck I'm working on now doesn't start like it should nor does it have the zip that it should. I know its mainly a carb issue, but also the intake is a factor as well since the two must work well together. You would think the set up I have now would be perfect I have the Edelbrock performer intake and a Edelbrock 1406 carb, but something is just not right.

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by WadmalawJoe

Thanks everyone!
Yes, pouring the oil in slowly is not that big a deal.
I guess I was looking for an extra excuse for wanting to change the intake
My truck's performance is just not where it should be and I remember that truck that I changed the intake in 15-20 years ago. It made a huge difference. My truck I'm working on now doesn't start like it should nor does it have the zip that it should. I know its mainly a carb issue, but also the intake is a factor as well since the two must work well together. You would think the set up I have now would be perfect I have the Edelbrock performer intake and a Edelbrock 1406 carb, but something is just not right.

the way it sounds your timing could be off some but it also could be a combonation of things

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by WadmalawJoe

Thanks everyone!
Yes, pouring the oil in slowly is not that big a deal.
I guess I was looking for an extra excuse for wanting to change the intake
My truck's performance is just not where it should be and I remember that truck that I changed the intake in 15-20 years ago. It made a huge difference. My truck I'm working on now doesn't start like it should nor does it have the zip that it should. I know its mainly a carb issue, but also the intake is a factor as well since the two must work well together. You would think the set up I have now would be perfect I have the Edelbrock performer intake and a Edelbrock 1406 carb, but something is just not right.

Sounds like a tuning issue to me. I have the same carb and a Torquer II on my 327. Starts great and runs really strong.

I don't think there are many performance style intakes around that have the front fill tube. You would have to find something fairly old.

I fill mine through the breather hole in the valve cover, and it seems to work just fine. Some valve covers have an extra oil fill hole in one cover, so if its a real issue for you find a different set of covers.

I wanted an air gap too, but when a buddy offered me a Torquer II for free, I decided that was the way to go.

[burnin oil]

Simple solution to your problem is to pop the valve cover off and remove the baffle plate. Shouldn't hurt a thing. Mine never drained slow so I am guessing that yours is full of sludge. Pretty common in older motors. Factory 4 barrel intakes arnt that bad for a stock/RV cammed motor. That said the old fill tube in the intake motors are cast different. When you pop the intake off you can see where the oil keeps going down. Also every early motor I pulled apart had a vent tube assembly at the rear of the block in the lifter valley. Swapping intakes is not a problem though. No front oil tube intakes that are an improvement over the factory cast iron intake are available to my knowledge. Only retro pieces designed around 283/327 motors back in the 50s and 60s. Even the old tri-powers didn't flow all that well in reality. Face it, the front fill tube died when they redesigned the small block back in the early 60's. They sure do have a cool factor though!