I am running a performer rpm on a set of pre 87 S/R torquers. I ran a performer tbi on stock heads last year with no side efects do to cold weather. I have learned that the intake manifold needs to be a consistant temp for FI to work well. When the temps dropped last fall so did my gass milage. I went from about 19 mpg combined city/highway to 15.In the summer I can get about 24 highway if I drive right. I am running a 180* stat and in cold weather it takes about 5 min of driving to get up to temp. However, it takes about another 15-20 min before my manifold is warm enough for the gas to stay in suspension. It will have a momentary lean miss when leaving a stop sign or excellerating.The gas just falls out when you open the trottle. I have watched it on WinALDL and the BLMs go all over for about twenty mins and then stabilize at 128 under cruise conditions when the manifold finally warms up and the gas stays in suspension. This means that I cant change the chip to help.

Botom line. The factory manifold was designed with extra water jackets arround the plenum and on the floor of the manifold to stablize the temps and eliminate this very problem (gas puddling)that is inherent with TBI. A carb manifold doesn't have these extra passages. The Performer TBI does have them.
If I didn't have pre 87 heads I would go back to a TBI manifold. After running one for a year prior to my present combo, I am convinced that it (performer TBI)flows enough to feed most 305s. An exception would be a motor that is used primarily for racing.
A consistant problem I see is that people are trying to use racing hardware on their daily drivers and there combos are missmatched.

 

Just wondering, is the exhaust gas crossover still open on the Performer RPM & S/R torquer installation?

RBob.

 

Yes and I did not block it off allthough I did use the tin restricter piece that came with the felpro gasket set. It has a hole to let some exhaust through the cross over. I'm not sure how efective the cross over is after a header instalation either.

 

I have noticed anything of the sort on my regular Performer carb intake install. Of course it's not that cold here in Dallas. SC

 

holley has coolant heated TBI to carb intake adapters.

 

The only time this happens is when its cold.( < 40*)
Its got below 0 several times here this winter.

 

My damn engine wont warm up in the winter at all. I thought my temp sensor was shot because it wouldnt even hit the 120 line, but it wasnt. Oddly, with the old stock setup it warmed right up in winter.

 

Yes, you may be correct about how effective the x-over is (not). The hole in the gasket (metal portion) is small. Could either live with it during the cold or pull the intake and install gaskets with the hole opened up.

I have found the same driveability problems as you have. While cold just doen't want to run right. I ended up running coolant through the intake manifold x-over. The heads don't have an exhaust opening to the intake, so I was able (had to) to do this. Made a world of difference.

If you don't have the hot air feed to the aircleaner you may be able to set something up. Do it in such a way that it is easily changed for warm or cold weather.

RBob.