Larry Dunlap

OK, Im new at this. I bought a used accel base and got the car apart and just now realized I cant use the stock gasket set for the base to runners. I guess I need to order a set of accel high flow runners gaskets from jegs right? Also I was thinking about port matching the runners but there is not much metal there. I guess it would be better to just flare the thick metal part at the end of the runners to there is not a wall there, than nothing. I want to go to supperamm plenum and runners as well, but no more money for now. What should I do to make this work for now?

rezinn

Why can't you use the stock gaskets? If the runners are the same size as the gaskets, what good would it be getting larger gaskets?

Larry Dunlap

hmm, good point. I guess I was thinking of porting the base part of the runners to match the larger hole in the base. I could just put it back together that way I guess with the stock gasket, and not do anything to the runners, probably would be all right. Wouldnt get increase flow for now but Id be ready for when I get the larger runners

Larry Dunlap

It just occured to me, I wonder if I would have trouble with the runner to base holes sealing OK. If the base holes are a lot larger than the stock runners it could suck air?

DannyT

The stock gaskets should work fine. That is what I used with my SR base and stock runners

Larry Dunlap

OK, thanks, I don't know why I don't think of these things until Ive got the car apart and its staring me in the face. Did you see any improvement with the SR base and stock runners? Are you planning on SR all the way or going with large runners and stock plenum? I guess both have their advantages

Ed Maher

Stock gaskets are fine with stock runners. You don't need to open up the end of the runners, maybe debur it a bit. Just make sure you check that the gasket aligns perfectly using the bolt holes to line it up.

Larry Dunlap

Thank guys, but I have a question to the guy who installed the SR base. I see a number of differences between the stock and the SR, and Im not sure about them. The SR base is used so the bolt holes could be worn., but it appears that some of the bolt threads are different. Specifically the fuel rail bolts and the bolts that hold the EGR (I think thats it, the round brass bippy in the center of the base. There was a plate covering the EGR on the Accel base but the bolts for the cover appear to have a finer thread than the bolts that actually hold the EGR on the stock base. Im not sure about the fuel rail bolts, they go in a little and then they all stop. I am going to take the Accel base to a hardware stor tomorrow to check some bolts. Did you notice any difference? The other thing is there are definetly two thread holes to the water channels on the Accel base that don't appear anywhere on the stock one. I assume I can just plug these. Besides that on the stock base the water holes on the one end are not even functional and on the Accel base they are. Any insight on this stuff would be greatly appreciated. As someone said on this sight, and I wholeheartedly agree "bolt ons arent"

Larry Dunlap

Looks like nobody is online today. I would appreciate if anyone has any insight on the questions I have about the differences in the SR base and the stock one. I am especially concerned about the the two holes I mentioned in the water channel that are not on the base one. There is one in the front and one in the back. I have nothing to connect to them so I was just going to plug them. Any problems?

Ed Maher

I don't have the base you're talking about, but i think i know what you're talking about. Yeah, any extra holes into the water jackets can be plugged off with no problems. Should be able to find something to use at a hardware store.
As for the bolt holes, i don't know why they'd be different, but checking at a hardware store can't hurt. The fuel rails should be 8x1.25mm just like the runner holes. Not sure on the EGR.

8Mike9

When you get the base new, it comes with the EGR blockoff...looks like the PO used it, instead of EGR. Not sure if the bolts are the same or not, been too long for me to recall.

DannyT

The one on the front of mine is plugged, not sure of the location of the rear one that you are referring to.
I used the stock bolts for the fuel rail though.
When you say the bolts appear different do you mean different size or thread only? Is your SR base used? Many used ones are painted and that makes it more difficult to get the threads started.
I added my SR base alon with my AFR heads, ZZ9 cam and 1.6RRs so I can't really say how much it helped.

Larry Dunlap

Plugged the hole in the front on the bottom with a 3/8" NPT plugs and Permatex thread sealer. The one on the back is right next to the distributor hole and is smaller. I plugged it with a hex head bolt with no head, what do you call them, like a bole with no head and a hex hole in the top of the bolt., 3/16 I think it was and thread sealer. Im a little worried about that one because the bolt never gets tight obviously with no head, but I put a ton of thread sealer on it and it fits fairly tight. The EGR bolts were definitely different, they were a metrec, finer thread on the new one, M8 , 1.25 I think, but I got some on there and am ready to put it on right now. I just came up to check about the water channel holes, I guess Im all right. Well here goes, IM sure Ill be doing wheelstands by tomorrow, haha. I think the bolts for the fuel rails are the same. I couldn't find any that fit at the hardware. These go in good but stop, I noticed that they do the same on the old manifold, but they do see a little tighter fit on the old one, Maybe this one has been painted like you said. Thanks again. I want to go with SR plenum and runners, but one, I don;t have the $ right now, and two, I probably wont see a big gain til I get my LPE 219 cam and AFR 190 head right? Anyway I was thinking about going with SLP big runners now and port the plenum to them, I already got a BBK 52mm TB. The SLP are pretty cheap, $259. Might be a good way to go until the SR. What do you all think?

DannyT

Yeah, that should be plenty for now. You'll get enough of a gain to be happy and then when you save up the $$ for the SR then you'll be happy again You should have no problem selling the runners either

'87FAKE-IROC-Z

If I'm not forgetting anything, all the hardware that was on my factory base was used with no problems on the SR base. egr bolts, fuel rail bolts, vac fittings, sensors, ets. everything.

Larry Dunlap

The only thing that was definitely different were the bolts for the EGR. They were a finer thread on the SR. The SR base was used and definitely painted. It looks like it was painted with no bolts in the bolt holes, making some of the bolts very hard to go in. I ran a tap through all the runner holes before I put them on and got a loto of silvery paint/metal out. The bolts went on very easily after that. Seems like it would be a good idea to plug the bolt holes before painting. Did anyone notice what I was saying about the water channel on the back part of the SR being actually functional and on the stock base not? On the stock base, what would be holes to line up with that back water holes on the motor, was just solid, no pathway for water at all. Are all stock bases this way or was mine modified?

black89ws6

I wouldn't worry about the coolant holes on the backside. I don't think coolant is actually supposed to flow through the back holes anyway. While I've never had a TPI manifold off a motor, I've had a TBI manifold and carb manifold off. On each of those, the rear coolant ports were blocked by the gasket. On each motor, where the ports would be, the gasket had a thin metal square blocking it off, and that square had a hole about 1/4" in diameter. If I had to guess, I'd say it was just there to balance pressure, and/or let trapped gases escape. The replacement manifold gaskets I used also had that blocking plate in, and I left them in. Neither motor had cooling problems afterwards, either.

good luck

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Like you discovered, the EGR bolts are different. What really pissed me off was that Accel didn't supply bolts that were long enough to work with the EGR valve. Because the bolts are such a pain in the *** to get to, GM was smart enough to use bolts with a smaller head so you could fit a small wrench in there. Accel wasn't so smart, so I was forced to go out and buy conventional hex head bolts. Now if I ever need to remove the EGR valve, instead of just pulling off the plenum like I used to do, I get to pull apart the whole f'in top half of my motor including valve covers and alternator. All because Accel couldn't use the damned stock thread pitch.

Larry Dunlap

On the water issue, the stock and replacement gaskets have square holes in the back for water. The stock base was solid metal in the back where the water holes in the motor are, and besides that there is actually no water channel in the base in the back, like there is in the front. The SR base has a water channedl in the back and the square holes are open. So if water comes out of those holes in the engine, it will flow through the manifold. This is why I had to plug a small hole next to the distributor that was in this water channel. Dont really know how this will affect cooling or anything else.

On the EGR bolts, yeah I did the same thing, put some hex head bolts on there and yes the heads make it difficult to get them tight especiall the one near the drive side edge. Im sure I would have to take the plenum and runners off to remove it, but not the valve covers or Alternator. Hopefully I wont have to remove it.

Got it all together last night but didin't have time to start it. Need to add coolant and chek fuel pressure first, since I put an adjustable Fuel pres regulator on. I have no idea what the pressure will be to start with since I have never used one before.