Inliners International Forums General Discussion Hi Performance Heating a manifold with no heat provision

Hey Fellas, I know the manifold heat question, whether water or exhaust heat has been beat to death. But how do you heat a manifold that has no built in heat source provision? Stockers, Offys, Mcgurks etc. were all made to accept exhaust heat and Edmunds (and others I'm sure) allowed for water heat. I have a Nicson side draft with neither provision so I'm wondering how to best heat it without destroying a rare piece. I seem to recall someone saying that Tom Langdon sold a water heat kit or that a piece of tube could be attached/welded to the bottom of the manifold to accept water heat. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks in advance

Could try modifing a heat plate off a Geo Metro. It`s between the TBI and intake and must run off a sensor off the engine, gets plenty warm and should atomize the fuel better when cold. Could use a rear window defogger as a switch--must work on a timer of some sort. Trying to do this now on my flat six. The opening is small but should work unless you are looking for performance---if you do this let us know how it turned out....52er

mark50

If you could Email some photos of that Intake I maybe able to help you with some ideas as to getting some type of heat to it.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Twisted 6, I'll take some pics this weekend and email them to you.

Take an AL plate, say 1.00 thick or so, drill and tap some holes through the sides of it for nipples and plugs, drill hole(s) for the intake in the center, and hook up water hoses to the two nipples as far apart as possible. Plug the unused holes you have from drilling the holes through the block, should have 6 extra.

Hi Ed, OK I kind of get half of what you're saying but I'm having a hard time envisioning the entire piece. I understand drilling for the water nipples at either end but what do you mean when you say drill holes for the intake? Do you mean large holes, say the size of the intake runners that attach to the head, so that the new aluminum block slips over those?

You might be able to use Ed's idea on a thick carb spacer. I dont have one here to look at, but if there is enough metal around the bore holes it might work. It would be less work, I'm into that.

Check this out. http://www.inliners.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003825;p=1#000004

Hey Fellas, I took some shots of the manifold in question over the weekend- hopefully they'll work.






Anyway, now you can see my problem regarding the lack of heat provision. Maybe this manifold was aimed at the racer rather than the daily driver as there's no heat chamber to bolt onto the stock exhaust manifold.

My thinking now is to make 2 chambers out of rectangular aluminum tube that could be sealed at the ends but tapped for water nipples and connected together. Then they would have to be attached to the manifold somehow. They could possibly fit behind the manifold "log" between the intake runners. What do you guys think?

Personaly I think it would be a better set-up between the carb and intake. simply for mounting
it easier.But with that intake pretty much being a side draft set-up,I'm not to sure how well adding any kinda heat to it would work to start with.With out welding anything to the intake,The spacer type water heat i think would be about your
best bet.If i had a carb gasket I'm sure i could make something out of a block of billet 6061 alum.

...And maybe all connected with a common coolant line.

Hi Larry,
So are you saying you're up for the task? Because if you are, I'm all for it! Is the idea to have each carb spacer hollow, so it will surround the intake entrance with heat? It would have to be that way if the heat came from water, right- to allow for constant flow? Would it make any difference if the source was exhaust heat?

A common line would be the best way to me. One line could be used and run from one plate/spacer to the other.Let the other end tie into the water heater or some other location. But to keep the added runner lenght to a min. I would say use like a 3/8-1/2in line to plum the water from one port/plate to the other.
As for exhaust heat? humm not knowning what you have for a exhaust system,Or if some type of Heat riser would work or not. And as for a neater/cleaner looking set-up I guess that could be a 50/50 call. The water line could be run so most of it is under the intake along the balance tube.
Mark50 why not drop me a call Or a Email.

My understanding is that the carb spacer's function is to prevent vapor lock by insulating it. I thought you want the intake warm but not the carb. Doesn't a jacketed spacer defeat this? What about something with 3 "saddles" up against the bottom of the runners with an exhaust jacket?

Curt B.

Where you live, are you sure that you even need a heated manifold? Whatever you do, that piece is too rare to modify by welding. What about fabricating a tube the full length of manifold, water in/out at each end, form or shape it to closely conform to manifold, locate it under manifold towards engine side (somewhat hidden) and attach with lower carb studs that protrude all the way through attaching to tabs and held with nuts. I would think that possibly heat conduction/radiation will suffice. A drilled block of aluminum something akin to a six/eight carb log fuel manifold.

adding heat to the balance tube wouldn't do you any good It would have to be under the runner of each carb. But mounting it under the runner with the carb stud maybe another way to think this.
and may very well be easier to make??

These are all great questions and suggestions. I haven't had the manifold on my car yet to see whether I need heat or not, I just presumed from previous experience that I would probably need it. And I agree with it being too rare to monkey with in a permanent way- that's also a major concern. Now I don't know whether sidedraft versus downdraft carbs play any part in the heat equation either? I'm sure the first thing is to bolt it up and see how it runs- but first I need to rebuild the carbs...

The water idea is OK if you can pull it off. The electric heat plates will work, you may have to relocate the holes on the plate to make it fit. We just put them on my buddys 38 Ply with a flat six. Haven`t tested them with the car running yet, but see no problem with them working. Next time you are at the bone yard get one of those plates off the Geo like I mentioned earlier---what do you have to lose. Then it won`t affect the look and should be easier to do...Good Luck