I'd try it without heat first, Vinnie. If you have hesitation at part throttle and flat spots in acceleration, see if hooking up the heat helps. If you have sooty exhaust but plugs look OK, you aren't burning the mixture well. Mixture cools from venturi effect of carbs - heated intake keeps it from puddling up into liquid again. Trial and error is about the only way to sort it out, every engine is different. Same with the carb spacers, the mixture has further to drop, so it may cool off too much. Underhood temps, thermostat and engine operating temp play a role too - and, a flathead breathes altogether different than an OHV. But think about it - Edmunds must've had a reason for putting that water jacket on his intakes.
