[hirdlej]

Ok, abso-freaking-lutely nothing has gone right for me on this truck project this week. I am working on my '70 C10 pickup with a big block 468 and finally finished installing the heads and setting up the valvetrain perfectly. On Wednesday I decided I wanted to install an Edelbrock performer RPM Qjet intake manifold to match my heads along with the cam. I had it overnighted from Summit Racing, then the next day (yesterday) the FedEx guy delivered it to a business across town! I had to drive 10 miles across town to get the package so I could run my intake over to my machinist before he closed for the day.
I take the intake manifold home, measure for alignment, take it to my machinist, have him cut it down .075" on both sides, $125 later he's done milling it down. Today I install the meticulously install my intake manifold, distributor, headers, hoses, accessories, everything! The last thing I went to do is put my carburetor on. I get it installed and then I CANNOT OPEN THE CARB ALL THE WAY. I'm wondering to myself if it's hitting the gasket. I remove gasket, install carb again, still not opening. I then remove the carb, install gaskets with bolts and low and behold the carb opening isn't cast large enough!!!

Now, what the hell am I supposed to do? Remove the intake and grind away at it? If I do that, I'm worried the airflow will be obstructed by the tight fit. Am I wrong for thinking that Edelbrock should give me another intake manifold and machine it for me before sending it out? I feel as though I received an inferior or defective intake manifold and that grinding on it is a BAD IDEA. I mean, look at the pics below and you'll see how far it is off.
The only reason I bought an edelbrock is because they're made in the USA, I want to support USA vendors and expected top notch quality. I'm not going to talk negatively about their product as I have yet to see how they want to handle this on Monday morning. I hope they have a machine shop in house to grind my new intake manifold down as I don't feel as though I should have to pay for that out of pocket. I mean seriously, who checks that their carburetor opens all the way ON the intake manifold before machining? This should be a total no brainer.
I traced their mistake with a sharpie. What would you guys do in my situation? I am thinking they should replace the intake manifold.

 

[Mike]

You have an 800cfm QJ?

 

[Ol Bird]

Thought about a 1" spacer,might be enough to let radius clear.

 

[BillK]

Hird, (name ???)

Looks like a final machining step was missed somhow. Very unusual for Edelbrock but any time something is mass produced I guess it can happen. I would call them first thing Monday and see what they say. I am sure that Summit will replace it, they pretty much have a no questions asked return policy.

If it was just the small areas you have highlighted, I would grind them and go on with the program, but it almost looks like there is a "step" down about an inch from the top that also needs to be machined. I would not take a chance. I know its a pain, but I would get another one. Patience is really a virtue in our hobby

By the way, this post might get removed for vendor bashing if it gets too nasty without giving Edelbrock a chance to correct the Boo Boo. ANyone can make a mistake, correcting it is the important thing.

 

[Mike]

OK ,that 2nd pic didn't show up when I first looked.
That does look like it missed final machining.
Think I'd contact Edelbrock not Summit.
You want a new on after you spent $$$ getting that one milled?
I don't think their going to pay for getting a new one re-machined for you.
If they want you to send it back ,explain that you've milled it to fit your setup and try to get that manifold fixed.
Stamp an id on it somewhere.

 

[wildman926]

Since you have paid for it to be cut, it may not be taken back by Summit, even though it is a manufacturer defect. So, I would just grind it myself and be done with it.

 

[furball8994]

OK ,that 2nd pic didn't show up when I first looked.
That does look like it missed final machining.
Think I'd contact Edelbrock not Summit.
You want a new on after you spent $$$ getting that one milled?
I don't think their going to pay for getting a new one re-machined for you.
If they want you to send it back ,explain that you've milled it to fit your setup and try to get that manifold fixed.
Stamp an id on it somewhere.

I think this is the best advice... If it truly was not finished, Eddy should pay shipping both ways and correct it for you. If they give you the option of exchanging it. I doubt they will mill the replacement.

 

[hirdlej]

You have an 800cfm QJ?

Yes, it's an 800cfm oldsmobile style Qjet

 

[hirdlej]

Hird, (name ???)

Looks like a final machining step was missed somhow. Very unusual for Edelbrock but any time something is mass produced I guess it can happen. I would call them first thing Monday and see what they say. I am sure that Summit will replace it, they pretty much have a no questions asked return policy.

If it was just the small areas you have highlighted, I would grind them and go on with the program, but it almost looks like there is a "step" down about an inch from the top that also needs to be machined. I would not take a chance. I know its a pain, but I would get another one. Patience is really a virtue in our hobby

By the way, this post might get removed for vendor bashing if it gets too nasty without giving Edelbrock a chance to correct the Boo Boo. ANyone can make a mistake, correcting it is the important thing.

Hi Bill, my name is Joe. Now you say that the area is supposed to be machined? I see no signs of machining except for the carb flange (it's apparent in the pictures). Now I know Summit isn't going to do anything and I wouldn't expect them to as I have machined the intake manifold and have notched the 4 tabs on the outer edge of the manifold so that it would sink down past the valve cover rails on the heads.

Could you please elaborate about the "stepdown" that needs to be machined? Perhaps show me a picture of what it should look like. This is my first time working with an edelbrock performer RPM intake so I don't know what to expect.

Lastly, I'm just expecting that Edelbrock fixes the issue at hand. I am not badmouthing them nor am I taking a negative stance towards their company. Come Monday, they'll have their chance to prove to me that they'll make this right. I would hope that 1 of 2 things happen. Either first, they can send me another intake manifold with the flanges machined down .075" so that I don't have to incur another $125 in machining costs on another intake OR they can offer to fix my intake manifold and issue me a call tag for shipping along with shipping it back to me after it's fixed. I think both of those options are reasonable.

I just don't think taking a sanding roll or carbide cutting bit is the right answer here. Plus, there's A LOT of material that needs to be cut here guys. We're talking at least an 1/8 of an inch.

 

[hirdlej]

OK ,that 2nd pic didn't show up when I first looked.
That does look like it missed final machining.
Think I'd contact Edelbrock not Summit.
You want a new on after you spent $$$ getting that one milled?
I don't think their going to pay for getting a new one re-machined for you.
If they want you to send it back ,explain that you've milled it to fit your setup and try to get that manifold fixed.
Stamp an id on it somewhere.

Ok, I'm following you guys but I don't understand or know what an intake manifold that has a "final machine" finish looks like. Can someone post a pic of the plenum area of a good big block chevy performer Qjet intake manifold?

 

[M.Maner]

You might want to try manually opening the choke blade and then try it.
Mike

 

[hirdlej]

You might want to try manually opening the choke blade and then try it.
Mike

That feature has been removed from this carburetor. It's definatly not that

 

[M.Maner]

hirdlej I have the same intake and it has the same "extra" material on it and I just got thru fitting 4 different Qjets to it one of which is an Edelbrock Performer RPM Q-Jet #1910. It's an 800cfm carb and it has the same size secondary blade as the three other Qjets. What did you remove or disable on your choke?
Mike

 

[hirdlej]

hirdlej I have the same intake and it has the same "extra" material on it and I just got thru fitting 4 different Qjets to it one of which is an Edelbrock Performer RPM Q-Jet #1910. It's an 800cfm carb and it has the same size secondary blade as the three other Qjets. What did you remove or disable on your choke?
Mike

Wow, so you are having the same problem? Did you ever get a carb that eventually fit or how did you resolve the issue? I should grab an old 750 junker out of the back yard and see if that clears. It was my understanding that all Qjets have the same secondaries, it's just the primaries that determine the final CFM.

At any rate, there's a little "hook" that will not allow the secondaries to open if the choke is even partially closed. I just knock the roll pin out and remove the hook. I never drive in cold weather and do not use a choke with my carb.

Please update this post with your findings. I found out that if I unbolt the carb, slide it forward slightly (obviously without the bolt holes lined up) all 4 barrels open as they should. Just with everything lined up as it was machined, it doesn't work. I'll post what Edelbrock says on Monday.

 

[M.Maner]

hirdlej do you have a real name? I'm sorry, what I was trying to say was that with the same intake and what would appear to be the same "extra" metal,I was able to fit 4 different carbs and they all worked. Perhaps the mounting holes for your intake were drilled off location. If it were me I would pull that intake tomorrow and layout the carb mounting surface using the gasket, and take a carbide burr and lay that wall back vertically until it meet that line. Clean the intake and go back together with it. JMHO
Mike

 

[hirdlej]

hirdlej do you have a real name? I'm sorry, what I was trying to say was that with the same intake and what would appear to be the same "extra" metal,I was able to fit 4 different carbs and they all worked. Perhaps the mounting holes for your intake were drilled off location. If it were me I would pull that intake tomorrow and layout the carb mounting surface using the gasket, and take a carbide burr and lay that wall back vertically until it meet that line. Clean the intake and go back together with it. JMHO
Mike

Mike, my name is Joe. I don't want to touch a thing on the intake until I get ahold of Edelbrock. I want to hear what they have to say about the issue at hand.

 

[Rich-L79]

Perhaps the mounting holes for your intake were drilled off location.

I think you've hit on it right there. Look how close those stud holes are to the outside of the mounting base (3rd picture) and how the are not centered in the flange cast for the stud holes.

 

[wildman926]

Mike, my name is Joe. I don't want to touch a thing on the intake until I get ahold of Edelbrock. I want to hear what they have to say about the issue at hand.

I bet they exhange it for you IF they agree the holes are off, but they won't pay for the milling of the new intake. Then you will have to pay ANOTHER $125 to cut the new one.

Just take a cutter to it. Only 5-10 min of work and you are on your way to being on the road.

 

[Tom Mobley]

.075 is a ton to take off a manifold. why did it need that much? Has you block or heads been milled extensively?

Let me say this: Your tone here is verging on hostile and angry. I'll predict you have a tough time getting anything out of E-brock if you approach them with the attitude you display here. It's Monday morning for them too. I'm real sure they have a lot going on Mondays and some guy on the phone with a demanding attitude might not have much luck. Piss them off and they'll refer you to Summit, your vendor.

BTW, I have a Perf RPM Q on my car, I don't think it was machined there either. It really might be a little bolt hole offset issue. Can you get all 4 bolts in at the same time? I recommend you think carefully about Walters suggestion. Get it on the road and forget about that minor alignment BS.

 

[FerrariTruck]

well I do believe you bought a faulty intake manifold...

however since you did modify it i think your gonna be out on that cash...

Seriously though, I simple 1/2" spacer or perhaps a 1" will put you back in the game and down the road...

Even so call eldy and inform them of what you found...I'm pretty sure they will have a ton of manifolds to call back and maybe they will workout something with ya