Inliners International Forums General Discussion Hi Performance Plugs on bottom of offy intake

I'm in the process of hooking up water heat to the offy intake of my wife 62. I seem to remember reading something about the two plugs in the bottom of the intake leaking, so I called Tom langdon and he said remove the steel plugs and have someone tig weld new aluminum plugs in, well the kinda out of my price range, are there any other suggestions or do I dump the header and go back to the stock single exhaust?
The plugs I'm talking about

depending on how thick the bottom is there you maybe????? be able to use what they call a bottom Tap/blind hole tap and find a pipe plug to fit it.??

Seen people epoxy the plugs and tap and insert pipe plugs, but in the end the $30-40 for 2 quick welds is worth it. Make sure to get one of Tom's plates for the bottom of the intake to preheat the intake.

Not wanting to start an arguement but I've been running Tom L's H/W and a pair of C/W's on my Offy intake using the exhaust manifold heat. After 4500 flawless miles, without so much as a hiccup out of my "tweaked" 235, I see no reason why it wouldn't be a viable alternative. If the Offy manifold was designed to run with only water heat, why would the sprue and riser holes not have been sealed before being sold? Secondly, the plumbing of engine coolant just leaves you open for potential leaks that could leave you sitting beside the road with a cooked engine. Of course, the choice is yours....but I have tried the "forbidden" exhaust heat and have verified (with an infrared thermometer)that it DOES work, is much simpler to install and provides instantaneous intake heat, and IMHO should be considered as an option.

Dave

Fla54chevy

Does have a good point. I have ran the Offey and the clifford with out Heat.The only heat came from my headers which do sit pretty close to the intake. But in a colder weather state, Water maybe better as the Heat to the intake is more stable. With the fan blowing cold air across the intake,The heat just comming off the header tubes is cooled As not as much to the intake at higher speeds. Just a 2cent thought there.

I have never understood why water would be better than exhaust heat for the above reasons, especially the potential for a water leak. I am running a set of the old style Fenton "heat box" headers on my 261 and enjoy instant, continious heat to the intake. I realize it may eventually "rot" my intake, but water would eventually "rot" it also.
The engine heat just seems like a better choice. If you "spring a leak", all you would be confronted with is a little exhaust noise.

Joe

I agree with Dave and Joe about using exhaust heat.
I do not see why water is better either, exhaust is quicker to get heat to intake.
Also, less tubing or long water hose.

I have used exhaust heat on my 235's with Fentons and tube headers with no problems. The factory uses exhaust instead of water.

The exhaust heat is routed per tubes from the manifold to a plate on bottom of intake and not open air from header heat.

Or, the tubes can be routed from bungs welded at top of exhaust pipe(s), if do not want to route from exhaust manifold. The tubes can be hidden better from the pipes too.

I will be doing the same on the 250 I am working on now.
As Joe said, if a leak, you will only have exhaust noise but not a overheated engine from loosing water.

straight axle 63

I have some pictures of how to remove those steel plugs and weld in some aluminum slugs at http://community.webshots.com/user/OldFartEd

The cost of welding should not cost very much. Just make sure that they pre-heat the area to be welded and then let it air-cool after welding.

If you do go with this 'water heat' route email me at rncrecording@hotmail.com with your name and address and I will send you a couple of aluminum slugs that will fit right in.

Although I'm a believer that 'hot-air' heat is better than the 'hot-water' heat if you live in a area that gets cold in the winter time. Like I live in Illinois and recomend the 'hot air'.

With 'hot-air' heat you just use your intake the way it is, you would not need to do any welding. They were actually designed for 'hot-air' use and not for 'hot-water' heat in the first place.