[Blue Fastback]

The 390 2v had a carb spacer with coolant running into it to help vaporize the fuel. Does the 390 4v have the same spacer? This car has a new Performer manifold and I am about to install the new Holley and need to know.


Thanks,

Mark

 

[arnoldtx]

You don't need it. Does the manifold have the exhaust cross over?

 

[puttster]

The 390 2v had a carb spacer with coolant running into it to help vaporize the fuel. Does the 390 4v have the same spacer? This car has a new Performer manifold and I am about to install the new Holley and need to know.
Thanks,Mark

Yes, my 65 came with a spacer that had a water flow-thru and a PCV nipple. As I understand it the water was to keep the carburetor from icing up in Winter, though it might have been used to keep the spring in the choke housing warm. Either way, mine didn't fit on the Performer. I removed it and used the opening in the intake manifold Tee for an extra temp sensor.

 

[66 Fastback]

You definitely do not need it. My 352 had one, which developed a leak and dumped coolant down into my motor and destroyed it. Once the motor was rebuilt I kept the spacer for originality, but capped the ends. I noticed no difference in how the car drives.

 

[jerrym3]

My 64's 352 4v had one, and I kept it when I switched to a 390.

 

[Blue Fastback]

It is a Performer manifold that is on it. It sounds like I dont need it. Thanks for the advise.

Mark

 

[ShotRod64]

I don't know that you would want to go totally without a spacer but you don't necessarily have to use the stock one. I had gas boiling issues in the desert so replaced mine with a plastic one, now i'm back to aluminum but not the stock with the water. You'll need something for the pcv

 

[farmallmta]

Re: goning from a 2v to a 4v

When I went from the Ford cast iron 4V intake to the Performer 390 aluminum intake on my '65 Galaxie, I encountered two problems with the factory coolant spacer. One was it leaked due to non-alignment and two, the hood wouldn't close because the Performer 390 manifold had a higher deck height than the factory cast iron manifold. So I simply put a thick gasket between the Performer 390 and the carburetor and it's been running fine for going on 8 years now out here in west Texas.

Hope this observation and experience of mine helps you and others.

 

[puttster]

farm,what did you do with yourt PCV?

 

[PSIG]

... As I understand it the water was to keep the carburetor from icing up in Winter, though it might have been used to keep the spring in the choke housing warm.

You're on it Puttsterman. The spacer was for carb ice after warm-up (the choke didn't care as it would just push further open, but the butterflies can't), and the exhaust crossover was for fuel vaporization. While the crossover killed outright power potential, it improved efficiency, emissions and a bit of mileage. I don't use the crossover (nor coolant spacers) with aluminum manifolds, as they get plenty hot without it. Perhaps someone in very cold (crossover) or foggy (spacer for carb ice) areas might like them though.

David