84-85 intake tuned long runners?

[bhabben]

Folks,
Looking at the way the runners are situated on the 84-85 style intake, were these some sort of attempt to make a tuned long runner style intake? Was this some sort of attempt to boost low end torque? Does it actually make any difference (one way or the other)?
Just wonderin',
Brett

 

[TurboRegal84]

Brett,

The Long runners that run the Length of the intake was actually a design idea while using Alcohol/Water Injection. It was mentioned that in some of the 84 Grand Nationals they planned to use Alcohol or Water Injection.(Had wiring as well as INJECTION light in the dash) It was to be injected near the Turbo inlet, and in turn the long runners would give the Alcohol time to cool the Air Charge.

GM aborted the Alcohol idea due to regular drivers would forget to re-fill the bottle or resivoir and that would lead to detonation.

 

[bhabben]

Herb,
Well that explains that mystery for me. But it sure falls in line with many other aborted GM implementations and substitutions.
Thanks,
Brett

 

[racemybuick]

hey herb, Where can I find info like that and otehr odds and ends about our cars? I am looking for details on the GN's that didnt make the cut, and facts and figures from the 80's. I think I have exhausted gnttype.org, and BUICK wrote me a nice letter stating that any information I want cannot be found by them, but rather an internet quirey...like I didnt try that already...Anywho, just looking for info! Thanks

John

 

[cool 84]

Going from literature from back in the day, the "zip tubes" gave it "two torque peaks" resuling in a very flat torque curve. The intake is tuned for a lot of torque across a wide rpm range. It works great on a stock car. Past that, I say gut it and port it.

 

[bhabben]

Cool84,
Lotsa torque? OK. Here goes a stupid question. Would this intake work well in a normally aspirated config also? I'm trying to find the best FI intake to convert my 81 NA commuter to FI (mpg). The 84-7 FWD intakes have clearance problems used RWD as cast (spun forwards or backwards).
Any intake recommendations? This is a totally opposite application, ie; low rpm, lower flow, lotsa torque.
Thanks again,
Brett

 

[bruce]

Long runners slow down the rate at which the air flow can change speed, so it can better match the engine's air flow demand, and thus limit the amount of Accleration enrichment an engine needs. If you look at the GN code they don't even use the delta MAP AE. And on the newest GM engines they don't use AE at all. It's about MPG, and the EPA. Not that it doesn't work too bad, that way, either.

And yes, the longer runner helps with torque when not in boost, also.

 

[cool 84]

If you're turbo'd, gut and port the intake. You won't lose any bottom end and you'll gain mid and top end. If you're going NA, use the 4.1 4bbl intake and go from there.