454 question

[DougnDog]

Hey guys. I have a good deal on a manifold I would like to run. But I don't know if it will work.[S My engine is a 454 5th gen with oval ports and I would like to run a older squire port Weiand (#5985) manifold? I believe my decks are short ones. any help you can give me will be appreciated. thanks Doug

 

[zpi28]

A square port intake will work fine on an oval port as long as they are both std. deck.

 

[DougnDog]

Zpi28 thanks

 

[DougnDog]

sure hope so.........just bought it used in very good shape for less than half the price of a new one.

 

[26Troadster]

there is going to be some port mismatch that will hurt performance but will work.

 

[DougnDog]

Being a machinist I plan to fab inserts to taper the bore down from the squire to the oval. I will epoxy them in and polish them smooth. a lot of work but I have more time than money
Ive decided that the 47 Ford that I'm building is going to cost a lot to run, (gas being $4.30 Gal) that I might as well go more for a hot rod than a driver.
I'm committed to the 454 so might as well make it wild
Thanks for the input

 

[mr-motorhead]

454

you will need to run square port gaskets. i have done this on a blower manifold to small oval port heads.

 

[26Troadster]

your lucky, i have a 89 model 454 with 79000 miles but mine has peanut heads, and i really don't want to change them till the motor needs a rebuild.

 

[martyf]

your lucky, i have a 89 model 454 with 79000 miles but mine has peanut heads, and i really don't want to change them till the motor needs a rebuild.

I have peanut heads, you can run oval intake on them no biggy, the peanuts are only about 2mm smaller. dosent hurt performance untill your running 5K+ rpms

 

[HoPpA]

IMO, seems fabbing up inserts for the intake would be more trouble than just opening up the first 3/4 to 1 inch of ports on heads. Would only take a couple of hours with carbide bit and high speed air tool. I have done this before there is enough meat there. Here is a picture of a set I fully ported that were oval and are now rectangle.(these were opened up to the max not just stock square port gasket)

This was a full on race port job tho, you could just open up the mouth of port.
Notice the brazing on left of picture above the port..I found out just how far I could go lol but the heads still worked fine.
I would just back the valves off and stuff a good cotton rag into port..and afterwords blow it out really good.
Maybe this gives ya another option, good luck

 

[DougnDog]

porting

Thanks for the info HoPA, greatly appreciated.[cl
I had thought about porting but didn't think there wasn't enough material, just wasn't sure......but now I know thank you Doug