Warming carburetor spacer

[74 Powerwagon]

I live at 9k in Colorado and it does get quite cold sometimes, like -35 overnight or 4 daytime high, but it is generally low humidity. I am putting an edelbrock streetmaster on my fe 390 with a qjet that Cliff has helped me dial in. I am hearing that if I don't block the exhaust crossover the exhaust will severly corrode the aluminum and ruin the intake. I would like the heat in the intake for winter, summer heat can be handled easily enough. Did GM make a qjet spacer with coolant flow to warm the carburetor, I know at least Ford did. Does someone make an electric carb warmer baseplate? I do have a coolant heater on the truck that warms the engine and makes very cold day starting smooth. That may be enough, I have a qjet on my dodge 318 with iron intake and open crossover which starts and runs fine after warm up on those silly cold days.

[Frank400]

I personally never heard that exhaust passing under the intake could ruin the intake ?  GM have had quite a few engines over the years with aluminum intakes so I'm guessing if it would have been an issue or a possible issue, they just wouldn't have done it but I could be wrong.

  I have one of my cars with an aftermarket aluminum intake with the exhaust being not blocked, and it never crossed my mind this could be an issue.

   Frank.

[429bbf]

I've run aluminum intake on my 385 fords for a number of years and pulled them of . there sooty but the intake is still nice . for what its worth i plugged one and will never do that again . you leave it sit at the parts store for 15 minutes on a cool day and it cools off so fast the choke comes on and takes a while for it to go off don't like it.

[429bbf]

I'm at 5000 ft in northern wyoming

[74 Powerwagon]

Hi 429, I'm guessing that northern Wyoming gets a bit cold in the winter, like well into the negatives. Were the intakes newer or were they 70's vintage. I wonder if alloys changed. Your direct experience is helpful, but Baddad has had a few corroded ones. I can adjust the choke easily enough stiffer in winter softer in summer. How easy or hard did the blocked off crossover engine start in winter. Thanks everyone for the input. 

[74 Powerwagon]

Another related issue has anyone in a cold climate had issues with a quadrajet icing up and stalling or sputtering. The quadrajet on my dodge 318 doesn't have any problems, but it is an iron intake with open crossover. 

[74 Powerwagon]

I just spoke with Edelbrock tech regarding exhaust corroding crossover passage in aluminum intakes. They said exhaust is definitely corrosive and will damage the aluminum. He said it can take years, but it will destroy an intake in time. He also said that an electric choke will allow for cold weather starts. I have an fe 390 that is the engine involved here, I will leave the valley tray out to allow hot oil to splash the bottom of the intake to warm it. The tray keeps oil from cooking onto a very hot crossover passage, but with out the exhaust passing through the oil will help in winter conditions. The truck also has headers which add heat under the hood. 

[77cruiser]

Might be a good idea to make some ducting to get heated air from your headers too.

[74 Powerwagon]

great idea, I have an air filter housing with a thermal flap in it that can receive the hot air and I think I have an exhaust stove to modify for a header 

[429bbf]

my intakes are from the late eighties and still are usable . the key is getting the carb tuned right and you have a lot less problems .ford used to put the heater hoses next to the carb on some models . it was a simple piece of thin tin bolted to the carb bolts and they laid right next to carb . i have not had my qjets ice up and they run at 30 below. hth.

[A.G.V.chevyfreak]

Sorry to call up an old thread.
But i believe what powerwagon is looking for is something like this.

[tayto]

didn't the buick (carb'd) turbos run those? EFE grid IIRC.

[jamesF]

Wow that is crazy. I had no idea there was something like that.

[A.G.V.chevyfreak]

didn't the buick (carb'd) turbos run those? EFE grid IIRC.

From what i can tell yes. Just not something you find or see normally when digging on qjet parts and info.

[A.G.V.chevyfreak]

Wow that is crazy. I had no idea there was something like that.

Same for me, until i stumbled on it. It does get you thinking as to why it was build, i thought it was an aftermarket thing and then saw its an actual ac delco design. And like said buick turbo applications and im wondering if the trans am 301 turbo's used it as well....
Can be of help to the OP in his cold climate.