Carb spacer review for the carb guys out there?

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

How many of you fellow carb guys are running spacers? I've always wanted to try out one of those badass Wilson Manifolds spacers, but the prices always scared me off. Well turns out a local Factory Stock racer switched to EFI and sold me his spacer for $50 (which is brand new and was $140 new). I swapped this thing on and i'm tellin you what...no butt-dyno BS...it's like night and day. The throttle response rivals any EFI car i've ever driven, and it makes a TON more torque. The guy told me he dyno tested a bunch of spacers and that this particular design gave him higher gains all throughout the RPM range than an open spacer or non tapered spacer. I know it's all about the right combo, but DAMN am i impressed. I'd easily recommend one of these spacers to anyone who can cough up the cash to get one.

Here's a couple pics...and this isn't even the top of the line spacer that they make. I really wanted a composite spacer but i couldn't pass this one up for the price.

The Wieand Stealth intake and tapered spacer combo is potent. I can't wait for spring to get back to the track

 

[stykthyn]

anything that will prolong the air/fuel mixture will make for better power gains. I ran one on a TBI 2.8 and it was like night and day too. throttle and high end torque were amazing considering what a simple upgrade it is

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I'm mostly impressed because i've tried other spacers and never have had any positive results. I'm thinking the tapered holes have a lot to do with carb signal.

 

[ttop88]

I ran that intake and spacer on my capri and LOVED it.

 

[stykthyn]

I ran an AIRAID spacer and the knife edge is what made for the better swirl and atomization of the fuel

 

[tiptop]

yep, spacers do help

 

[Rick 91GT]

We saw higher gains on the engine dyno with the Wilson spacer over the HVH which we have always been a fan of. Wilson has some nice options out like rubber insolators to keep the bowls from sloshing around.

 

[QUICK91LX]

It is things like this that make me want to either convert to carb or get a carb car...it seems like you can make good SOTP power eith just a few fairly cheap upgrades like a sub-$200 intake and a spacer like this one. I don't get to the track as much as I used to, I just like to have a car that is fun on the street. As far as bang for your buck, it seems pretty nice

 

[Darkwriter77]

anything that will prolong the air/fuel mixture will make for better power gains. I ran one on a TBI 2.8 and it was like night and day too. throttle and high end torque were amazing considering what a simple upgrade it is

Really? Because the almost unanimous opinion I've read on several S10 forums is that spacers, at least as far as TBI motors are concerned, are a total waste of money. Everyone claims they just add a weird whistle noise to the motor (especially the "vortex" design ones with a swirl shape cast into them) and that's it. I would be tempted to track down a spacer for a 2bbl carb (since my CFI has the same base) and see if it does anything if I knew for sure it would actually help at all. Of course, CFI is going to suck no matter what, unfortunately, but every little bit helps...

I sure wish I could swap to a carb.

 

[muh'stang]

yep, spacers do help...on short runner, wet intakes such as carb and TBI setups. They do not work well on long runner, mulitport EFI systems.

Fixed it for ya...
Just to clear any possible future confusion for an unsuspecting newbie.