Andy Tuttle

Just looking at SBC intakes. Have seen a lot about Air Gaps here on forum, but not much on the Holley Street Dominator. Any experiences? Or any other good intakes? Offy? Wieand? What recommendations? I am looking at good driver, with mild performance (327c/350hp) 4speed.

MelWff

As you can see from pictures of the manifold, the Air Gap manifolds have no exhaust crossover and the runners are individual and surrounded by air. The Street Dominator does have a crossover and the runners are part of the manifold casting. In theory the intake charge on the Air Gap is cooler. In all cases you have to consider hood clearance. I have the RPM Air Gap but use an L-88 hood with a factory drop down air cleaner base and a 4"x14" air filter.

Kevova

If you have flat hood: hood to air cleaner clearance is the limiting factor. I would check that first. I would allow at least a half inch between highest point of air cleaner and hood. If you have a Cowl or L88 hood scoop there are a lot more choices. Weiand Team G was one of the best single planes many years ago.

drwet

Both good manifolds, but every test I've ever read seems to rate the Air Gap at the top of the heap for street manifolds. As others have already stated, hood clearance is the limiting factor. I have an L88 hood and an Air Gap manifold, and it does work extremely well.

MN80Vette

I think our son tried a Street Dominator on his S10 V8 conversion. The Dominator is a single plane manifold, correct? If so, I recommend this single plane vs dual plane intake dyno comparison. It's not a Holley vs Edelbrock comparison, but it might help you choose.

Andy Tuttle

Absolutely cool video! Thanks for sharing! Dominator does come in either single or dual plane though. Will keep waiting for more input from the gang. Thanks a lot!

Andy Tuttle

Ok I never realized what those crossovers did before. And the idea with the Air Gap then is that the engine runs better on the cooler air. Are you running a Holley or Qjet carb? I am planning on going Qjet. I have an L88 hood cuz I was going to go BB but that just wasn't gonna work. thanks for the help and insight!

Andy Tuttle

I have an L88 hood so I have some flexibility here. Do you know how high the Air Gap sits? And is it worth putting in a one-inch spacer on a Qjet on a rather mostly stock engine?

Andy Tuttle

Thanks for that reassurance! What do you have for an air cleaner? I have been thinking of the Edelbrock Elite 14x3.

Sunstroked

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/...d-comparisons/
Look at this link and do some reading. Unless you're really planning on racing it that weiand street warrior really compares favorably to everything out there. And the carb height is over 1.5" lower than the air gap.
Im using the air gap, under a LT-1/BB hood. A moroso drop base air cleaner and 2" high element with a Mesh top cover. It was tight with the edelbrock carb, less so with the demon. Im going FI, some of the parts showed up today. If I have clearance issues, I'm changing intakes. That street warrior looks like it will work very well.

resdoggie

Analysis would indicate that the air gap doesn't out perform intakes with lower pad heights but Edelbrock marketing out performs its intakes by a mile!!! Lesson learned here is to go with a low pad height and less air filter headaches with the warrior.

Sunstroked

Theres no question that the air gap will give you a little bit more hp and torque. A little cooler air charge and this could make a difference out here in NV. Maybe less so up in your neck of the woods. Idk. Also for the guy who does want the absolute best all out performance and has the hood clearance to run anything than why not go with the taller intake? its not so much marketing, because it really does perform.
But yeah, that street warrior is impressive on the engine dyno. How that translates to real world driving performance, Idk. And being as though I dont spend any amount of time on the track, it may be in my future. I'll see when the FI unit gets here. Hopefully it all fits without having to change everything around.

c3_dk

Can I fell the power increase if I change from my 2701 to 7104 and mill down in the center, as showed?

MelWff

I'm using an old Holley 3310-1 780 CFM. Some of the manifolds you are looking at are not designed for a spread bore carburetor such as the Quadrajet

resdoggie

I believe the Team G single plane out performs the air gap but hey, most folks are sold on the fact that dual plane intakes are the only option for street cars. Fwiw, I have the Team G with a 14x4 air cleaner under a stock hood and it drives just fine.

htown81vette

Single plan and dual plane manifolds are completely different animals from each other so it's not fair to compare them. Most single plane manifolds will out perform dual plane manifolds, but like you pointed out that dual plane are more popular for the street because it allows you to use the stock hood when clearance is tight, plus has more low end torque.

Jebbysan

There is very little if any benefit of a Air Gap style plenum as far as heat goes....when you run the engine....after a while the heat gets everywhere, anyway.
The nice thing about the design is the ability to run wires and vacuum lines through it....makes for a cleaner install.
That said...IMHO in the mid carb pad height manifolds....the Air Gap Edelbrock shines well on a hot small block....the Team G will make more peak power but suffers a bit on the bottom....The Victor Jr. is about the same as the Team G...but sits a smidge higher and needs more port matching than the Weiand.
The Street Dominator is an excellent design too....but may be too tall.


I use a Team G on my 406 as it is a bigger engine with plenty of vacuum and that is the challenge....to get the carb to "signal".

Good luck on your choice....

Jebby

MotorHead

IMHO the RPM Air Gap is the best dual plane manifold on the market today and rivals the best single planes manifolds down low and into the upper rpm range.

c3_dk

Bummer.......this just cost me $240
And maybe a new hood

a striper

Since I use solid motor mounts it was pretty easy to lower the engines about 1/4" on my '72 and '69 to fit an RPM Air Gap with the stock open element air cleaners.