I found out that many companies make wood carburetor spacers and the're much more effective than alluminum however I want to know what they treat them with to keep them from obsorbing any fuel and how they make them tollerant to the heat because I'm making one that will fit specificaly to the Q-jet on my 77 deville its being cut from very hard oak but I need to know what to treat it with.

The heat shouldn't be a problem...it'll never get hot enough to light itself on fire, maybe any coating on it...the treatment, I dunno what they use...something that's not flammable I'm hoping :) They're better, I believe, because they don't transfer heat nearly as quickly or efficiently as aluminum or other metals. They will keep the carb a bit cooler, as the manifold heat won't go through the metal of the spacer into the carb. Am I right folks?

sounds right to me, but wouldnt the wood rot pretty fast and cause vacuum leaks? just a thought

Nah, not if the right wood and treatment is used, which I don't know what the "right" one is. Think of antique furniture...hundreds of years old and still better off than anything you can buy today...wood will last forever if its done right.

Use some Ipe (Iron Wood) if you can find it. This stuff is so dense that it doesn't even float. It's kind of hard to work with, but is very resistant to heat, moisture, or rotting. It also has a really nice dark brown color. If you want it to last a really long time, this is the wood I would suggest. There really isn't anything stronger than Ipe, short of using actually iron or steel. My step father used two 4"x4"x6' peices to make Oar's for his Karate school. It took him a few months, but when he was done, they were really nice looking, and very durable.

A true testament to it's strength would be the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore. It is made of Ipe, and has lasted a very long time, even with all that salt water, and temperature changes from season to season.

It's sounds like a very interesting project. Show us some pictures once it's done. Good Luck. :thumbsup:

Wouldn't it be easier to buy one?

probly since there only about 30$ but I havent seen one for the q-jet and I'm pretty handy with a scroll saw plus I had an extra carb to manifold gasket hanging around so I thought why not.

Summit has them.........made by Moroso, if I'm not mistaken.

I'll see if I can find a catalog number.

1/2 inch wood spacer for the Q-Jet. Summit part number - MOR-65018 - $29.69

What is the reason for a carb spacer? does it do anything for performance?

Adds to the plenum volume and can be helpful especially on low rise manifolds.

eh, I gave up could find any treatment so I just bought an aluminum one since I was installing the 472 manifold needed one to clear some stuff.

Good for clearance...some improve low end torque, high end power...etc etc...depends on the design and such. A one inch four hole phenolic spacer on my dodge 383 w/ edelbrock intake and carb is an easily noticeable difference in low end power.

So when I put the modified 472 intake manifold in with the rebuilt Q-jet.... this would be a good choice?

what would I want... 1"?

I'm not sure what sizes you want, as I'm not sure what they do... I just know that the one I have on my dodge helps a lot on the low end. If you havn't already bought an aluminum one, I'll sell you mine for cheap.

I've heard 1" is a good size for our engines.. Try it and if it the "ass dyno" can't tell a differance you can clean it off and return it probably.

Most 4 hole spacers will improve low end torque, While open spacers will move the power band up a few hundred RPM and sometimes add a few horsepower. sometimes you lose power spacers are one of those things that either works or doesn't

I say forget the wood, use a 671 as a spacer! That'll beef up the power band just a touch! :lildevil:

Kev