<VV> Insulators WAS Carb question

[Ken Pepke]

I do not know where you live but, here in Michigan and 200 feet from the Detroit River. I get lots of chances to experience carb icing!  Everything ices almost every day except in the summer.  Still, icing is a relatively short lived condition.  I have long lost count of the number of Corvairs I have had over the years, including the 4 barrel system on both two and four carb engines.  My experience has been that none of the other kinds of cars which I have owned have been able to clear icing as quickly as any of my Corvairs.  

All the cars I have today use an outside air induction system with exhaust manifold heat for cold engine operation, except the 57 Corvette 2 four barrel and the 65 'Garage Find' Corvair.  Those other cars get NO radiator warmed air to the carbs.  The Corvette ices quickly and is in no hurry to get over it because icing mostly happens before the radiator gets warm.  The 'Garage Find' is not yet ready for the road, but there will be a time that it will receive extra insulators and perhaps even a cold air induction system [I do not really to cut up this very rust free body]

Ken P
Wyandotte, MI
Worry looks around; Sorry looks back, Faith looks up.

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> From: James Davis <jld at wk.net>
> Date: March 7, 2012 10:02:44 AM EST
> To: Ken Pepke <kenpepke at juno.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Insulators WAS Carb question
> 
> All is true but if you have ever driven a Corvair on a fogy 38 degree day you will find what carburetor icing is really about.  FC's are even more prone to carburetor icing.   Actually when the engine is running at speed (2,000 rpm or better) the engine compartment is only fire to seven degreese warmer than the ambient.   Actually the air going to the carbs is much cooler than the typical liquid cooled car as the air coming out of the radiator and from the exhaust manifolds can easily migrate into the carb.  In a Corvair, there is lots of sheet metal separating the incoming and outgoing air.  If you really want cool air in the engine try a 4-barrel manifold.  They ice up at temps up to 60 degrees.
> 
> On a late model you can use a desert air setup to duct outside air directly into the carbs.  It is easily fabricated if you can find a used one.
> Jim Davis
> 
> On 3/7/2012 8:37 AM, Ken Pepke wrote:
>> Everyone knows the cooler the fuel the better the performance.  The first strike against Corvair is the engine bay temperature.  The second is the temperature of the air at the air cleaner inlet.  The third, well, that cylinder head upon which the carb is mounted is might hot!  Seems the more insulators the better.  I even like to use a fiber washer under the retaining nuts ... how many can be installed without adjusting the height of the hold down studs?
>> 
>> I have often wondered why we see so few outside air induction systems on Corvairs.  What car could benefit more?
>> 
>> Ken P
> 
>