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Rick
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2005
16:49:16
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 Subject: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
I am modifying the stock intake manifold on a 99 Dakota 5.2 L Magnum V8, also known as the 'beer barrel' manifold.
First, regarding the divider, I have read that it should be cut back by 1.5". But it is only about 2" wide to begin with. Plus, it seems that even with it intact, there is still plenty of volume in the manifold for the air and fuel to mix.
Second, more importantly, I was planning to cut the runners from their stock 16" lengths to 14" like Hughes and KRC do. Looking inside the manifold, though, taking a full 2" off of some of the runners would overlap with the next adjacent runner. It looks like I can only cut off about 1/2" without hitting the next adjacent runner. I really wish I had a photograph here, but I am hoping that someone out there knows exactly what I'm talking about and can verify that I am doing the right thing.
Thanks
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R/T
Dodge Dakota
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5/01/2005
01:31:12
|  RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
yeah, been there, done that, in the middle of one right now.... email me at mattblough78@earthlink.net if you need more info than I can provide here.
1. get an air compressor, and a high speed die grinder... it;ll make life so much simpler for this!
2. lots of cut off wheels, and a few carbide cutters.
the runner length can be cut to whatever length you want. just do it uniform for all four pairs of runners, and don't worry about the sides of the adjacent runners for hte other sides... just polishing them a bit helps air flow around it... think of the air spinning like a spring inside from the TB port to the runner openings..
I'll try to get some pics together, if I have a decent camera around I'll get some togheter for you, if you email me...
that divider, I take it runs the entire length one some intakes ( I haven't seen one like htat yet, but I've only taken two apart.) on one, there was a small divider between the TB ports... I cut that out, and made it flush... the second was the same way, I've made the TB port oval... its the one I'm working on now. the first I cut two inches off, and is on my truck now. it helped alot on overall RPM HP, but did loose a little low end torque, but wasn't really noticable, or worrisome, compared to the overall acceleration gains. the one I'm crafting now I plan for use with a cam, roller rockers, and most importantly, nitrous, so I've cut 3.5 inches off, ovaled the TB port, and am going to remove another inch off the port runner dividers, at the intake side ( not the head side).
the carbide cutters are really excellent for fast porting, to match the TB to the intake, and the intake and heads to the gasket.
I was so bored, at work that I polished the entire outside and inside of the one thats on my truck now. it looks pretty damned cool, and definitely stands away from the stock appearance. if you want any more info, email me...
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IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
5/01/2005
10:24:18
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
not all manifolds have the full length divider and it appears yours is one of them, so i'd leave the divider alone.
i cut the runners down flush with the adjacent runner... they are measured by the inside wall of the runner, not the outside, so that would get you down to 12". Trim an inch off each side and you're at 14".. pretty easy really.
i had pix saved on a website but it crashed so i no longer can provide.
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IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
5/01/2005
10:44:12
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
alright... what the hell did i just say??
you guys know you're suppose to proof-read before i post stupid sh-t... lol
you can cut the runners down on one side to achieve 14" and possibly 13" runners.
if you trimmed the runner all the way down to the opposite side of the runner next to it, you'd trim about 3" off that runner.
it's not my pic but i borrowed it from another site, but here's it adjacent to the next runner and that's about 2" (maybe a little more) off the runner.
you could cut even further if you wanted to but probably wouldnt matter much.
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IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
5/01/2005
10:45:25
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
that manifold use to have a divider, too
it was removed and you can see where it was cut.. look at the back of the manifold wall and you can see just how low some dividers go.
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Rick
Dodge Dakota
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5/01/2005
17:53:29
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
Thanks a lot for that photograph! That's exactly what I was talking about. This manifold of mine already has a short divider, so I'm not going to mess with it.
I don't have a die grinder, though. I have a Dremel. Maybe I can rent a grinder and compressor for a day.
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IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
5/01/2005
18:01:14
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
dremel will work.. that's what i did my first one with.
die grinder will do it in 1/4 of the time
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R/T
Dodge Dakota
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5/02/2005
17:39:28
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
yeah, the dremel should work fine.. glad someone else had pics... I was trying to explain as much without em as possible, I was kinda long winded... if don't mind, I'm going to "borrow" that pic. so thats where that divider goes,, what were they thinking?
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another mark
Dodge Dakota
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5/02/2005
17:58:45
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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I used a $70 die grinder got it new of amazon.com Just in case you don't want to go the compressor route. I did have to wire up my own rheostat since it was a one speed motor. Get the bits for them too unless you have a good tool store in the area.
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Kaderast
Dodge Dakota
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5/02/2005
18:30:05
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
I've been thinking about doing this to my intake, but am concerned about the loss in low end torque. My truck is a 4x4 and I don't want to sacrifice too much of my low end, even if I will make it up on top. Has anyone actually seen any dyno curves after doing this mod? If so I'd be interested in seeing them.
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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5/02/2005
20:04:51
| RE: modifying beer barrel
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Message:
I use a Bosch electric die grinder, solid carbide bits and sanding rolls when hogging out metal or doing port matching.
I saw an inexpensive electric die grinder $30 and carbide bit set ($15 or 70) at harborfreight.com. The $70 carbide bit set is a real nice set. I bought them on sale for $30 10 years ago and have used the he11 out of the bits.
Most of the stuff at Harbor Freight is low quality (if your going to use it a lot don't buy it there) and I don't buy anything there unless it's on sale, but the $70 carbide bit set is realy worth $70.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38692
The $15 set isn't as nice as the $70 set, but better than not using carbide bits.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38699
Don't know how good the electric die grinder is, but if it's like the angle grinder I got there, it's worth $30.
If your going to use your Dremel they also have 1/8" shank carbide bits for $20. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38699
Once you use a die grinder (electric or air) you will never go back to a dremel ;-)
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