I might finally be able to get this L26 mani project together in the coming weeks (early april, more likely), and while i'm trying to figure out a few details of an adaptor that doesn't require the use of a larger throttle body (the adaptor on the market right now is mean for gen 5 blowers, and as such requires the s2 */c throttle body), I need to ask a very important question, of those of you who would actually be looking to do this -

how much would you consider reasonable for purchasing said adaptor?

i'm trying to find the most economical way to make an adaptor that will compensate for the flare that our throttle bodies have just before the intake... which can be done (a few different ways, but again, it'* a matter of cost).

that said, from gmpd, an aluminum upper intake will run 130 (with shipping). how much would you be willing to spend on an adaptor to use the aluminum upper on your car?

or better yet, how much (total) would you spend on a complete kit that allowed the use of the l26 mani - comes with all necessary gaskets (current kit for your upper is 23 bucks, plus shipping, gmpd), adaptor, upper intake, and breather filter (on your current intake, this runs though the mani to the TB, to nice filtered air - the l26 mani goes through the top of the manifold, and is better served by a small filter on top, instead of re-routing to your TB)?

note: anyone who does the l26 mani will more than likely *require* a cold air intake. until I have an adaptor made, I can't be positive, but based on early measurements, I don't think that the stock airbox will get it done.

I'd spend up to $250 on a complete kit. I was looking on clubgp.com this morning and what some of the guys are selling used. One guy is trying to get $150 for a used complete setup.

We could use my car as the guinea pig, if you'd like since you don't have a Bonnie and I'm also the most local with an L36. Just an idea...

lol - you can be pig #2.... the lesabre needs the lovin first. i've still got an h-bod you know

when I did the lower and upper gaskets last time, my upper (which was nearly prestine, btw) warped around the throttle body, preventing a good seal between tb and intake... there'* about a 2mm gap at one point. so right now, i leak coolant from time to time directly onto my tranny'* bell housing... and I'd like to take care of that.

in other news, I'm moving to flint! relocated to flint engine south (considered north, where our beloved 3800 is made, but considering the future of the 3800, i figured south was the better bet)... so once this is figured out, you'll no doubt be the first person i go to (if you're still up for it and haven't replaced wtih a dorman by then)...

i'll keep you posted on the progress... i've picked the work back up in the last few days, inspired by your loss...

<edit> btw - the firehawk in your sig is beautiful...

Congrats on the promo to Bristol Rd.!

Have you decided on housing in this area? Grand Blanc isn't so bad!

Please keep me in mind for #2. My upper is leaking onto the lower in the EXACT same location you described. The thread "Leaking upper AGAIN" has pics of it. It'* not bad, but I'm going to start off with retorquing the upper next weekend. Hopefully I can hold out for that aluminum!

I'd go a coupla yards easy.

Might go to $250 for a sliick kit.

If I could get 80 - 100K out of my original intake and same or more out of the improved replacement...and its 'easy' to change, Why spend all that money?
These plastic uppers are soon to be all over the junk yards.
Your car certainly isn't going to strand you even if it looses a tablespoon of coolant.

yes there will be alot of intakes at yards, but whose to say thay they are good, If i had a L36 i would do the swap, but i only have the lowley L27, that doesnt have intake problems

For a couple hundy, I would do it just for the sense of security. Granted the lower intake gaskets are still prone to failure, but with a solid upper it'* one less thing I have to worry about. 90% of my driving is on long distances so having that piece of mind is important to me.

Most 3800 powered cars in the scrap yard don't have the engine. Plus, I don't know how comfortable I'd be with bolting on a used intake...

However, I would only do the aluminum upper if it would work my stock air box. I'm not into the rice pipe idea and want to keep everything stock.

lets look at it this way. you're talking 130 dollars or so on buy a replacement dorman upper intake. and it might last. who knows. that'* the point.

by the time you replace it a second time, you've spent more than an aluminum upper. the aluminum, however, is a one time fix. once. done. never again.

not to mention the idea of having a nice poliished intake sounds nice...

you never know when it'* going to go from one tablespoon to 1 gallon. it happens quick - and if your more than a few miles from home (which i occasionally am...) and you start going through coolant a little to quickly, what are you going to do? have it towed home? pay a mechanic 500+ dollars to replace an intake that was only leaking a tablespoon of coolant?

no. i drive my cars. I drive them a lot. and I want to know that when I go on a long trip with my family, that the car is going to get me back without any problems at all. i have very little tolerance for things breaking, especially when I can have it fixed for the same cost of putting a known bad part back on.

once i figure out how to get the adaptor machined the most inexpensive way, i'll let you all know. i'm hoping that the whole cost will be closer to 200, but at this point, I can't promise anything.

and lest there be any questions of why i'm doing this - consider that i can get the alum intake for 105 dollars. even if it costs me 50 bucks to make this adaptor, it will cost me a mere 20 dollars above the cost of another plastic intake. and i've never been comfy with the idea of the dorman intake - changing dimensions on something so critical as your coolant system never sat well with me. that'* why i'm also against plugging the coolant lines that lead to the TB. the engine is thermodynamically engineered as a system - you can't just start mucking around with it and hope that everything is going to work the way you want it to. it might, but it might not - and that'* not something i'm going to play around with - and it'* something that i wouldn't ask someone else to play around with either. the goal is to have a turnkey solution (not band-aid, or a fix that we think might work), but a solution to this upper intake problem. i've known too many people just in the last year, who though conversation, I've found out that they have had at least one (and one person 3!) failed upper intakes. and most of these people are not mechanically inclined, and have been paying dealers crazy amounts of money to fix it.

</end rant>

on topic: 250? not too bad. i'm pretty sure we could keep it below that. and again, as much as i hate to say it, i have no idea if the stock airbox will work after this or not. only time will tell. i'll have to get a hold of my shell now... i went k&n about a month ago, and haven't looked back...