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Author
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Topic: Cleveland "Blue Thunder" intakes?
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DutchD58
Gearhead Posts: 128
From: West Milton, OH
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 07-29-2001 08:20 AM
   
Does anyone here have "hands-on" experience with these dual-planes? I know they are pricey, but that issue aside, aren't they a true high-performance high-rise with an extended RPM range for 4V headed motors? What is their usable power band, and what kind of cam timing/lift, torque converter (C-4 tranny) and gearing would they respond best to? This would be for a street driven car weighing in around 3600-3700 lbs.
I'm currently running a 2V Cleveland and FMX. I have been considering beefing up the existing 2V motor, but intake and header choices are limited and aggrivating at best.Kevin
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Mpcoluv
Gearhead Posts: 1278
From: Charlotte NC usa
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 07-29-2001 09:07 AM
It's probably the second best cleveland intake. The strip dominator is supposedly the best. I had a Blue Thunder for a while and liked it pretty well. I foolishly sold it about a year ago. For a "daily Driver" you might find the Edelbrock performer a better choice in a heavy car. The Bluethunder will make more power however.
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tomslo
Gearhead Posts: 319
From: Jefferson City, MO
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-30-2001 02:51 PM
I have one. I didn't put a lot of miles on it, though. I replaced a Performer with it, and the car picked up some, @.5 seconds in the 1/4, but I had also redone the exhaust at the same time.
With the new motor, it ran good, but the big runners and the big ditributor were a little too chummy, so I took it off to install a Strip Dominator.
Tom
------------------
1991 F150, 4X4, lift, 35's, 4.9l
1991 Mustang LX 5.0L, AOD
1970 Cougar, 351C-4v, C6
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DutchD58
Gearhead Posts: 128
From: West Milton, OH
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 07-30-2001 05:44 PM
Tom,
Picked up a half-second?!? And just how "chummy" did the distributor and intake get? I've pretty well given up on the Performers because past experience showed me they're pretty much done after 5000-5500.
I'm leaning toward one of Comp Cams Magnum solid lifter grinds (#32-238-4, 2000-6000 RPM), it comes in at 282 duration (236 @ .050) and .570 lift on a 110 LSA. I'm looking at 10:1 with a set of quench heads, Hooker Super Comps with 1 7/8" primaries, a 2500-3000 stall converter and 3.89 or deeper gears. Not that concerned with the "daily" driver aspect of things as this will be a "weekend warrior", no trailer queen. How does this compare to the combination you're running? Under-cammed? Are there any flat spots or stumbles to these intakes (Blue Thunder)?Thanks,
Kevin
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mach72
Gearhead Posts: 129
From: Bixby, Ok. USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 07-30-2001 11:33 PM
Tomslo, how much improvement did you get going from the blue thunder intake to the strip dominator. Tell us about your combo. Dutch, I think the 282S would be a great street/strip cam. I would probably use at least 4.11 gears though. Good luck, Tom
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MrXerox
Gearhead Posts: 348
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 07-31-2001 01:04 PM
If I may make a real world suggestion for your car I would go with a 294S 32-239-4 for a weekend warrior. I have a quench headed 4V cleveland with the 32-771-8 solid roller and x-cellerator intake in mine and so far it runs like a dream and almost feels like it wants more cam! Idles fine and pulls good vaccum. I am also running 3.89s and a 3500 stall and am happy with those for the street. I only have about 200 miles on her so far so I have not really put it thru the paces yet  Anyone on this board that runs Clevelands will attest to the fact that the cam you think is too big is not big enough for these motors!
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tomslo
Gearhead Posts: 319
From: Jefferson City, MO
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-31-2001 03:39 PM
Kevin-
The half second came from a combination of the intake and going from a choking 2 1/4 exhaust to a 2 1/2 freeflowing exhaust. I would say both helped .
I am using a MSD Billet distributor. If I was to do it again, I would have gotten the Pro Billet, as it has a smaller diameter cap. The fact that it was so close( not enough room to even let me turn the dist.) was what led me to taking the intake off. It is a real quality intake, looks fantastic. It ran fine for me, but that was only about 500 miles or so. No stumbles or flat spots due to the intake.Mach72-
I haven't even driven the car since swapping intakes. I am taking it to the strip this weekend though. As far as differences between the two, I probably won't be able to tell as it is just one of the many things I have changed on the car since last time. I swapped 3.50 gears to 4.11's, added slicks, and have gotten the timing up to where it should be. Tom
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DutchD58
Gearhead Posts: 128
From: West Milton, OH
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 07-31-2001 04:34 PM
MrXerox,
I did indeed look at the 294S, and yes I did have concerns about overcamming (just don't want to wind up wrestling a bear every time I take it out), but I'm hardly the final authority on these motors and nothing is etched in stone yet, so I'm very open at this point.
I'll be curious to hear your impressions and experiences with the solid roller. Somewhere along the way I got the impression (mistakenly?) that Clevelands had durability/longevity issues with street driven roller cams, and nothing would please me more than for someone to tell me I'm all wrong because that 288R you're running looks like an excellent grind! Other than setting up for the roller lifters, did you make any other mods to the longblock? And what valves are you running?Tom,
Which configuration of the Blue Thunder were you running, as I understand there are several. I believe the #4145 is set-up for Holley street carbs and has the heat risers intact, is that what you were running? Thanks,
Kevin
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tomslo
Gearhead Posts: 319
From: Jefferson City, MO
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-31-2001 05:04 PM
I was running the 4145A. It has the heat risers.The 4145B has blocked heat risers. It also has, instead of just a notch in the plenum divider like the 4145A, the entire plenum divider cut down an inch. They also have another configuration that has a dominator flange. The runner configuration on all 3 is the same. Tom
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MrXerox
Gearhead Posts: 348
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 07-31-2001 08:51 PM
Dutch,
I have just about every mod that the Cleveland professionals (Alex, Steve and Kid Vishus) recommended I am running 4V quench heads with single groove speed-pro standard size valves with 3 angle job(I know there are better valves out there but this car is primarily a street driven car) DO NOT use stock FoMoCo valves. The heads have been machined for screw in studs and guideplates. Full roller rockers, Bronze guides, Port work done mainly on the exhaust side. Bottom end mods include: main oil restrictors, forged flat top TRW pistons (2379F I believe) as I might add my 150HP NOS kit down the road, partially filled block with HardBlok water jacket filler to help reduce the risk of splitting a cylinder wall...after all, I am .040 over  and an external line oiling kit just because I had it left over from before I did it the right way with restrictors. 9qt milodon pan (fits like a DREAM in 71-73's) full MSD ignition and distributor, etc... The cam I suggested you use is the same one that Alex recomended to me but he said if I was a real man I should go with the roller... 
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