# Carb Spacers



## Mike E (Jun 9, 2018)

Has anyone installed a carb spacer? Do they create a noticeable difference in torque? Any negatives to having a spacer?


----------



## Nicholas (Jan 16, 2017)

Maybe a clearance issue between the air cleaner and hood?? Guess it depends how thick the spacer is. Never used one on a Pontiac, but I have one on my '62 409. I think it's 1/2" thick and made of some type of fabric. Not metal. Put it on to help keep the carb. gas cooler. Couldn't tell if it made a difference in performance. Hood closes just fine.


----------



## cij911 (Oct 25, 2017)

Mike E said:


> Has anyone installed a carb spacer? Do they create a noticeable difference in torque? Any negatives to having a spacer?


I installed phenolic spacers to isolate heat from the carbs. I believe the spacers are 1/2" and I bought the kit (need longer carb studs) from pontiac tri power Welcome to Pontiac Tripower | Pontiac Tripower.

I don't have any issue with hood clearance, but did have to slightly bend my choke lines.

As for performance improvements, I would be skeptical. I did it because I rebuilt the carbs and figured it would not hurt.


----------



## Mike E (Jun 9, 2018)

Thanks guys. I'm probably better leaving my situation as is. ?


----------



## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

Mike E said:


> Has anyone installed a carb spacer? Do they create a noticeable difference in torque? Any negatives to having a spacer?


From what I remember there wasn't a noticeable increase but a measurable one. We used to slap on a spacer to get a pony or two higher on the dyno...just moved the graphs over a bit and up just ever so slightly.

I had one on my 76 TA and that forced me to run a shaker scoop from an earlier model. The reason for the spacer was due to the fuel and nitrous spray rods.  Those were fun times...


----------



## Mike E (Jun 9, 2018)

Sounds like it was a blast. (Sarcasm). Thx for reply.


----------



## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

I added a phenolic spacer to fix the hot start problem.
If you run it then shut it down the ethanol boils in the carb and it makes it hard to start.
Blocking the crossover and adding the spacer fixed the problem.


----------



## Bredfan (Feb 20, 2017)

Hey Mike - 

I added a spacer last fall. It's hard to speak to the performance of the spacer by itself - I added mine when I swapped a boggy Holley for a QJet. I also made timing adjustments at the same time. So when I did all that, you bet I saw some nice improvements. But because three different major changes happened at the same time, I couldn't attribute the improvements to just one (timing, carb and spacer). 

I also spent a ton of time standing over the engine with a timing light, watching RPM's and tweaking on fuel/air (vacuum changes werent as noticeable so I used RPMs). 

The one I got is a JET Performance. Probably paid too much for it. 

All told - I'm glad I added it.


----------



## Mike E (Jun 9, 2018)

Bredfan,
Very nice upgrades to your engine! I'm sure those changes were all worth the money after that first drive.


----------

