rod mod vs ported manifold

[NABeastRR]

Hello everyone,

Fairly new to Camaros and V8s in general but from doing my research Berh is the best and seems to be the only one who can make power out of the ls3 intake manifold. Also I've seen the rod mod by GPI claiming roughly the same 5hp or so and both are similar priced.

BUT my question is has anyone else maybe sent it to Berh to get ported then to GPI for the rod mod? or is this a over kill that maybe doing both does more harm then good? if both together gave roughly 10hp that's the same as the Fast manifold and still for less then 600 bucks.

[avido]

rod mod consiste in a removing the renforcement rod insede the manifold and the porting is used to match the size of the head with the manifold (and much more)

so why both should do more harm than good ?

[christianchevell]

The fast manifold is generally thought of for larger displacement engines and can gain up in the 20s for one. I have been here a long time and seen people rod mod their own.. LOL And others port a intake you could get it done at most machine shops if they are any good. Yes in the past many have done both with good results but nothing spectacular that's just it...
One of the reasons why a lot of people were rooting for the Air force intake from MSD to come through but they could not compete enough with the stock intake to make it viable I guess as the air force does well on a ls7. And then there are those of us who still dream of a Vararam VRX a kind of midrise longer runner phenolic resin intake to avoid more heat soak that supposedly is forever in development and awaiting a patent. And it had numbers like up to 60 hp gain area which is more inline with a tunnel ram which is sort of more for higher rev on the street area of operation which well..... with a cam its idling higher and built and more prone to benefit from the bigger/more is better approach as compounding gain returns with a cammed engine and not just short runner intake runners and the thing is its a single carb setup not dual like the Edelbrock huge or some whale like the Nelson kind of thing and not a just sheetmetal or the holly midrise.... Anyway there is a lot more choices out there if you search or wait. Reading up on threads about them may help give you a name for a place to do the mods cheaper or better. Good luck, Me I am waiting, and if no vararam eventually I have to go Fast /or MSD and go small bore ls7 heads for a bundle and a 102. But I am where I would gain a lot from a good intake and a more aggressive cam and plan on it...

[NABeastRR]

Originally Posted by avido

rod mod consiste in a removing the renforcement rod insede the manifold and the porting is used to match the size of the head with the manifold (and much more)

so why both should do more harm than good ?

Maybe I over looked it then, because the rod mod on the manifolds I have seen is simply just that no porting.

[NABeastRR]

Originally Posted by christianchevell

The fast manifold is generally thought of for larger displacement engines and can gain up in the 20s for one. I have been here a long time and seen people rod mod their own.. LOL And others port a intake you could get it done at most machine shops if they are any good. Yes in the past many have done both with good results but nothing spectacular that's just it...
One of the reasons why a lot of people were rooting for the Air force intake from MSD to come through but they could not compete enough with the stock intake to make it viable I guess as the air force does well on a ls7. And then there are those of us who still dream of a Vararam VRX a kind of midrise longer runner phenolic resin intake to avoid more heat soak that supposedly is forever in development and awaiting a patent. And it had numbers like up to 60 hp gain area which is more inline with a tunnel ram which is sort of more for higher rev on the street area of operation which well..... with a cam its idling higher and built and more prone to benefit from the bigger/more is better approach as compounding gain returns with a cammed engine and not just short runner intake runners and the thing is its a single carb setup not dual like the Edelbrock huge or some whale like the Nelson kind of thing and not a just sheetmetal or the holly midrise.... Anyway there is a lot more choices out there if you search or wait. Reading up on threads about them may help give you a name for a place to do the mods cheaper or better. Good luck, Me I am waiting, and if no vararam eventually I have to go Fast /or MSD and go small bore ls7 heads for a bundle and a 102. But I am where I would gain a lot from a good intake and a more aggressive cam and plan on it...

My mistake I should have been more clear on what I was referring to, just a bolt on motor when I said that about the Fast and my goals at best right now will be bolt ons and cam. So as for as a bolt on motor for now, I know anyone can port it im saying ive seen people say and show dynos of losing power over the stock manifold with a ported one. "hence why I said Berh only one who makes power" So for my little setup I planed to maybe have Berh port it then if he can do the rodmod if not ill send it to GPI if it wasn't over kill.

[christianchevell]

Well theres more fish in the ocean, frankly your talking such little gain most don't mess with it unless its just coincidental for everything else.. kind of like expecting a gain from a UDP or PTB only much more a pain . Porting is best accomplished with the motor for a real metal intake so you can get the flow better to transition from intake through head..... mocked up with clay etc..... Now some minor grinding on a plastic tube well...not exactly the same at all.... And well places have made the intakes with varied interchangeable runners..... but hey still waiting here.

[flyer08]

I originally ported mine and then the rod mod became big later so added it as well. Porting picked up a few rwhp when we put it on dyno but havnt tested the rod mod yet

[xc_SS/RS]

Rod mod can or cannot (depends on who's doing the job I think, could be wrong) remove the center posts. The main thing with the rod mod are two rods are installed into the manifold on the left and right side to help smooth out the airflow in the manifold and to make the runners seem longer.

Porting the LS3/L99 intake manifold can produce power but it's made well enough that it's not much of a gain for the work and cost involved. Get the rod mod instead