260z intake manifold

[Mitchka]

Sorry for bringing up an old thread, but I couldn't find what I was looking for in other threads.

I have an early '74 260Z, and a late '74 260Z. The early one came with a N36 intake, the later one was with an E46 intake manifold. Both have the Hitachi SU carbs on them, so I assume the early 260Z had the carbs switched.

Which intake flows better?

[Bruce Palmer]

Put a segment of either the 46 or 88 side by side with either of the 30 series manifolds and see if you don't think the later 30 series might not flow better. Bigger, wider, more open inside....... Pretty intuitive.....

[Royce]

Mitchka,

I don't think you can do much better than validation from Bruce at Ztherapy! I'm sure he has seen many of the manifolds and had the chance to inspect them from different angles. Thanks for the good info Bruce.

The only thing I would like to add is just that neither of your 260Z's would have come into the US new with round top SU style carbs nor an E series intake manifold (E46 or E88). I would assume that on your early 260 car someone just swapped the carbs and on your later car someone swapped both the carbs and the intake manifold.

One advantage to the earlier style E46 intake manifold is a cleaner look. The earlier intake manifold and balance bar had less smog ports. So some people install the earlier 240z intake manifold and remove the later 260z smog gear. Now that I think of it I also believe the balance bars themselves may be swapped, been to long to remember this one for sure. So your early car with the N36 manifold may even have a early balance bar and a lot of the smog removed by now too. I am not saying removing the smog equipement is a good thing or a bad thing either way. I still have the stock smog pump and gear on my Rebello motor. I was told the air pump helps to cool the valves. Don't know how true that is. But I'll leave that choice up to the individual.

Boy, looking back throught this thread brings back memories. I cannot believe this thread has been around for so long an nobody corrected the fact that I listed E33 and E36 manifolds instead of N33 and N36.

Have fun!

[sblake01]

.....I cannot believe this thread has been around for so long an nobody corrected the fact that I listed E33 and E36 manifolds instead of N33 and N36.

Until Mitchka revived this thread, the only people posting in it were yourself and three members who, though for different reasons, don't post here anymore.

[blue 72]

I have a few E and N series manifolds, and side by side you can see the interior differences. Like Bruce said, more open, and a more direct shot into the head. My N-36 came from a '73 240Z with the square top carbs. I had the extra vacuum ports filled on the intakes and drilled the water passages into the carb mounting faces as well. They're mounted up to my 3 screw '72 carbs.

Check out post 12 here http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=135702

[Mitchka]

Blue, you are one heck of an amazing Zee-guy!

What had thrown me off before is what Bruce clarified right after me. I always thought that with the intakes, the numbers would increase with later models ie: 36 would be early, 88 would be later. Well, now I know for sure which intake to put on my complete car.

Another thing that bothers me, but is probably not really necessary info, is what odes the E or N relate to on the intake? Was it just a way of matching heads to intakes?

And does anyone know what carbs came on the 260s, and what year the Hitachi domes were used on?