The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop clifford intake problem

I got my motor started for the first time.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=57885867

But there was a small leak from a crack, leaking coolant were the coolant goes through the intake. Then I thought, what about the inside. So I took the carb off and the inside had a bunch of sticky antifreeze in it. So I put everything back on and bypassed the intake with the coolant. Ran the motor for a while to burn up any coolant in the intake.

Now my plan is to order the intake from jim carter. when that comes in the mail, swap the intakes. then call up clifford and tell them that they suck and I want my money back. They only have a 30 day warranty on the intakes, and it sat on the motor for 8 months without starting it (it was being rebuilt) so if they give me my money back, great. If they don't I might try to sell it on here. You cant put coolant through it, and it probably has a small vac leak. But if I plug the coolant holes, there shouldnt be a vac leak. But I'm still pleased that the motor runs good.

davidn,

Why don't you give the Clifford folks a chance to make things right. If it is a manufacturing flaw in their manifold I'll bet they would do the right thing and replace it.

Before you go on the offensive with a vendor, be civil and see what he has to offer first, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Stuart

Well,despite the leak,the motor sure sounded smooth.Nice job!

I agree, call clifford and see what they say. Tell them exactly what you told us. Let them know you bought it 8 months ago when you started your motor rebuild and just got finished with the engine and went to start it and discovered this problem. Don't stick it to Jim Carter. If clifford doesn't resolve the problem then purchase another manifold directly from them and then swap it.

I can't see them not changing it out for a new one as it definitely sounds like a manufacturing defect. If they don't want to let them know they have over 20,000 potential customers waiting to hear back on how they resolved the problem.

the aluminum is casted. so if one has a problem, i'm not too confident in another from the same company.

davidn,

Again, it's not me, but Clifford makes these things all day long and they know exactly where to keep a sharp eye out for off spec stuff. Are you 200% sure it isn't something you might have done wrong or connected wrong.

Before you rip into them make sure you won't have to eat a whole crow pie.

Stuart

i agree with AUTOMARC and DRUMMIN52,,give yourself a chance to cool down,then call Clifford Ind. Explain the situation and give them a chance to make it right. Theyve been around a long time,and that says something right there.
Good luck,
Marty

I called clifford and they said that they normally fix that problem by running a sealant with water through it and then letting it sit for a day. So it sounds like they have had this problem with there intake before. And as expected the warranty is only good for 30 days. But I don't get a good feeling about that fix. If the sealant starts to fail and fluid going to the intake, I would probably never know until it was too late. It ran very smooth and the only way I could tell was to take the carb off. So I'm probably going to go with the jim carter version, and sell this one to someone who doesn't plan to use the coolant passage.

davidn,

WOW! I guess I'm the naive consumer...I wouldn't expect them to make things that the end user had to modify to work right. I would consider this a manufacturing flaw and to heck with the warranty.

If an aluminum casting is porous enough to leak coolant, it isn't a good casting. I would call again and try to get some satisfaction. This forum could be a pretty good sounding board for bad press regarding Clifford products, you might mention that to them.

Stuart

I don't get it. I thought the one sold by Jim Carter is a Clifford.

I didn't know that. Jim Carter doesn't advertise it being a clifford product.

'''''''''' the aluminum is casted. so if one has a problem, i'm not too confident in another from the same company.''''''

i bought a clifford off ebay, this company has been around a loong time and i also agree w/ stu and chris about dealing w/ clifford about their quality control. i bought a complete disc brake set up from brothers. it sat in the box for close to 2 yrs because i kept getting pushed back on schedule due to the rod shop mostly, the blast shop, money issues.. etc but when i put it all together i was missing brake lines. they were a little reluctant to send them but did.
the gas tank sender failed after i made my wiring harness but i could not test it until 2 yrs later. the gauge company BEEDE stepped up and came thru. i wrote both a nice letter of appreciation.
be nice and explane what happened and see if they follow through. it can only get you help if you ask or bitterness if you have a negitive outcome going into this conversation.

Ps, ........... '''' and sell this one to someone who doesn't plan to use the coolant passage.''''

that does NOT sound like a fair thing to do !!!!!

there was no bitterness in the conversation. I was polite through the whole thing. They know what happened, and they will not warranty the product after 30 days. And if they did, they would fix it with the sealant. (the way they told me to fix it). Which I don't think is a proper fix.

I'm not going to sell it saying it is a good product. I'm going to let the buyer know everything that is wrong and what cliffords opinion on it is. In my opinion, I could give someone a great deal who doesn't want to use the coolant passage. It works just fine without it.

davidn,

I just watched the video of the first start up. The engine is beautiful and runs smooth as silk. There sure seems like there is lots of vacuum advance though...I don't remember a Stovebolt distributor moving that much or staying advanced for so long. Is your distributor plumbed off of ported vacuum?

I went to the Clifford site and they really push the idea of a water heated manifold and the benefits it will give. I still find it amazing they didn't offer to make your purchase 'right', even if it entailed free shipping back to them so they could seal it and return it.

I heard several years ago that the founder...Clifford Sr passed away and left the company to his son. Maybe Jr. isn't interested in good public relations the way dad might have been.

Anyway, your truck is off to a great start with that pretty engine and frame/running gear! Did I hear thunder in the background while you were shooting the video?

Stuart

The distributor vacuum is coming off of the top vac port on the holley 390. it is labled as the timed spark vac source. It does move more and respond sooner than I expected too. I'm not sure if the transmission will have a big effect on it or not. But the engine right now has zero load. Nothing is attached to the flywheel.

There was no thunder that day. but it was a little windy. It might have been the wind blowing on the camera, or those mufflers doing there job.

curt b. was right. the jim carter intake is a clifford. i got it in the mail and put it on. it leaks more than the first one. so i'm going to send it back, and just bypass the coolant passage on the first one. it seams to run ok without the coolant going through the intake.

Buy another one and then send the defective one back for a replacement stating it was the one just bought. If they are going to be aholes about it they deserve to be treated like one.

Then sell the replacement as a NIB unit.

Since financing intakes is getting limmited, I'm going to send the one I just got back (which is still under the 30 day waranty). And it is the one that actually leaks the worse. Then use the other but without the coolant channel. And I would reccomend that anyone with a clifford intake to run the motor for ten minutes, then shut it off. take off the carb and see how much antifreeze is in the intake. Both these intakes had that problem.

I intend to pressure test mine with before putting a carb on it. For as many people as I've seen here using this setup, this is the first time I've heard of this problem.

Thanks for the heads up.