Preferred gasket thickness/port size/material for intake

[SadbutTrue]

I have Trick Flow heads and a Weiand Stealth intake (older Stealth, i believe). I'm going to be taking the intake off to inspect the lifters/pushrods, make sure the gaskets aren't obscuring the ports at all (when we installed them the first time I think they were slightly) and to make 100% positively sure there are no vacuum leaks. Off summit's site, I'm seeing a whole pile of different thicknesses, materials and port sizes to choose from.

I believe I need the 2.1 x 1.28 ports (as opposed to 2.00 x 1.2) for the Trick Flow heads. No idea on which thickness or material to get though. Recommendations?

Also going to be taking the timing cover off, so I will need those gaskets too. I figured material isn't as big a deal here, but if there is a preferred type of gasket let me know.

Finally, any techniques to make 100%, absolutely, positively sure there are zero vacuum leaks or leaks of any kind from these locations?

 

[D.Hearne]

I think I used the 1262R's for my 331. Thickness will depend on the gap you've got now between the head and intake.

 

[SadbutTrue]

I think I used the 1262R's for my 331. Thickness will depend on the gap you've got now between the head and intake.

You mean whatever size gasket is there now? Any method for figuring that out?

Any tips on permatex black application? lol

 

[10secgoal]

Felpro's 1250 should be big enough for that. Felpros stuff is a little thinner than Edelbrocks. The thickness you need will depend on you prot alignment. If the intake port is lower than the head, you need a thicker gasket to rasie it.


Ultra black RTV is the beez kneez. I smear a little on the rail on the block and intake, to kind of "tin" it. The stuff sticks to itself much better than it does metal. So smear it around really good with your finger to make sear it adhears (sp ?), leaving it thing. Force it with your finger into the head,hg and block. Setintake gasket down.Run your finger over any that sweezed out from under the gasket. Smear it around making sure to get it on the gasket as well. All of this is thin. Just want to make it easy for the silicone to stick.Run a constant single bead on block front and rear, set on intake

 

[D.Hearne]

Felpro lists the same gasket in several thicknesses. Not the same part numbers, but they will be the same port sizes. You've just got to do the research to find what you want. Just look em up on Summit's site "Ford 302 intake gaskets" You'll find three pages of gaskets. Most are either .060 to .090 thick. You can use a feeler gauge to see what thickness you've got now.

 

[SadbutTrue]

Felpro lists the same gasket in several thicknesses. Not the same part numbers, but they will be the same port sizes. You've just got to do the research to find what you want. Just look em up on Summit's site "Ford 302 intake gaskets" You'll find three pages of gaskets. Most are either .060 to .090 thick. You can use a feeler gauge to see what thickness you've got now.

Okay. Yeah, I noticed all those on summit.

I guess, since the engine has a couple thousand miles on it with the current gaskets, I can tell whether the current gasket is too thick or thin based on what the ports look like (if it looks like the top of the port has gas/crap on it, that'd means the gasket is too thick, etc)?

Im getting the how i measure my current width part, but not the 'how I make sure the ports line up' part... since, well.. when the intake is on you can't really tell whether they're lining up perfectly or not...

 

[SadbutTrue]

Last question (maybe)... I can get a good deal on gaskets at pep boys this month (see other thread)...

However, their part #'s seem to be different than the ones Summit and other places have. The fel-pro intake head gasket part #'s on pep boys' site are MS90116 and MS96012. I'm assuming these correlate to other p/n's somehow but can't be sure which is which, and of course the pep boys tech had no clue (they never do).

Anyone know if either of these gaskets are what I want?

 

[D.Hearne]

The "MS" part of the number stands for "Manifold Set" Both are likely for stock heads and as such won't fit the ports on your TFS heads. The only stock set that will come close are those for the early 351W heads and the iron GT40 heads.

 

[D.Hearne]

The #'s ending in 116 are for a 69 351W. The 012's are for a Cleveland

 

[SadbutTrue]

The #'s ending in 116 are for a 69 351W. The 012's are for a Cleveland

Pep boys list both as applying to 71-73.... regardless, if that one is for a 69, would it work? If need be I can 'widen' the port on the gasket slightly...

 

[69gmachine]

The stock replacement set from Pep Boys is a completely different composition than the performance based 1250 set. I'd stick with the 1250s. The small difference in price is not worth the hassle if the ports are too small, plus the 1250s will be thicker and softer, allowing more compression for a better seal.

 

[D.Hearne]

The stock replacement set from Pep Boys is a completely different composition than the performance based 1250 set. I'd stick with the 1250s. The small difference in price is not worth the hassle if the ports are too small, plus the 1250s will be thicker and softer, allowing more compression for a better seal.

x2 exactly.

 

[SadbutTrue]

x2 exactly.

k you all have me convinced on the 1250s, now i just need some feedback on how to tell if my gasket is too thick or thin. Will it be evident when I pull the intake whether the ports weren't lined up?

 

[D.Hearne]

Look at the compression patterns in the gasket. That'll tell you what you need to do differently, if at all. Nice thing about the 12602R's are they're somewhat reusable, if they don't stick and tear apart when you remove the intake.