Intake gasket blow outs

[Calgary351GT]

Anybody have problems with Fel-Pro 1262 gaskets blowing out?

I'm talking about right at the top of the rear coolant ports where the gasket is thin.
It's happened to me, twice. One on each head. I get hard on the throttle (6000rpm) and steams starts pouring out of my hood.

These gaskets are the ones AFR recommends to go with my heads.
I'm running ca carbed 351W with 185cc AFR's and a Torker II intake.

 

[DonMaximo]

In the absence of other responses... I'll share my thoughts...

If you're installing these gaskets... following the properly torqueing pattern and meeting the requirement...it may suggest a deck or head not being square or true. One failure is acceptable, 2 failures suggests that the gaskets may not be the issue.

If those aluminum heads ever saw a lot of heat... they could warp easily...it only takes 1,000s of an inch to give you hemorrhoids...


Since you have to replace them once again... I would give some thought to having the heads checked and/or shaved true. If this doesn't fix it ...well damn... start asking questions about the iron block deck.

Would prefer to hear that you made a mistake on gasket installation.. or that your torque wrench is screwed... lots of guys set a torque wrench for a particular task... and then they don't back off the wrench (back to zero) for long-term storage. I've read this can compromise the readings on a torque wrench.

Best regards,

-D

 

[84Ttop]

I would use 1250 gaskets on afr185's, I use 1262r gaskets and have never had a problem, it is also possible that your intake is warpped, have a machinest check it for runnout.

 

[Calgary351GT]

Thanks for the input.

The heads have never been over heated and the gasket actually didn't fail in the same place. They first failure was on the left cylinder bank, the second failure was on the right.

I DO back off the torque wrench when it's not being used, so I'm not concerned with it's accaracy.

One interesting point made is that my intake IS as old as the hills and may be the problem. I've been looking for a reason to ditch it for a Vic jr. A lot of people have been telling me the Torker II is a joke anyway, for my combination.

 

[EMW150]

Try the 1262-S gaskets. Same gaskets with a steel core. That's all I run now.