Intake Gasket Change (Cracked Block or poor Gasket install)

88VertFox

Member
Mar 19, 2022
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CANADA
I did an intake manifold gasket change and fumbled my way through. Started the car and started running hot while so added more coolant/burped it. Had it running 3-4 times for about 20 minutes. There was a lot of white smoke out the tailpipe when I first started it but it went away. Now it won’t start. Battery is fine and it cranks but doesn’t turn over.

When I was putting the lower intake on, I accidentally ivertighted one bolt. Did I crack the block? Do these symptoms sound like a cracked block or poor gasket installation?
 
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It’s new to me. How can I tell?
Iron is magnetic. Looks like you have an iron head.

When you say you over tightened a bolt, how much did you tighten it? Like until it broke?

When changing an intake manifold gasket, I always use a real small bead of rtv around the water ports, and a skim coat around the ports. My gaskets are also just the fiber style ones so it’s kind of necessary.

Also, you’ll have to go over every bolt after the final torque a half dozen times. Do this until no bolt will turn anymore when proper torque is applied. The gasket will compress a little bit. After that, retorque everything after a heat cycle or 2.

You can try giving all the bolts now a re-torque and see if it seals up.
 
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Iron is magnetic. Looks like you have an iron head.

When you say you over tightened a bolt, how much did you tighten it? Like until it broke?

When changing an intake manifold gasket, I always use a real small bead of rtv around the water ports, and a skim coat around the ports. My gaskets are also just the fiber style ones so it’s kind of necessary.

Also, you’ll have to go over every bolt after the final torque a half dozen times. Do this until no bolt will turn anymore when proper torque is applied. The gasket will compress a little bit. After that, retorque everything after a heat cycle or 2.

You can try giving all the bolts now a re-torque and see if it seals up.
I will give this a shot. I’ll also toss a magnet at it and see. It’s true that I didn’t retorque after a couple heat cycles. I’ll give that a shot before redoing the gasket. I used the supplied gaskets at the front and rear with some rtv but it was my first attempt and likely poor.

No, the bolt didn’t break, I just felt it was way too tight even though my torque wrench hadn’t clicked. I then figured out the torque wrench was no longer clicking out no matter how much torque was applied.