okay, I have the edelbrock performer upper and lower intakes and trick flow twisted wedge heads. I cant seem to stop the lower intake from leaking coolant from the corner of the driver side head where intake and head come to a point. I am using stock mustang lower intake gaskets. do I need special ones for the edelbrock? or for them to match the tfs heads? anyone else have this problem? I don't remember anyone saying I needed a special gasket on the intake side. I have used the rubber piece for the front of the block and also sealed it with just gasket maker. YES I am putting gasket maker on the corners, still leaks. I have also just tried the gaskets dry and also with a bead of gasket maker around the coolant ports. still leaks.. I have had this intake off many times and have never had is surfaced at a shop. always used a anlged wheel to clean it.. its alluminum so I probally deformed it.. should I have it surfaced? or wouldn't the gasket be enough to fill the gap? i just recently had the heads milled.. please help. Im getting tired of pulling the intake off just to do it again!!
lower intake leaking coolant.edl lower and tfs heads
- Thread starter Raginstang
- Start date
Wow, that sucks.
Does the leak develop on both sides?
Did it leak before you had the heads milled?
Milling the heads down can have this affect. I believe the intake can be shaved to correct for this though.
Have you checked the clearance between the head and the intake without a gasket in place? This should give you a good idea whether or not the there is a mis-match between the head and intake.
best of luck
hope this gives you some ideas
jason
Does the leak develop on both sides?
Did it leak before you had the heads milled?
Milling the heads down can have this affect. I believe the intake can be shaved to correct for this though.
Have you checked the clearance between the head and the intake without a gasket in place? This should give you a good idea whether or not the there is a mis-match between the head and intake.
best of luck
hope this gives you some ideas
jason
Have you retorqued the lower intake bolts with the engine hot/warm after running the engine a bit after the install???
This has been a problem for many and usually takes more than a few lower intake retorque sessions.
I`ve retorqued mine now for the third time to eliminate a minor leak at the front coolant ports.
OT,just a tip.When installing the lower intake manifold I use 4, 4"x5/16" bolts with the heads cut off as guide pins.Lines up perfect the first time.
This has been a problem for many and usually takes more than a few lower intake retorque sessions.
I`ve retorqued mine now for the third time to eliminate a minor leak at the front coolant ports.
OT,just a tip.When installing the lower intake manifold I use 4, 4"x5/16" bolts with the heads cut off as guide pins.Lines up perfect the first time.
thanks for the replies.
umm yeah, it was leaking originally thats why I pulled the intake off before I milled the heads, then shortly after blew a headgasket. when I pulled the upper off the first time, yes i did find the lower intake bolts loose. and I retighted them but it still leaked. maybe I need to seal it, drive it then retorque again? should I use any type of thread lock? whith the alluminum heads?
umm yeah, it was leaking originally thats why I pulled the intake off before I milled the heads, then shortly after blew a headgasket. when I pulled the upper off the first time, yes i did find the lower intake bolts loose. and I retighted them but it still leaked. maybe I need to seal it, drive it then retorque again? should I use any type of thread lock? whith the alluminum heads?
I had my gasket slip down on me when I dropped the intake on before (see above pic). For me it caused a vac leak to the lifter valley. With different port patterns, gasket shift could cause coolant leaks. The studs I used help, but I had to use silicone to keep the gasket from shifting during assembly. Just a couple dabs, then let it set up for a while.
The above advice on re-torques is sound. I haven't needed to re-torque since converting to studs though. I am sold on studs for the intake. Then again I don't break out the torque wrench for the lower intake, so they are probably all over torqued.
:Word:
vristang said:
I had my gasket slip down on me when I dropped the intake on before (see above pic). For me it caused a vac leak to the lifter valley. With different port patterns, gasket shift could cause coolant leaks. The studs I used help, but I had to use silicone to keep the gasket from shifting during assembly. Just a couple dabs, then let it set up for a while.
The above advice on re-torques is sound. I haven't needed to re-torque since converting to studs though. I am sold on studs for the intake. Then again I don't break out the torque wrench for the lower intake, so they are probably all over torqued.
:Word:
Hylomar gasket sealer that I mentioned will hold your gaskets in place like you wouldn`t believe.
timewarped1972
Member
ok try this.....pull the intake, clean it and the heads. if you dont have studs, make a couple and install them on opposite sides of the lifter valley in the manifold bolt holes.
get some grease, and put a bead of grease maybe an 1/16 inch thick, or about what the gaskets would be plus some silicone.....put that all around the mating surface on the heads.
then, slide the manifold down on the studs untill its seated firmly, then pull it back up and look to see if the grease is flatened or where maybe it hasn't been touched, and that should give you an idea of maybe where you need to put more sealer or atleast mabe where the problem is.....and how far off it isn't making contact.....hope this makes sense.....
you can also put a complete skim coat of silicon on the manifold mating surface, and also on the heads under the gasket to help thicken it up some and maybe shore up any low spots.....this i have done before with no problems. i have also heard of people who don't even use intake manifod gaskets, they only use a certain type of silicon around the ports and water jackets and dont have problems...although that method i have not personally tried......but it's a possibility.....to do that i believe you put the sealer on then lightly set the manifold on, let it dry for awhile before torqueing it down.
get some grease, and put a bead of grease maybe an 1/16 inch thick, or about what the gaskets would be plus some silicone.....put that all around the mating surface on the heads.
then, slide the manifold down on the studs untill its seated firmly, then pull it back up and look to see if the grease is flatened or where maybe it hasn't been touched, and that should give you an idea of maybe where you need to put more sealer or atleast mabe where the problem is.....and how far off it isn't making contact.....hope this makes sense.....
you can also put a complete skim coat of silicon on the manifold mating surface, and also on the heads under the gasket to help thicken it up some and maybe shore up any low spots.....this i have done before with no problems. i have also heard of people who don't even use intake manifod gaskets, they only use a certain type of silicon around the ports and water jackets and dont have problems...although that method i have not personally tried......but it's a possibility.....to do that i believe you put the sealer on then lightly set the manifold on, let it dry for awhile before torqueing it down.
cool idea with the grease!
The white paste used for checking rear end gears comes to mind.
You may be able to see a difference in gasket thickness after removal as well, assuming it comes off in one piece.
The next time I have to pull the manifold I will try some Hylomar, thanks 8950ho.
The white paste used for checking rear end gears comes to mind.
You may be able to see a difference in gasket thickness after removal as well, assuming it comes off in one piece.
The next time I have to pull the manifold I will try some Hylomar, thanks 8950ho.
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