new edelbrock intake install problem update

J

jerthemost

Member
Sep 9, 2012
112
1
19
#1
I have a 68 mustang stock 289, auto tranny, came with 2v. I installed an edelbrock 2121 performer 289 intake with an edelbrock 1403 500 cfm 4v. I used all edelbrock recommended parts, gaskets, bolts, sealers, gascasench etc. put ultra black rtv around water ports on both sides of gaskets. gaskets are not slipping because gascacinch holds very well. also used rtv across ends instead of gaskets there as reccomended by edelbrock. no leaks on ends.

I have installed the intake 4 times now and I still have water getting into my oil. A couple of these changes were because mechanics torque wrench was bad and one time we broke a bolt and next time stripped threads in one hole of the heads all due to bad torque wrench. The third time we got water leaking into oil so had to do for the forth time. I did radiator leak test, set at 15 lbs. and it leaks down a couple pounds slowly after maybe 20 minutes with engine off. I always tightened using edelbrock suggested sequence. this last time i tightened by hand instead of torque wrench. and retightened a quarter
turn after a few hours.

the first install we used regular bolts and snapped one due to bad wrench. the second time i used edelbrock bolts and it leaked water into oil so took it off again and in taking out the edel bolts found one bolt had loosened up because it was shorter than the other 11. this was defective bolt set from edel. the bolt caught just enough to torque down but not enough threads
to hold under pressure and heat. then when we reinstalled we stripped threads from head due again to bad torque wrench. pulled intake back off fixed problem and reinstalled using hand tightening and it still leaks water into oil

i would not think it likely that i have cracked head or bad head gasket since i had no problems before the changeout from the 2v to 4v.

I’m paranoid after all the problems now. i have ordered a new intake and will replace one more time using brand new torque wrench. but would like to make sure it works this time so does anyone have any thoughts on what i can do to insure success? if it does not work this time i will have to put old 2v back on or sell the car as is and loose a ton of money on it.

All thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.
 
#2
Not surprising you didnt have any problems before the changeout. But if your torque was way off installing the new manifold, you could have cracked a head, or warped it. Your profile doesnt say where you live, but i do have an extra set of those heads sitting here in my garage, if your somewhat close by, they just need to be gone through.
 
#6
That doesn't preclude the heads from being warped. If the old intake warped with the heads it would seal until replaced. They new one might not be sealing because the heads are jacked/warped. Check the heads for warpage just to make sure.

Additionally, you may want to double check your water pump and timing cover gaskets just to make sure they are in good shape.

On top of that, your head gaskets could be the problem.

When did you first check the oil and find the coolant in it ? Is it possible the problem was already there the entire time but you only found it after doing the swap ?
 
#7
Did you use a staight edge to check the intake and he heads to make sure that one or the other is not warped?? Are you still using the factory iron heads or are you using aftermarket aluminum heads???
I would try a good set of Fel-Pro gaskets.
 
#8
Even though you don't have to put silicone on the intake gasket, I still do because of a leak i had many years ago. After that I learned my lesson and never had a problem ever since. Just a thin layer around the water jackets is all i do now. I can't imagine going through this as many times as you have.
 
#9
I dont think anyone brought this up yet..

When I remove my instake manifold, a Eddy Performer RPM AIR Gap, there is residual coolant that drains out of the Intake and into the lifter valley. I sop it up with a couple of rags. Then I change my oil afterwards.

Is it possible you are looking at residual coolant from the removal?

If you dont have access to a straight edge, you can try this.

next time you have the intake off, remove the gaskets and make sure the mating surfaces are nice and clean. Set your old manifold in place, see if it fits snug or wiggles on the heads.

Do the same with the new manifold.

My Guess is your heads and old manifold were re surfaced and the new doesnt match.
 
#11
new info

this iis not residual water i clean that up each time plus change oil before cranking. i actually lose a gallon or more in five miles. big water lose.

new info........ i noticed that old intake covered about 5/16" higher on heads than new intake does. looked closer and can actually see tiny part of top of exhaust port exposed, was covered by gasket overlap. my mechanic brought up a good point....we did tuneup and found that the plugs are the small plugs not large as i think they should be on a 68 289 or 302. so what are these heads? maybe that is the problem. old intake cast code says it was from a 68 and did not leak. i am attaching some pics. maybe this will help.

oh, and thanks to all for your help and i will definitly test for warpping if i ever get the new intake back off. it is really stuck this time, any ideas how to get off without breaking? must be the endseal rtv.
 
#12
The year model of the heads shouldn't make a difference. But if you're wondering, there's an easy way to ID the later (post 78 heads): All these heads have pedestal rockers (bolted down with a 5/16" headed bolt and stamped steel rockers. Among these heads, after 1985, there were only 5 castings. The E6SE heads have an "S" cast into the outer corner, next to the valve cover rail. The E7TE heads have a "T" here. The GT40 heads have "GT" cast here, and the GT40P's have a a "P" here. The GT40P's use the same spark plugs as the E6SE's. The E7TE's use the same plugs as the GT40 head. The last head cast was an aluminum version of the GT40P or the GT40 head (don't recall exactly which it was)The 78=85 heads are classified as boat anchors and don't have any external ID markings I know of. Be that as it may, the external dimensions are all the same and all small block intakes fit all the production heads. If they don't, something's definately wrong.
 
#13
could that code in the heads be 71 instead of lLll maybe i was reading it upside down and it is a 71 head. didn't ford go to small plugs in 70? also can someone please explain head milling? is it the side next to block or next to intake?
 
#14
If I'm not mistaken, the small plug heads appeared in 74 or 75. When heads are milled, they're almost always milled just on the block deck surfaces only. The intake sides can be milled, but almost never are as they're not completely flat on that side, the top of the heads angles outwards to the valve cover rails. And after milling the block sides, this moves the intake bolt holes closer to the centerline of the block, and milling anything more than .040" requires opening up the intake bolt holes in the intake itself to realign the head and intake holes in relation to each other.
 
#15
The date codes for the heads are inside the valve cover, right up against the cover rails. But the translating the date codes also requires you to start with the casting numbers to ball park the decade they were cast. (SBF heads were produced for nearly 40 years, from around 1961 to 2001)
 
#16
kylehamilton79 said:
I'm gonna be putting on a Performer RPM and 500 cfm carb after Christmas so I'm glad I saw this today. Should I order the bolt kit from Edelbrock too? I was looking at the manifold bolt kit from Summit before.
Click to expand...

you can use what ever intake bolt set you like. i got mine from arp because i wanted the black oxide finish, and 12 point heads.
 
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