Manifold Warped???(Fixed) Now won't idle

[mudbog42]

Ok heres the scoop, put an Edelbrock performer intake on last year.

Intake gasket blows out by a new set of victor reinz gaskets from carquest and leaks coolant from the front drivers side of the manifold.

Buy some new gaskets again, this time ordered from the dealer and same exact problem, leaking in the same spot.

What are the chances of the manifold being warped, my motor has never been overheated or anything and the motor only has about 20k miles on it.

Oh yeah, its a 86 w/ a 350

 

[dremu]

Ok heres the scoop, put an Edelbrock performer intake on last year.

Intake gasket blows out by a new set of victor reinz gaskets from carquest and leaks coolant from the front drivers side of the manifold.

Buy some new gaskets again, this time ordered from the dealer and same exact problem, leaking in the same spot.

What are the chances of the manifold being warped, my motor has never been overheated or anything and the motor only has about 20k miles on it.

Oh yeah, its a 86 w/ a 350

You could take the manifold to a machine shop and have it checked.

First, though, I'd replace the side gaskets one more time, throwing out the front and rear gaskets, and replacing them with a 3/8" bead of RTV, just touching the paper gasket on each side.

You should be able to search on 'intake manifold gasket' here and find the scoop.

-- A

 

[mudbog42]

You could take the manifold to a machine shop and have it checked.

First, though, I'd replace the side gaskets one more time, throwing out the front and rear gaskets, and replacing them with a 3/8" bead of RTV, just touching the paper gasket on each side.

You should be able to search on 'intake manifold gasket' here and find the scoop.

-- A

I only used RTV on the ends, not the rubber pieces, it is leaking right on the side where the front two bolts are

 

[mr250twostroke]

Did you use non-hardening thread sealer on those bolts? I only ask because ive recently done my Edelbrock and used it, no leaks, just a cracked block. Doing it again with a "non-cracked block" (hell of a leak in that). Had no leaks in the manifold though.
Dustin

 

[mudbog42]

Did you use non-hardening thread sealer on those bolts? I only ask because ive recently done my Edelbrock and used it, no leaks, just a cracked block. Doing it again with a "non-cracked block" (hell of a leak in that). Had no leaks in the manifold though.
Dustin

No, I did put loctite on them though.

I can't even get my truck to start now, it keeps spitten fuel out the carb, and then while trying different timing positions a fireball came out. My truck ran perfect before that gasket blew out, I am getting so frustrated.

I'm guessing the backfire could be from a vacuum loss in the manifold from not sealing

 

[mr250twostroke]

Im no expert, not even close, but am pretty sure you need the thread sealer (non-hardening) and not thread locker (loctite). Your carb is probably mucked up now. My block cracked in the intake valley a put a frothy mix around my tbi. Got sucked through the valve cover into the tbi spacer, looked like a latte. Sorry for your frustration.
Dustin

 

[4xcrazy]

don't know how other people do it, but when i install an intake manifold, obviously don't use the rubber end gaskets, but make ABSOLUTE sure EVERYTHING is cleaned from all mating surfaces, if you have a leak, it's most probable something wasn't cleaned enough.

lay the bead of high temp silicone on the end rails ( i use ultra black,,,looks cleaner on a black colored block) smear a light coating of high temp silicone around all the water passages on the heads and intake surfaces, (four corners) set the intake on the engine, then place the intake down, use a light coating of rtv on the bolt threads as a sealer from that infamous oil seapage issue, tighten down in stages in the correct sequence for the intake.

everybody has their own ways, this has always worked for me with no issues, no leaks, no problems.

 

[Jason4x4]

No, I did put loctite on them though.

I can't even get my truck to start now, it keeps spitten fuel out the carb, and then while trying different timing positions a fireball came out. My truck ran perfect before that gasket blew out, I am getting so frustrated.

I'm guessing the backfire could be from a vacuum loss in the manifold from not sealing

sounds like the distributor is in wrong

 

[JNygard]

Yeap I 2nd that, distributor is 180 degrees out of phase. I also use rtv on the bolts.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I'm going to suspect you have a cracked intake manifold. Take it to your local machine shop and have them dye test the manifold for cracks, even better if they can devise a way to pressure test it.

 

[mudbog42]

Yeap I 2nd that, distributor is 180 degrees out of phase. I also use rtv on the bolts.

I put the dizzy in the same exact way it came out, then I brought the motor to TDC and made sure the rotor pointed to the number 1 cylinder.

As for the manifold, I probably will take it to a machine shop before I put it together again

 

[mudbog42]

Ok just pulled the manifold off again and will probably take it to the machine shop, but as I was removing it, I remembered I did put RTV around all the bolt holes, not sure if that would work the same as putting it directly on the bolts though?

 

[4X4HIGH]

There has to be something wrong with your manifold. When i install intake manifolds i throw away the end rubbers and lay a 3/8" bead of ultra black RTV on the ends and nothing more. I do not use sealer of any kind on the bolts either and i have never had a leak. I've been doing it this way for 25 years.

 

[mudbog42]

Thats what I'm thinking too...

There has to be something wrong with your manifold. When i install intake manifolds i throw away the end rubbers and lay a 3/8" bead of ultra black RTV on the ends and nothing more. I do not use sealer of any kind on the bolts either and i have never had a leak. I've been doing it this way for 25 years.

I didn't use those rubber pieces on the end either, I did like you mentioned with the RTV....

 

[Chevy911]

This manifold you put on was it new or was it used? first off try putting a straight edge along the sides of the intake to check for warpage, or if it was used someone may have had it machined, or surfaced before, or the combo of the heads block and intake, it may be bottoming out on the block. try fitting the intake without the gaskets and see what hits first the bottom or the sides of the manifold and if it is the bottom, measure the gap at the sides and see if it will compress the gaskets enough. And for installing the intake, the information by everyone so far is correct.

One more thing, the backfiring I'm betting that either you got the distributor in a tooth off or more, or it is installed 180 out, just lining up the mark on the balancer with the tab does not put it on TDC of the compression stroke, it could also be on the exhaust stroke, I always pull the #1 plug, hold my finger over the hole, and bump the engine over with the starter until I feel compression, then I turn the balancer to line up with the tab, then drop the distributor in pointing the rotor at the #1 cylinder, then line the #1 terminal cap up with the rotor. The timing will then need to be checked with a timing light, but it will always be close enough to fire up without any trouble. hope this helps you get it running again, just post up if you have any more probs

 

[mudbog42]

Hmmm....

Ok, just got the manifold back from the machine shop and they said they couldn't find any cracks, warping, or reason why it wouldn't seal.

BTW I bought the manifold brand new last year when I put it on.

So now I will do as you guys suggested and straight edge the heads, probably tomorrow since its been raining nonstop the last two days.

 

[4X4HIGH]

If the manifold isn't cracked and it is straight then the manifold itself obviously isn't the problem. Has the block ever been decked, or the heads resurfaced many times? If so you may have an alignment issue and need to surface the intake manifold to fit correctly.

 

[mudbog42]

If the manifold isn't cracked and it is straight then the manifold itself obviously isn't the problem. Has the block ever been decked, or the heads resurfaced many times? If so you may have an alignment issue and need to surface the intake manifold to fit correctly.

The block probably was, its a Jasper motor and I've only put about 20k miles on it, so if the heads are warped or something they should cover that under their warranty.

If its not, how do I go about surfacing the manifold to make sure it will fit right?

 

[mudbog42]

Alright

Manifold is on, I got some edelbrock intake gaskets this time, so far no leaks, (fingers crossed).

Now I can get it started, but she won't stay running long enough for me to check timing or anything. She'll fire up, sound real healthy, then rev up to about 15-2000 RPM's and shut off.

To me this sounds like a vacuum leak somewhere, but I could be wrong as I can't find any lines not hooked up anywhere

What else could be causing this?

So close to having my truck back, must get fixed

 

[mudbog42]

EGR valve????