Leaking intake manifold.

[Dutch Rutter]

Well, last week I took care of my leaky valve cover gaskets and replaced the ****** valve covers. Drove it, and ended sucking in one side of the front intake manifold seal. Then found out that I had a faulty PCV... Replaced that. Now I am stuck with a small yet annoying oil leak from that damn intake manifold seal.

Is there anyway to tell which port size I need to get before pulling it? It is an aluminum intake maybe an older edelbrock. I'll snap and post a better, and newer, less ****** picture in the morning when its light out. Also which felpro kit is the easiest to make leak free? I've always had a hard time getting the front and rear pieces to be leak free-ish.

Thanks all.

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[1987 GMC Jimmy]

There maybe a model number behind the water neck (i.e. 2701). I looked through pictures, and some had this while some didn’t. I checked their website, and they recommend the same model number gasket set for non-Vortec Performer SBC applications. The sizes shown were either 1.15 x 1.87 or 1.14 x 1.88 depending on the manifold. I’m sorry I can’t help you much there. I will say that when I’ve installed a manifold, I’ll use RTV on the ends. People seem to have a lot of problems with the supplied end pieces and many less with sealant, and I don’t think it’s worth it to go down the road of having to do it again either immediately or shortly after.

 

[bucket]

I always just use a nice embossed type Felpro gasket for a stock small block. You don't need a different port sized gasket until you are dealing with aftermarket heads. Just use a bead of rtv in place of the end seals.

 

[gpmorgan]

Throw those end rubber gaskets away. Use red or black high temp rtv in place of the rubber. Squeeze out about 1/4 in bead on the block. I usually put a thin layer on the water ports, front and rear also.

 

[bucket]

That reminds me, I always always go with Ultra Black rtv for anything being used to seal oil.

 

[EightyEight]

As far as the end seals, I've been a full time technician for several years including a GM dealer, I've sealed way too many sbc intake manifolds. If you use black rtv you're gonna leak, I gaurantee it. Get grey RTV, apply a nice thick pinky sized bead across the ends, it'll still leak it's inevitable, but not for another 2 years, black RTV won't last 2 weeks. In my industry we call black RTV "Comeback black" it's junk to use on any kind of torqued manifolds, I only use it on the little not-so-important things.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

I only use permatex right stuff on the china walls of any chevy . Its the best silicone on the market as well as the strongest. The only down fall is if you have to remove it , it's a bitch. Its my go to for everything

 

[74 Shortbed]

That reminds me, I always always go with Ultra Black rtv for anything being used to seal oil.

X2...

 

[Dutch Rutter]

Thanks for all the speedy replies! Got some pictures this morning. But They wont add much of anything. It is in fact an older edelbrock, Looks to be an EPS manifold, Definitely not an airgap and it is not as tall as my other RPM performer. On their website they recommend this gasket set https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-7201 should I go ahead with this or just grab a kit from the local parts monkeys?

I'm with majority and just used black RTV but also have always seemed to have a little bit of a leak usually from the back side. I think this time I'm going to try the permatex right stuff, and either sand or use a punch and dimple the sealing surface a little bit.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Just get Fep-Pro at the parts store, prep the surfaces right and the "Ultra Black" will not leak if applied right, but use whatever you're comfortable with..

 

[Dutch Rutter]

Just get Fep-Pro at the parts store, prep the surfaces right and the "Ultra Black" will not leak if applied right, but use whatever you're comfortable with..

I am probably thinking about this too much. I'll grab a gasket set from the local monkeys and go with it. The gaskets are cheaper then what I'll be spending on coolant for this job anyway. When I get around to redoing my motor with aluminum heads it'll be more important.

Thanks again, you guys rock!

 

[74 Shortbed]

I am probably thinking about this too much. I'll grab a gasket set from the local monkeys and go with it. The gaskets are cheaper then what I'll be spending on coolant for this job anyway. When I get around to redoing my motor with aluminum heads it'll be more important.

Thanks again, you guys rock!

 

[Frankenchevy]

if you are ever curious about which gasket and the like, i use the recommended parts button on the summit website. if you plug in your manifold it will have recommended parts. i.e. for me I ordered a weiand 8121 intake manifold and off the the side there is a list of parts such as the gaskets that fit your application.

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like others I recommend the fel-pro gasket and sealant of choice on the china wall. not to say that I'm a vast pit of knowledge, but I've read a lot about it and installed a few without any issue. the new permatex that is supposed to be great for most everything is the optimum line stuff like "permatex optimum grey"

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[bucket]

As far as the end seals, I've been a full time technician for several years including a GM dealer, I've sealed way too many sbc intake manifolds. If you use black rtv you're gonna leak, I gaurantee it. Get grey RTV, apply a nice thick pinky sized bead across the ends, it'll still leak it's inevitable, but not for another 2 years, black RTV won't last 2 weeks. In my industry we call black RTV "Comeback black" it's junk to use on any kind of torqued manifolds, I only use it on the little not-so-important things.

Are you talking basic black or Ultra Black? Because if you are talking about Ultra Black, I'm going to 100% disagree here. And I've got many years of zero comebacks and leak free personal vehicles that say otherwise. And I'm in no way saying you don't do a good job, but I've fixed a lot of things on customer vehicles that were screwed up by a dealer repair. Again, I'm not saying that you do shody work, I'm just saying that "the dealer does it this way or that" means very little to me. There are idiots that work at dealerships too.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Are you talking basic black or Ultra Black? Because if you are talking about Ultra Black, I'm going to 100% disagree here. And I've got many years of zero comebacks and leak free personal vehicles that say otherwise. And I'm in no way saying you don't do a good job, but I've fixed a lot of things on customer vehicles that were screwed up by a dealer repair. Again, I'm not saying that you do shody work, I'm just saying that "the dealer does it this way or that" means very little to me. There are idiots that work at dealerships too.

I have the engine out of my old dually here and it has 80,000+ miles on it and the ends are still dry.