blown intake gasket - what happened?

[poboyjo65]

When I first opened this up I thought how in the world did I do that bad of a job putting this gasket on. Then I realized that it must have did it after it tore in 2 pieces. I used edelbrock gaskecinch so was surprised the gasket slid. If you notice the 4 corner intake ports are nearly covered up ,like they were sucking the gasket over to them . I ordered a steel core felpro printoseal gasket that is .005 thicker than the old one. JMO's are highly welcome!

1-4 bank


5-8 bank

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

John;after looking at ALL the pictures I would say YOU did it putting the manifold on! I DO NOT glue my gasket on,use just a thin bit of 'sillycone' around the water jackets.I also throw the cork end gaskets in the trash and use "The Right Stuff" on the ends and also use studs,not bolts to hold the intake on!I use those FELPRO Print-O-seals on ALL my stock to mild engine builds,I use FELPRO race gaskets on the race engines,NEVER had any failures! JMO , ROY.

[poboyjo65]

I don't mind taking the blame,& not that I doubt I did it on installation , I just don't understand what I did wrong, how did I stretch the gaskets towards both ends? at opposite directions? over 1/2'' one way & 1/4+" the other way If it would have been down or up I would understand. when I installed it I used those blue plastic studs at the corners like comes with a rubber oil pan gasket, just so I could only go on straight downward. I also want to add that the gaskecinch seemed like contact cement at the time ,but was easy to get the gasket off, so I'm wondering if the oil that was getting sucked in from the lifter valley & from leaky v covers helped to loosen the gasket & add to the problem. I too, didn't use end gaskets.

I'm tempted to break out the indian head shellack & dob both sides!

[SASSY]

What Happened?,,,,,,, No Clue but I've never seen intake gaskets look like that!!
Are you sure you didn't take those out of the trash can and set them on the motor?? lol
Put those in the trash can go get some new ones put them on right and don't tell anyone else!
Fred

[poboyjo65]

Fred I was embarrassed at first but thought boy when I fock up I really do a good job of it,so I'm kinda proud of it. I really do hope it was me that did it & not something else, like not fitting right or not machined right.

[loman]

If I had to guess what happened, I think even though you used those plastic studs somehow when setting the intake down the gasket was moved. I've used the plastic studs on the oil pan gasket before, but never heard of the ones for the intake. Unlike Roy, I still use bolts. However when installing I take 4 pieces of threaded rod and make my own studs then set intake on. Get the rest of the bolts started, remove threaded rod, install last 4 bolts and tighten down in the proper sequence. My small block with aluminum intake, I too throw the cork gasket away and just permatex it. However on my big block, I use the rubber gasket and permatex.

[poboyjo65]

Loman I used the same plastic studs that came with a oil pan gasket, but this time I made some from long bolts. Like you guys, I thought I must have did all of it when putting it on ,but I see evidence of it running for quite a while in one position then got sucked over to the ends & also upward,,,maybe because it was oil soaked.

this is exactly how it was when the intake came off
see the dark area around the port? you can also see where it slid up above the 2 boltholes & the port after it ran a while in close to the correct position.


this isnt a fresh build , built in 07. all kinds of things have come to mind. once I got the little solenoid wires switched & next time I turned the key to run to started cranking & didnt stop until I pulled the bat cable. maybe I had the intake blocked off with the motor lift plate & carb gasket??? THAT would create a hell of a suction. then again while waiting to go in the comet it sat on a motor stand with the motor plate on , maybe I turned it over by hand,not thinking about the consequences.Also the pick up coil went out & I limped home with it backfiring like crazy & barely running. another clue is the way it ran. only recently it started running like it had a big vacuum leak, with drivebility problems. since I put it in the comet it got much worse. my first thought was it was because the gaps (tares in the gaskets) got bigger because it blew out chunks of gasket but if you slid it back over there would be no gap. I fear that it has too big of a distance between the head & intake ,allowing it to move, not getting pinched at the center enough. This time I put on steel core printoseal gaskets that are .005 thicker than the old ones. it may not have been installed correctly at first but I'm sure it moved after it was running, after studying the evidence.one more clue is # 7 which only recently started fouling plugs looks like a fresh split,with no chared oil around the port. with v cover leaking right above it.

[Comechero65]

In seeing the pics I think the gasket split and moved somehow during the installation process not after it was runnung. I don't see how it can move like that once clamped into place. Have never seen that or heard of that before. Just doesn't make sense. Could it have just been defective gaskets?

I just use the standard Fel-pro gasket and I add a thin coat of RTV on both sides of the gasket around each port. Then use alignment studs to guide the intake into place. Only adjusting the fit slightly once in place. Once it feels right I then follow the torque sequence in the book to bring it to final torque settings.
Hope it goes better the next go-round!
Ron

[poboyjo65]

Not dwelling in the past, I'm worried about next time. I would think if I tightened it down like that, in that position, the head would have the black charred look all the way over to the gasket, in the last pic it is only partly black on top & side of port. then shiny next to the gasket. proof enough for me that it moved after it was running, & to be concerned about fitment in the future . I would love for it to have been improper installation, & to be sure of it,,,, but I'm not.