Thread: Intake Manifold Fitment Issue

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Ok so i just put my heads on the other day and i set a (new edel rpm) intake manifold on and i noticed with the gaskets i had the ends of intake are bottoming out on the valley end walls. The block was decked from 9.025 to 9.010 also im running a .015 compressed head gasket. Ans the heads were surfaced but i bought used so unsure if they were ever cut. Would i be able to just have some of the intake bottom cut off and run a .125 intake gaskets. The bolt holes all align.

That looks to be a pretty big gap - Do you have the cork end gaskets in place? If so, take them out (I use black RTV silicone and never mess with the cork) and measure the gap. You can get thick gaskets +/- .125 (about 1/8") but that's the only real quick fix. If it's greater than .120" you may have to have the ends (aka "China Walls" ) milled down which means a tear down of what you have done and taking the block back to the machine shop.

Originally Posted by backyardbuilder

Would i be able to just have some of the intake bottom cut off and run a .125 intake gaskets. The bolt holes all align.

I think that's what I would do. Did the block have the hollow dowels in it to locate the heads. That whole mess looks a little off to me, like maybe there were no hollow dowels and the head just sort of slid down and is being located by the head bolts.

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Originally Posted by techinspector1

I think that's what I would do. Did the block have the hollow dowels in it to locate the heads. That whole mess looks a little off to me, like maybe there were no hollow dowels and the head just sort of slid down and is being located by the head bolts.

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I was thinking the same thing - maybe there are no dowels?

Looks like no dowel pins to me too, heads look to be too low on the block.

after what i've been through i'm not pulling this block apart again.
The dowels are in it and there is no gaskets on the intake or ends. it's just dry sitting.

I think I'd set a pair of 0.125" gaskets on it and see how much gap you have between the china wall and the bottom of intake, planning to use black silicone to seal the ends, no gaskets. You could even torque the intake with the gaskets and ensure that you have a slight clearance on the ends. If it's too tight to ensure that your intake gaskets are going to compress to seal, then I'd take a cut off of the bottom front & back intake surfaces, where they mate to the china wall sections, bolt is on and run it. Tell your machinist what gap you have between heads & intake, and let him figure the needed cut from the bottom to get the surfaces mated.

Yea i ordered a set of mr gasket .125 have to wait and see once they come in. I only use silicone on the ends never used the gaskets lol

Originally Posted by backyardbuilder

after what i've been through i'm not pulling this block apart again.
The dowels are in it and there is no gaskets on the intake or ends. it's just dry sitting.

JMHO, I have never seen a SBC that does't have a large gap at the china walls to the intake. A .015 deck cut should not be enough to raise the china wall a 1/4". And if it did, the machinest should have cut the china walls accordingly. Maybe it's just me, but decking usually moves the heads inward slightly, usually when decked any interference is between the intake manifold and heads.
Again, JMHO but I would pull the heads and check the alignment, if dowel pins are present look at the compression marks on both sides of the gasket to be sure chambers and cylinders are aligned. It will only take a couple hours and new head gaskets to be sure, you have spent more time than that waiting for opinions here.

backyardbuilder, having studied human nature for 7 decades, I'm betting that you forgot to put the dowels in the block or you didn't know to put the dowels in the block and now you're embarrassed to admit it. Hell, we've all done stupid stuff, that's how we've learned over the years.

I'll relate one more time how I did an engine swap, shoehorning a 302 Ford with C4 into my '83 Mitsubishi pickup truck. I got the package into the engine bay, hooked up all the lines, throttle linkage and transmission linkage, put anti-freeze mix into the radiator, got up under and welded up all the exhaust system and was ready to turn the key to fire the motor off when I glanced over and spied the transmission pump drive shaft laying on the ledge of the toolbox.

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Originally Posted by backyardbuilder

i bought used so unsure if they were ever cut

Did you CC the heads? Did you calculate your stack for the head gaskets you've chosen?

The pins are in the deck i looked right at them when i set the head gaskets down on them. The heads i bought from a guy that used to race here in town i brought them to machine shop and had them gone through then i installed.
i'll pull heads off again to check but i know the pins are there or the head gasket would of slid off when trying to set heads.

there is nothing wrong with double intake gaskets .. if you are using the good felpro brand .. iv`e done it before ..

got the new gaskets in today this is it now with the 125 gasket on dry fitted

I'd silicone the china walls and torque it.