Robert Lewis

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous vacuum leaks, should I use RTV on the intake manifold gaskets when I replace them?

Any tips on replacing them would be very much appreciated!

To die, to leak....

Nowhere Man

I would use a bead around the water jackets and that's it

Frankie the Fink

No, not everywhere on the side gaskets; however do use RTV on the coolant ports and at each end on the "Chinese walls" instead of those cheesy rubber strips IF the car is not being judged. Here is JohnZ's article on the job...

If you want to block off those intake exhaust runners to squelch fuel percolation using fuel injection gaskets to blank off the runners -- then now is the time to do that too. See picture.

KC John

I never use the rubber pieces in the front and back. I use a bead of RTV instead and I believe it works better and prevents leaks.

66jack

with all the above..

Plus have a shop put a straight edge on the intake to make sure its straight/flat....not warped/wavy...ask me how I know...better yet don't...its a sore subject...

jimh_1962

Right stuff works great on intake manifolds.

Bill32

It's the only thing to use. RTV sucks.

Robert Lewis

In order to block off the circled ports in the picture do I use these "63-67 FI Intake Manifold Heat Riser Block-Off Plates"?
http://www.zip-corvette.com/catalog/...category/5919/

Frankie the Fink

I don't see why you couldn't use those plates....I just used the F/I gaskets. If you do that then you'll HAVE to wire open or remove your passenger side heat riser valve in the exhaust manifold. It also changes the exhaust tone some....doesn't bother some folks..others hate it...which is why F/I cars had a crossover pipe under the oil pan (which I added to my '61).

You can use Right Stuff but RTV works fine too...been on my '61 for 1/2 decade now..no issues.

Robert Lewis

Can you point me to those block-off gaskets? I've searched and can't find anything that looks like them. Or maybe you're suggesting that I use FI intake manifold gaskets?

Robert Lewis

Assume for a moment that the intake manifold is itself not perfectly flat and that it's warped or wavy. What do I do then? Are there any consequences to having them planed?

Frankie the Fink

Yes. F/I intake manifold gaskets -- all the vendors have them

ohiovet

Typical FelPro small block intake gasket sets have the metal heat crossover blockoff plates.

GCD1962

And some simply don't cut out for the crossover. No need to pay "Corvette" prices when it's cheaper elsewhere.

I use the Felpro with the cork gaskets. Clean all the surfaces. One side has a peel off adhesive strip on the other side I use a light coating of Permatex 2. Never have any leaks.

Robert Lewis

Could you be a bit more specific? There are dozens of variations: .030/.065/.125 thickness; pintoseal/composite/steel materials; and so on : http://www.summitracing.com/search?S...gaskets&page=2

Thanks!

Frankie the Fink

Take the advice of somebody, "...who's done it and run it". Buy these at Zip or equivalents elsewhere and avoid a bunch of confusion:

http://www.zip-corvette.com/catalog/...skets-correct/

In stock and ships today if you order in the next few hours.
Forget about the thickness or separate block off plates or what phase the moon is in...

Robert Lewis

That's what I wanted to know. THANK YOU!

Easy Rhino

If the flatness is out of specification (don't know it for these surfaces, but it's not too many thousands), you can have them machined flat; however, if you take very much off at all, you'll have watch the intake lineups on the bolt holes and runners, but it would be odd, IMO, to see that much taken off. However, it is an aluminum manifold on iron heads, so you've got a little room for error.

66jack

I had 8 thousandths taken off of both sides was burning "a lot of oil", after that was done problem fixed...most of it was between the bolt holes....

They wont/shouldn't charge you to check it for you, but, if they do it would be worth it....

With what Easy Rhino said....