Gaskets question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
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From: San Diego CA
Gaskets question
Alright I've got a pair of vortec heads coming (thank you clutchdust btw 
) and I just ordered an intake manifold to match it. It's basically an edelbrock performer copy made for vortec heads. So here comes the questions.
I got head gaskets for my vette, which were basic head gaskets that were like .044 thick or something, and I got intake manifold gaskets for like a 1999 tahoe 5.7L. These are the correct gaskets right?
) and I just ordered an intake manifold to match it. It's basically an edelbrock performer copy made for vortec heads. So here comes the questions.I got head gaskets for my vette, which were basic head gaskets that were like .044 thick or something, and I got intake manifold gaskets for like a 1999 tahoe 5.7L. These are the correct gaskets right?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
That all depends on what you want for compression Kal
The gasket thickness makes a big differenence
I know somebody will jump and help out soon
If its an aluminum intake you need a low crush gasket so I wouldnt use a gasket made for a cast iron intake
The gasket thickness makes a big differenence
I know somebody will jump and help out soon
If its an aluminum intake you need a low crush gasket so I wouldnt use a gasket made for a cast iron intake
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Kalway
Well they appear to be rubber type and were probably made for the plenum intake for the original fuel injection they came with.
Whats on there for an intake now Kal?
This is in relation to the intake gaskets......not the Head gaskets
Last edited by Bob Onit; Sep 23, 2006 at 08:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
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From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
Was the FI Plenum aluminum?
Whats on there for an intake now Kal?
This is in relation to the intake gaskets......not the Head gaskets
Whats on there for an intake now Kal?
This is in relation to the intake gaskets......not the Head gaskets
No idea what's on there right now. It's the stock manifold with the stock heads with a basic gasket that the shop that put my engine back in put on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Kalway
No idea what's on there right now. It's the stock manifold with the stock heads with a basic gasket that the shop that put my engine back in put on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Kalway
I got head gaskets for my vette, which were basic head gaskets that were like .044 thick or something, and I got intake manifold gaskets for like a 1999 tahoe 5.7L. These are the correct gaskets right?
Head, Intake, both?
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
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From: San Diego CA
Technically both, but I think I figured it out after reading a chevy high performance article on it. The gaskets I got sound like the right kind, according to the article. Glad I got the different manifold, too. Apparently it's a major PITA to try and make a non-vortec manifold fit.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 401
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From: IL
There's a multi-layer gasket that's better than the standard gasket or the 1003 gasket (don't have at this time) and there's a standard perf intake that's for the vortec aftermarket manifolds. This depends on the intake manufacturer, some have designed the intakes using the o.e. plastic and others to a standard perf gasket type. So you'll have to find out from the manufacturer which thickness it was designed for.
There have been many issues with the plastic gasket, the orange Dexcool coolant affects the silicone and plastic carrier over time plus the design wasn't that good to begin with (long story). There is a multi-layer design for the intakes also.
Basically I remember that article and I seem to remember a parts list that was pretty accurate for what your trying to do. Just do your homework first.
There have been many issues with the plastic gasket, the orange Dexcool coolant affects the silicone and plastic carrier over time plus the design wasn't that good to begin with (long story). There is a multi-layer design for the intakes also.
Basically I remember that article and I seem to remember a parts list that was pretty accurate for what your trying to do. Just do your homework first.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Kalway
I got an edelbrock performer copy manifold, I'm pretty sure it's designed for the standard rubber one.
The gaskets that mate to the heads need to be a "low crush" gasket (I have the numbers from Edelbrock and Fel-Pro if you need them
A 1/4" bead of HI temp Silicone overlaping the head portion of the gasket and also thin bead around the water jacket ports.
25 ft LBS
Go to Edelbrocks site and look up the mounting instructions for the 2101/2107 ect:
Dont forget to chase the holes with 3/8" bottom tap (watch out for pushrods)
If you dont the torque wrench will click before it gets to the proper setting because of all the corrosion...crud ect:
Last edited by Bob Onit; Sep 26, 2006 at 01:30 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: San Diego CA
I'm not the one removing and installing them 
Too lazy to do that jazz in front of my house, I've got a family owned shop that'll do it for $150 that's right down the street from the shop that's going to rebuild em. For $150 it gets done in a day or so and I don't get my hands dirty? Works for me.
It's the gaskets between the heads and intake I was talking about and they do have the beads and such for the water jackets.
Too lazy to do that jazz in front of my house, I've got a family owned shop that'll do it for $150 that's right down the street from the shop that's going to rebuild em. For $150 it gets done in a day or so and I don't get my hands dirty? Works for me.
It's the gaskets between the heads and intake I was talking about and they do have the beads and such for the water jackets.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Kalway
I'm not the one removing and installing them
Too lazy to do that jazz in front of my house, I've got a family owned shop that'll do it for $150 that's right down the street from the shop that's going to rebuild em. For $150 it gets done in a day or so and I don't get my hands dirty? Works for me.
It's the gaskets between the heads and intake I was talking about and they do have the beads and such for the water jackets.
Too lazy to do that jazz in front of my house, I've got a family owned shop that'll do it for $150 that's right down the street from the shop that's going to rebuild em. For $150 it gets done in a day or so and I don't get my hands dirty? Works for me.
It's the gaskets between the heads and intake I was talking about and they do have the beads and such for the water jackets.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Haslet,Texas
I'm using a knock-off vortec intake manifold also. Go to your local parts store and ask for Fel-Pro #1255. This is the intake gasket that the paperwork with the intake manifold said you should use. I did not use the intake gaskets that came with the head rebuild kit.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: San Diego CA
The intake gaskets I got were from NAPA pn#MS16167. I'll see if I can find the felpro ones, though. I can always take the gaskets back napa since I haven't opened em.
Damn! Kragen has em for $16! I think I paid twice that for the ones I got. Those are definitely going back.
How about head gaskets? What's the fel pro number for those?
Damn! Kragen has em for $16! I think I paid twice that for the ones I got. Those are definitely going back.
How about head gaskets? What's the fel pro number for those?
Last edited by Kalway; Sep 26, 2006 at 02:54 AM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 399
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From: Haslet,Texas
I used the head gaskets that came with an upper end engine rebuild kit for a 1996 chevy pickup truck with the vortec engine. I'm assuming you can buy just the head gaskets if that is all you need. You can probably get the part number from the kit. The kit wasn't that expensive though. It had everything I needed except for those #1255 intake manifold gaskets.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: San Diego CA
They're just basic .044 compressed thickness gaskets from NAPA. I wanted the thickest possible because I didn't want to squeeze the compression ratio toooo much with iron heads. I don't trust this california gas too much. With the info gathered today I'm good to go this thursday to have em cleaned up and swapped.
With the info gathered today I'm good to go this thursday to have em cleaned up and swapped.
