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I am installing a Vortec Head Kit that has an Edelbrock Vortec Intake. The old intake had 6" rubber gaskets at the front and rear that ran from head to head. The Edelbrock intallations says to use sealant and make a gasket. Which is better, the rubber or make my own sealant?

 

Make your own, is best! The rubber ones tend to slide out of alignment, whereas the make your own doesn't.

 

It's best to use silicon, in fact, GM doesn't even make rubber end seals for the Vortec heads and intakes. Most other companies don't either, and old style end seals are going to be too thin.

What intake gaskets do you have? I recommend Edelbrock 1255 gaskets. As for the end seals, just get a Permatex brand high temp silicon, and lay down a thick round bead from head to head, making sure you get lots in the 'V' on the ends.

Lay the manifold down, torque it down, and let it cure for at least 24 hours.`

 

don't use the rubber ones for the front and rear block rails, use Permatex RTV. I like the copper one myself. Never any leaks on either my '78 or '65 when I've used it.

Put it down on each rail as one continious bead and use some extra on the corners where they meet the heads as these are common leak areas. I also like to extend the bead up and around the corner water ports as shown here:



Oh, don't use TOO much though as any extra will ooze inside as well as outside the block. The outside is easy enough to clean up but anything that oozes inside the lifter valley can get into and clog up the oil passages, so use a decent size bead, enough to create a good seal, but don't get carried away putting it down.

BTW, we all have different methods but personally I only let the RTV set up for 10-15 minutes before laying down the intake.
Additionally, I use a wooden broom handle stuck down in the distributor hole to line up the intake before dropping it down. Put the broom stick in the distributor hole of the block, than slide the intake over it so the handle comes up thru the distributor hole of the intake. This allows you to drop the intake straight down and have it correctly aligned so that you don't need to shift it around to align it and cause the RTV bead to mess up or break or crack. Works every time!

 

Nice pic Barry! 100% with the copper RTV and letting it sit for a few minutes too.

 

What are you guys using between the gasket and head? Edlebrocks website says to use their 'gaskinocinch' tacky glue.

Is it imperative to put a bead around the waterjacket holes?

 

I use the Permatex High Tack gasket sealant. it's similar to the Gasgacinch. It's use is really just to keep the intake gaskets in place on the heads so they don't slide or move around while installing the intake and move out of alignment.

It's not "imperative" to put the permatex around the water jacket ports, some people don't, but it's a good idea to do it as an extra precaution against leaks - otherwise any leakage can cause coolant to get into the oil..... something to avoid!

BTW, forgot to mention in the last reply, it's also a good idea to put the same Permatex or a specific thread sealant (I use the Permatex because it's already out and ready from the intake seal beads) on the intake bolt threads before putting the bolts in. It keeps oil from wicking up the threads and pooling on top of the intake

 

Barry, nice picture, you make us look bad with a top end that looks that good.

Barry & Scott, You got my vote, permatex copper rtv on the intake end seals and some on the intake bolts. Have GM Vortec intake gaskets.

The head bolts I plan on using permatex 2.

This two day change out in on its 4th day, but I am slow and hope to be running by Father's Day or the 4th of July.

Thanks.

 

Believe me, it didn't always look like that.

Here it was when I bought the car, it didn't even run and believe it or not this was a true 9,400 original mile car. Yep, less than 10,000 miles but it was neglected by the previous owner


Here it is as we pulled the motor out to clean up the motor and engine bay - she wasn't looking too pretty!


This is after painting and reassembly and ready to go back in the car


Than finally back in the car. amazing what some glass bead blasting and new paint will do isn't it?


I wasn't going for a show car so didn't put that amount of effort into every little detail but at least now the engine bay basically looks like a car with less than 10,000 miles should look like.

BTW, this was 2 years ago and yesterday I was driving the car and she finally flipped over to 12,000 miles! I've now put 1/4 of the cars total milage on it in the last two years.

 

Vortec's have some different rules. Don't use sealer on the intake gaskets or around the water jackets as shown. Just use sealer to seal the ends of the intake to the block with a small amount overlapping the bottom of the intake gasket. GM Vortec intake gaskets are reusable. Also, use blue Loctite on the intake bolts, not silicone sealer. Those intake bolts are only torqued to 11 pounds, silicone sealer on the gasket or bolt threads will throw that reading off.

 

Ahoover,
The GM intakes gaskes look like reusable with tapered & finned ends leading to the block for sealant to be used on the block.
Blue Loctite on the intake bolts at 11 ftlb.

Thanks