intake vs. head coolant paths

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May 20, 2009 | 01:49 PM

css4608

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intake vs. head coolant paths

I am working on a 1979 corvette with a 350 that belongs to my wife. She hired a mechanic to rebuild the engine. He went out of business before he finished and I am trying to fix it now. When I put water in the engine, there were several leaks. One was from the intake so I removed the intake, it was sealed with non curing silicone so I think that a gasket will fix that issue.

However I noticed the coolant paths are not all connected. There are three sets cut in to the gasket; front, center and rear. The heads have the center one blocked off. The intake has the rear one blocked off. Will this be an issue with over heating? I am concerned that that it would be an issue since only one set of paths are connected.

The mechanic selected what I believe to be Dart 220 heads. I can't find a model number on them but the picture matches.

http://www.dartheads.com/products/cy...ies-heads.html

Also the intake was replaced with a Edelbrock 2101
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...1&autoview=sku

Thanks
Chris

May 20, 2009 | 02:07 PM

midyearvette

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From: columbus oh

Quote:

Originally Posted by css4608

the center passage is for exhaust to the intake to heat the carb, a block off here is ok,....the only coolant passages are at the front of the heads on the intake......

May 20, 2009 | 03:30 PM

css4608

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Quote:

Originally Posted by midyearvette

the center passage is for exhaust to the intake to heat the carb, a block off here is ok

Is it correct then that if the center passage is to heat the carb and it is blocked off at the head I will need an electric choke since the mechanical choke will no longer be heated?

Also just to confirm your statment, the rear set of passages that are in the head but not the intake, theses are not important?

Thanks
Chris

May 20, 2009 | 03:49 PM

gkull

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From: Reno Nevada

2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified

No small block manifold I know has a rear coolant cross over. It really would not do anything. So no it is not needed.

May 20, 2009 | 04:01 PM

midyearvette

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From: columbus oh

Quote:

Originally Posted by css4608

yes..sorry about the confusion, if you have a choke stove that relies on heat from the exhaust manifold, then you should run the heat passages open......