Antifreeze leaking from intake manifold
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,776
Likes: 142
From: North of Atlanta GA
St. Jude Donor '05
Antifreeze leaking from intake manifold
I've got antifreeze leaking around intake manifold gasket (corner by drivers side toward firewall) I hate to tackle this job but I guess I better before summer. Any suggestions???
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
Originally Posted by rponfick
Intake manifold bolts may just be loose. Try tightening them down as a first step. 
mine was leaking from the front of the intake manifold recently. i re-torqued the bolts and it has stopped.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 2
From: Eastern Connecticut
Originally Posted by pcfred
I've got antifreeze leaking around intake manifold gasket (corner by drivers side toward firewall) I hate to tackle this job but I guess I better before summer. Any suggestions???
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,776
Likes: 142
From: North of Atlanta GA
St. Jude Donor '05
bolts
Originally Posted by rponfick
Intake manifold bolts may just be loose. Try tightening them down as a first step.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Appleton Wi.
Use teflon pipe thread sealer on those bolts. It's a must! The hole goes through to the water jacket in the head. Retorque all intake manifold bolts, and it should be just fine. All sbc require sealer on the four corners bolts of the intake.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,547
Likes: 12
From: Carbondale Pa.
Originally Posted by pcfred
I tried that a couple months ago it slowed to a trickle but now it's leaking pretty good right at the gasket.
The same crap happened to me on my '80 a coupla years ago, but on the rearmost passenger side, nothing,,, NOTHING,,, helped stem the flow, mounting surface of the manifold looked eaten away, wound up replacing the gaskets and its been fine since so far. Peace,,,Craig
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,776
Likes: 142
From: North of Atlanta GA
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by TJ76
Use teflon pipe thread sealer on those bolts. It's a must! The hole goes through to the water jacket in the head. Retorque all intake manifold bolts, and it should be just fine. All sbc require sealer on the four corners bolts of the intake.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,371
Likes: 223
From: Beecher Illinois
I have a similar situation with my 78SA. On mine it's the rearmost bolt on the passenger side. Recently replaced the valve cover gaskets and did a thourough cleaning at the back of the motor. Later noticed a slight leak that seemed to be dripping from the starter. Traced it to the bolt. Must have cleaned off some gunk that had kept the leak sealed. Seems the motor pulling bracket that is attached with that rear bolt does not sit flat under the bolt, it's cocked. Also some rust evident JUST at that bolt. Figure even though the bolt SEEMS tight, the head isn't sealing the bolt hole. If anyone notices, all the bolts that are in direct contact with the intake manifold have built it washers while the bolts holding the pulling brackets don't have the washer heads. Will get to it pretty soon, pull and clean the bolt and bracket, seal the threads and that should do it.
Mike
Mike
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,711
Likes: 7
From: Metro Detroit -- Farmington Hills MI
Cruise-In VII & IX Veteran
Same thing was happening to my 78PC. Rear passenger side. Had the head gasket replaced, but then lost the engine short after the repair.
I wish you better luck.
I wish you better luck.
