Which Intake gasket, sealant, etc for 302

[fordguy]

i am leaking antifreeze around the front where the thermostat housing goes onto the intake. It looks like the water jackets in the very front of the intake is the culprit. Looking for the digi camera but cant find it, also need it for the science project for my youngest, oh well. I will retorque the bolts but it seems to be leaking pretty good. What is the procedure (gasket, sealer, etc) to get this thing right. I dont like leaks and this is a good one. Like an old harley. Please give me part numbers for gaskets or and what sealer works best. I have searched andread the articles. I have the cork gaskets. Anti freeze is standing on both sides of the timing cover. And I have not checked the back to see if they are leaking. Guess torque sequence doesnt matter now.

 

[rharrell]

I've used RTV blue for my gaskets around the coolent system. I like it better than cork or synthetics. Most all of the auto parts stores carry this and several other types for fuel, transmission and oil pan covers etc.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Torque sequence still matters. You can warp a manifold if done wrong.
I have had good luck with Felpro #1250. Ditch the cork, good bead of firm silicone. I like the Gray stuff, doesn't run as much as the blue stuff does. Also cleans up better.

Tips. Use the 4 studs that Ford uses so the manifold slides straight down. Less chance of knocking the bead out of place at the ends of the valley.
Clean all mating surfaces with brake clean. Silicone doesn't like to stick to oiled iron.
I prefer to work before the silicone skins over, others wait. The Loctite rep told me that they changed there procedure about 10 years ago and quit recomending waiting for skin over, people still do it the way it was first taught.
If I have time I take a couple of dabs of silicone and in that vast space between the ports I glue the gasket in place and let it set up good. That way the gasket doesn't shift when setting the manifold in place. I use that spot so when I take it apart and clean it up I am not scraping at the ports.

 

[spin3024]

Good recommendations above. The only silicone sealant that I will use is Permatex's "The Right Stuff". Once you use it you'll never try anything else. Just wear latex or nitrile gloves when you apply it, as it tends to spread everywhere. Ditch the cork and use The Right Stuff in its place. I use a sealant called Seal All on the underside of the intake gasket around the water ports. No need to wait for either of these to cure, just put them on and drop the intake on. I've put a dozen intakes on using these sealants and never had a leak.

 

[okorangebrnco]

The Right Stuff is Gods gift to silicone RTV!!! I have used it on everything that holds a liquid. The drivetrain shop I used to work for uses it and we never had leak returns after we started to use it.

 

[DonsBolt]

If you really want to make sure you have torqued the intake down consistantlly all the way around the intake, then ARP studs are the way to go.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=ARP-354-2103&autoview=sku

The only downside to using studs is that you have to remove the distributor. Though if you mark the position of the rotor before you remove the distributor, reinstalling and then retiming is easy.

We are lucky as the 302/5 liter/351 is about the only V8 that can use intake studs

To me there are some great advantaged to using the suds
1-who knows how many times the intake has been removed from your engine, so the threads may not be in perfect condition. So by using studs, once installed you won't ne putting as much, or any stress on 30 something year old threads.
2-since you will be torquing from the top, you get a much more consistant torque on every bolt, and reduce the chance of warping the intake.
3-If you ever have to remove the intake for whatever reason, you don't have to worry about the thresd in the block, as you will be unscrewing the nut on top of the stud, not the bolts from the block.
4-The studs help hold the gasket in place, since you have to lower the gasket holes over the studs.

The only special tool you need is a 12 point deep socket, and to make sure you put a light coat of assemblly lube or motor oil on the threads

I assume you have a stock 302, so yes I agree FelPro 1250 intake gaskets, and while I like the permatex ultra grey, the rightstuff is great too.

 

[fordguy]

actually donsbolt i have a new 5.0 block with e7 heads and it is carbed. The green stuff is flowing out the cork pretty good now. I like the idea of studs. The engine has about 500 miles on it. It has leaked enough green stuff that it is even on the oil pan and oil oan bolts. I was under there looking last night to make sure if the dana 44 was an open.

 

[Bronco73]

Make sure you buy gaskets for the later model heads as they have a different coolant passage shape than the older heads. I for get which is which but one is a L shape and the other is more sqaure shaped and if you use the L shape on the sqaure passage it will leak.

 

[fordguy]

73 that is interesting, i wil make sure i get the late model

 

[DonsBolt]

What intake is on the 5 liter, also do you have any pictures of the heads without the intake on it??

I went though simillar problems getting a carb intake to work on my 5 liter, though my problems were vacuum related, and I have the X GT 40 heads.

I just called my contact at ford racing, and asked them about your heads. He recomended the FelPro 1250 gasket

Here is a picture that shows my cooling passeges on my X303 GT40 heads

 

[fordguy]

it is an older eldebrock performer, dont have a picture of the heads w/o intake. like i said the motor only has about 500 miles on it and i just noticed the leak while it was sitting because it pooled in the timing cover

 

[DonsBolt]

it is an older eldebrock performer, dont have a picture of the heads w/o intake. like i said the motor only has about 500 miles on it and i just noticed the leak while it was sitting because it pooled in the timing cover

Sounds like it is a edlebrock 2121 performer 289 intake. Take a look at this picture The left is a performer RPM, the right is a Performer 289. It really shouldn't matter as far as the coolant leak goes, as the coolant passeges are pretty much the same.

If your leaking coolant from the intake manafold gasket, then I would say it was poor installation, or that cork gasket that didn't allow it to seal when installed.

Though before you rip you intake off, check two things first.

Check the upper radiator hose, where it goes into the thermostat housing, or maybee that little bipass hose that goes between the thermostat housing, and the waterpump. I have had my upper hose leak before, and a qick tightening of the radiator clamp on the hose fixed my leak.

The other place could be the thermostat housing itself. Those two bolts can sometimes be a pain to tighten, maybee it is leaking between the thrmostat housing and the intake. Check those two bolts and make sure they are both fully tight.

I wouldn't be surprised if the upper radiator hose just needs to be tightened.

If it is leaking from the hose or the thermostat housing, you will owe me a beer.

 

[fordguy]

based on the fact that i can see green on the cork i am guessing it is more than the hose or the thermo housing. But they will get tightened. i am pretty sure it is an old 289 performer.

 

[Bronco73]

I always go back and check the hoses after they have been replaced and or taken off. I had forgotten all about the hose clamp thing.

 

[fordguy]

What intake is on the 5 liter, also do you have any pictures of the heads without the intake on it??

I went though simillar problems getting a carb intake to work on my 5 liter, though my problems were vacuum related, and I have the X GT 40 heads.

I just called my contact at ford racing, and asked them about your heads. He recomended the FelPro 1250 gasket

Here is a picture that shows my cooling passeges on my X303 GT40 heads

donsbolt what year fp 1250 gasket set do i buy for. i think part of my problem may be the old style gasket on the newer head. thanks for the help