quick & easy questions (I hope)

[BarryK]

going to pull the intake and valve covers off next week possibly to clean them and spray them with the Alumi Blast paint.
i'll need new gaskets for both.
I think I read that on the intake manifold that there are just side gaskets and to use silicone for the front and rear of the intake during reinstall.

1. Is Permatex Ultra Copper good to use for the front and rear of the intake?

2. any particular type of gasket recommended for the intake sides? brand and part numbers would be great if anyone has specifics.

3. I've noticed in threads that people recommend washers under the bolt heads on the intake but mine doesn't have them. Is this something I should add? If so, anyone know the proper size?

4. when reinstalling should I use a thread sealer on the intake bolts? I've always had oil in a lot of the areas by the bolt heads so I assume it's working it's way up the threads.

5. Best type of gasket for the valve covers?

6. I'll need to remove the "365HP" decals on the sides of each valve cover.
Any recommendations on the best method? Using a sharp knife or razor blade would make me concerned about gouging or scratching the aluminum.

Sorry, i'm sure for the vast majority of you these are simple and real "newbie" questions but I want to do it right and not end up with scratches on the covers or leaks on the intake. Besides, since this is my first time pulling these items off I might as well learn the proper and correct way the first time around to do it and reinstall them.

As always, thanks a lot for any help. It's always GREATLY appreciated.

 

[vette-dude]

Well since no one has answered I will give you my $.02.

1. I have used the Ultra Copper silicone for the end gskts on the intakes and it works great.

2. I have always used Felpro Gskts. I think they make one set with a silicone sealing compound around each intake port and the water ports. I just can't remember for sure on that.

3. On an alum. intake you should buy a bolt kit that comes with chrome or black bolts (your preference) and the washers to match. You could use the ugly SAE hardware washers but they are pretty large on the OD and look like heck.

4. Yes.

5. I have used the formed cork/rubber gskts with a steel core from Fel Pro and also they have pure rubber ones. I like the steel cored the best. Personal choice as I removed the VC often for various reasons at the dragstrip.

6. I have used lacquer thinner and a plastic putty knife/scraper to remove the decals.

I'm sure others have their own preferences. Don't go cheap on the gaskets. Get the top of the line type, not the Autozone variety. You don't want to do this again for awhile I'm sure.

Randy

 

[magoo]

Hi Barry,

Randy is right on. All the intake gskts I've used give rubber gskts for front and rear but I think some people use just silicone. Any way if you're using the rubber gskts front and rear I would only use silicone at the corners of the front and side gskts where they come together. Sometimes too much on the flats of the rubber will make them squeeze out when you tighten down on them.
I usually dip intake bolts in Permatex. The dark brown gooey stuff, I think it's called aviation.
I agree on cork or cork /rubber v/c gskts. I usually use silicone to fasten them to the valve cover the day before installing and use no sealer at all on the head side. This keeps them right where you want them for installation and they will come off the head clean and be re-usable for the next couple times. Do not tighten down too tight, then just snug them a little bit after a run when they are nice and warm. Two cents from me, good luck.

Mike

 

[BarryK]

Randy and Mike

thanks!

Barry

 

[vette-dude]

Randy and Mike

thanks!

Barry

Your welcome.

Randy

 

[Dannoman]

Hi Barry,

Do not tighten down too tight, then just snug them a little bit after a run when they are nice and warm. Two cents from me, good luck.

Mike

That's a great point.....be VERY careful when you snug valve cover bolts....they strip very easily. We don't want to see a 'How do I remove a broken valve cover bolt from the head' thread from you, Barry.

Good luck!

Danno

 

[BarryK]

That's a great point.....be VERY careful when you snug valve cover bolts....they strip very easily. We don't want to see a 'How do I remove a broken valve cover bolt from the head' thread from you, Barry.

Good luck!

Danno

no, we definately do not want that!

 

[BLACK MOON]

Barry,
I use Permatex High Temp RTV Silicone (26B) on the front and rear of the intale. It works great and is almost Chev orange in color. Run it up onto the intake about 3/8" in 4 places and use about 1/4" bead. I let it set up for about 2 minutes before setting the intake. Snug it with an end wrench and let it sit overnight before torquing. On either side of the intake gasket around the water crossovers I use Permatex Super '300' Form a gasket. It's like the old Indian head and stays tacky (great stuff).

As far as intake gaskets I use FPP 1206. You need to know; stock heads, stock intake, is the heat crossover blocked? Stock w/o heat crossover FPP-1204, w/ heat crossover FPP 1256.

Use a bolt thread sealer on the intake bolts. Most will seep fluid if you don't.

Use cork gaskets on the valve covers. Cement them onto the valve cover but not to the heads. I coat my head side with oil so they will release later. They have never leaked.

Laquer thinner will work on the decals after removing the decal itself. It will probably take off the paint as well and will require repainting.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[BarryK]

thanks Black

 

[BLACK MOON]

Barry,
Make sure you torque the bolts in sequence and in 2 steps at least. This is usually critical if it's an aluminum intake. I know, I broke one once.

 

[BarryK]

black
yep, mine is aluminum also. I'm adding a torgue wrench to my shopping list as it is as i'll need one and don't have one.

 

[Tom Bryant]

The only thing that I would add is that if you are considering NCRS judging at some point in time be sure to use bolts with the right head markings. If your original bolts are right just clean them up and reuse them. If you need new ones order this set for $19.00 from Paragon:

PR #: 1719K-Q
Intake manifold attaching bolt kit, “M” headmark, black phosphate, includes 11 bolts and 1 stud. All exc. 250 h.p. & 425 h.p.

For Years:1965
Condition: New
Type: Stock
Packaging: Kit
Additional Notes: All exc. 250 h.p. & 425 h.p.

Also here are the washers that are small enough to practially dissappear under the bolt head for $4.00:

PR #: 312K-12
Aluminum intake manifold S.A.E. S/S flat washer, zinc plated. Use w/all S.B. engines having aluminum intakes. Though not originally so equipped, these special washers are very helpful in protecting the
aluminum which is directly in contact with head of intake bolt. The washers have a small O.D. and cannot be noticed easily by judges.

For Years:1956 to 1982
Packaging: Kit
Condition: New
Type: Stock

Tom

 

[Tom Bryant]

Since you are going to buy a torque wrench buy two. Get a Ft. Lb. that has enough range to do anything you will come up against on your car and also get an In. Lb. wrench for those small bolts like valve covers, front cover, oil pan ect. There are torque specs for all of this stuff in your shop manual. You will be suprised how often you have been over tightening these small ones once you start to use your torque wrench. The most common cause of oil leaks is over tightened gasket bolts that de-form the lip of the part you are installing and the gasket.

Tom

 

[vintagecorvette]

I personally think that you are making a mistake pulling your intake and covers to paint. You may be very disappointed with the results. pulling the intake is easy, but a crappy job. you have to lean over the fenders and you chance scratching your new paint job. My opinion is do it right the first time and do it once.

just my opinion.

oWEN

 

[Tom Bryant]

Owen is right on the money there. I have seen a lot of "restorations" that used paint that looks like the right aluminum or carb color ect. but in the end it just looks like paint. Either clean up the intake and live with whatever patina is left or have it reskinned. You won't be happy with the paint in the end. Also the paint will burn off of the heat riser crossover ports on the intake leaving it looking worse than it does now.

Tom

 

[vintagecorvette]

patina is good..... burnt paint is bad....

 

[ctjackster]

I personally think that you are making a mistake pulling your intake and covers to paint. You may be very disappointed with the results. pulling the intake is easy, but a crappy job. you have to lean over the fenders and you chance scratching your new paint job. My opinion is do it right the first time and do it once.

just my opinion.

oWEN

this raises another good point for you Barry, what with your new paint - get a fender cover (actually get two, one for each side) and use it religiously every time you work on that engine area, or else you will have fenders that look like mine did in my high school cars . . .

 

[BarryK]

Tom & Owen

thanks for the info, especially the part numbers Tom.
Were the original bolts really black with an aluminum manifold? Oh wait, i guess they could have been as John from NJ mentioned that the bolts heads were painted....

Believe me, painting the intake and covers is NOT my first choice. I was originally planning on sending them out for reskinning this winter but since my wife became pregnant my Vette budget is down the drain and reskinning just isn't in the cards this year and possibly not even next year and although others tell me my motor looks fine I'm not at all happy with the way the intake and the valve covers look. i'll be cleaning them first to see if it makes a difference and maybe I won't have to paint, but I've already tried that numerous times without much of a difference and I hate looking at them the way they are so budgetwise using Alumi Blast is about the only alternative I have at the moment until the budget allows me to send them out for reskinning in a few years. Additionally, there are places on the block surrounding the intake where the paint has come off and by removing the covers and intake it will also allow me to touch up those areas on the block.

I have seen intakes painted with the Alumi Blast before and have seen them come out looking excellent and also come out looking crappy. I'm assuming it's all in how well it was cleaned beforehand and how well it was sprayed on. I figure if I spray very light coats it won't be too bad and hopefully won't give too much of a "painted" look. I do realize that after some time the paint can discolor, JohnZ mentioned this to me previously on another thread but I figure I only put a couple thousand miles a year on the car and it only has to last a couple years before they go for reskinning. If it lasts that long than i'll be satisfied.
I know this is far from the perfect solution but i really don't know what else to do. Reskinning is out for this year, cleaning isn't making any difference to them so far, local media blasting on them is almost as much cost as the reskinning, and I really HATE the way they look now and while others disagree with me, many times i'm embarrassed to even open my hood at shows or cruises because of how the intake and valve covers look. This just seems to be my only solution currently that I've been able to come up with.

 

[BarryK]

this raises another good point for you Barry, what with your new paint - get a fender cover (actually get two, one for each side) and use it religiously every time you work on that engine area, or else you will have fenders that look like mine did in my high school cars . . .

got a fender cover the same day I bought my timing light.

 

[paul67]

I'm afraid that I will have to disagree with the comments re discolouration of paint. This intake has seen two full seasons of driving and still looks very nice. Some mild yellowing did occur when the *&^%$ Holley did its fuel boilover thing in June 2004 but the Edelbrock transplant has worked flawlessly and leak-free. No further damage to the paint since.

Barry,
I use Permatex Copper on the intake ends (no rubber). For the bolts (please note they are SS with Paragon washers) I use Permatex 2. Intake gaskets are Fel-Pro self-sealing. Valve cover gaskets are Fel-Pro cork sealed with Permatex Aviation Form-a-Gasket compound. The top of this engine does not leak.

Ultimately you will have to decide how "correct" you want you engine to be and at what price. As you know, my car is an L79 clone simply because I like the looks. It is clean, starts when I turn the key, and is now basically trouble-free. And despite being "incorrect", that is all I ask for and want. It is not a show car.