"Technical Improvements"!!  We seem to have lost some, or all, of the HOW TO but we now have links to run your own POLL or other useless crap that nobody wants.  Maybe we should run a poll to see how everyone likes the new look.
END OF RANT

I will attempt to repeat from memory the MS instruction for installing an intake manifold on a small block Ford.

1.  Make sure all surfaces are clean of any old gasket material and oil-free.  I like to use Acetone or Lacquer thinner as a final wipe down.
2.  Use a paper-thin coating of MMM Weather strip adhesive on the head-side of the gaskets and on the heads. Let these coats dry and ten set the gaskets on the heads. This will keep the gaskets from moving during manifold install.
3.  Use a paper-thin coating of RTV on the manifold side of the gaskets.  Be especially sure to get a good coat of RTV around the water ports.
4.  Lay down a heavy (approx. 3/16") bead of RTV across the front and rear mating surface of the block.  Use a little extra dab at the four lower corners where the manifold gaskets meet the horizontal block surface.  DO NOT USE ANY OTHER GASKETS ON THE FRONT/REAR MATING SURFACES.
5.  Use four guide studs to line up the manifold when lowering it to the block.  I made four long ones (very helpful) from 4" 5/16x18 bolts with the heads cut off.  Hacksaw a screwdriver slot in the top.
6.  Set the manifold as squarely as you can then use a rubber mallet to seat the manifold.  I give a number of heavy taps to the carb mount surface to make sure the manifold has seated evenly on the 45 degree head surfaces.  Be careful not to wipe off the RTV beads on the horizontal mating surfaces of the block.  YOU DO...IT WILL LEAK!
7.  Torque the manifold down in four lifts from zero to recommended torque (Ford EFI Mannys want 15 lb ft...180 inch lbs.) as stated in Ford manual.  Also, you MUST follow the recommended tightening pattern.  AFter you get to recommended torque go around the pattern another three or four times.
8.  If you do all this it probably won't leak....maybe.

MS:  If I missed anything I do appologize.  You can slap me at the Bash.

Last edited by Bullet Bob (4/20/2021 9:12 AM)

The intake gaskets get GLUED to the heads.  This is so they cannot possibly become misaligned when torquing the bolts.  Use the contact cement as a paper thin coating, 100% of the surface area on the head AND on the gasket.  Let dry.  Once you touch them together, they are not going to move AT ALL.  Then between gasket and intake, apply a paper thin layer of RTV, then install the manifold immediately before it starts to set up.  This does two things.  It acts as a lubricant to allow the manifold to slide into place evenly as you torque the bolts.  It also adds a sealer to the gasket surface.

If you have ANY adhesive or RTV oozing out the edges of the gasket when you are done, you used too much!

On ends of manifold, a paper thin layer of RTV on the underside of the manifold provides a tack surface for the thicker bead you apply to the block to have a ready surface to form to.  100% coating of the surface is key.  Allow the ends to harden, then take a single edge sharp razor blade to cut off any excess.  You can wipe it when wet, but it just makes a mess and you risk pushing excess inside the engine.

Tighten bolts evenly side to side to keep from rocking the manifold unevenly.  I usually wind up going through the torque sequence 4 or 5 times before I am comfortable all the bolts are torqued evenly.

Bullet Bob wrote:

"Technical Improvements"!!  We seem to have lost some, or all, of the HOW TO but we now have links to run your own POLL or other useless crap that nobody wants.  Maybe we should run a poll to see how everyone likes the new look.

Perhaps we should heed the sage advice given by Inspector Kemp (Young Frankenstein):   "A riot is an ugly thing, und I think it's just about time that we had one!"

Last edited by John Ha (4/21/2021 2:49 PM)