So I was about to start it up for the first time after a rebuild and decided to check the oil before I turned the key. Well it looked like it had 5 qrts of half&half in the pan. Pulled the intake off and this is what I found. I'm assuming I screwed up the intake manifold and intake install and let a ton of coolant pour into the valley. Thoughts? I did notice some leaking at opposite corners of the intake when I first added coolant to the engine. I don't think it's leaking in through the head gasket. And I surely do not want to attempt to take the heads off since they are probably perma-sealed with cooper spray gasket and would need a pry bar and sledge hammer to get them off lol
I don't see RTV sealant around the 4 head coolant passages. Those need to be sealed on both sides of valley pan gasket surfaces. From TA''s catalog: Stock valley pan gasket only. Apply a light coat of RTV around the water ports on the front and rear of each cylinder head. Set gasket into place and then apply a light coat of RTV on the gasket around the front and rear water ports for each head. Install the rubber end seals and apply RTV at each corner where the end seal meets the valley gasket. Install the intake manifold and torque accordingly
You beat me to it Mart. The only deviation from the TA directions I do is to spray both sides of the metal pan with high tack.
There are also problems when you use different year heads and blocks. Not sure if this is the case or not, just saying.
It should be good there. It was together a year ago and had no sealing issues. Since he didn't start it, hopefully he should be able to dry up up the coolant areas, drain pan, wash down/ dribble/ pour some oil down lifters, bores, valley till that drains out. Assemble with SEALANT, Do break in then change oil again. ☺
Ok that's what I'll do guys. Yea, it seems I screwed up by only applying rtv on the block side of the intake pan. Have a new one so will do it all again
Yep what ^^^ those guys said. I spray high tack also. plus if this is the first startup don't use antifreeze yet until you are sure there no leaks. you have to apply the rtf to both sides of the water outlets and very little. Hope you did not spin the engine yet.
I use gasket material for the intake. black silicone for the rails and cut up a sheetmetal gasket to lay in the valley are for the pcv/oil gases. no issues at all
Did you dry fit the intake first? Has there been over .020 decking done on the heads or block,? If so you'll need to angle mill the intake, and run composite gaskets.
Next time you have to pull the intake when you drain the water out jack up the back of the car high and then the motor will lean foreword and drain the water out of the back of the intake. The motor leans back in the engine compartment so the water stays at the back of the intake. I run the composite gaskets with a valley pan I bought from AM&P, I sent them specs and now they have it to fit the 350 with the SP3.
Those are actually high performance after filter filters to make sure only the cleanest air passes through the engine!
Built by a team of little rodents for superior air handling. They are now plugging up that hole in my exhaust.
