intake mounting problems!!!

[ramcharger_440]

Trying to mount new Edelbrock Performer RPM intake on '77 440 with 452 heads. I am a relatively new hot rodder and not much of a mechanic. I can start all intake bolts but two are VERY hard to turn. I am using the Fel Pro gasket recommended by Edelbrock. Any suggestions? Do I go ahead and crank it down? I have new bolts and the bolt holes are clean enough to turn bolts all the way in by hand if intake is not in place. Thanks for your help.

[amxauto-x]

There are almost always some problem with intakes. Try putting in the bolts that are easiest. Look in the holes that are a pain. They are probably out of align.
1] you can elongate those holes or
2] try pushing down with all your weight while screwing in those two bolts. Or have a friend screw them in. If they go in easy enough then tighen them down. Sometimes the gasket needs to be compressed when doing this.
3] Has the engine been rebuilt before sometime? If so the heads may have been surfaced and the holes don't line up as good anymore.
I've had to sit/stand/on my knees on the intake to get the intake down tight enough to get the holes lined up. Anymore I'll elongate the holes if necessary.

[skankweirdall]

Usually a pass with a next size larger drill bit through the offending holes will do the trick. No grinding hassles and the washers are large enough to cover the hole. Oh yeah, drill it off the engine.

[amxauto-x]

Ya, definitely that last sentence!

[6 packin]

Which ones are you having trouble with? I just added a intake to my 440 today had a little trouble but after a few minutes it went on easy. Start 2 middle bolts on the same side Dont tighten down all the way maybe halfway, as long as there some of the bolt threads showing above the intake. Go to the other side and try tp start the other two middle ones, straight across from the ones you have about half way tight. Wont start with your fingers? Dont try to run them down, sure to be cross threaded and you will bugger up the threads in your heads or worse break one off. Instead grab a big hammer use the the wood handle end and hit the intake down the way it needs to go! Try this a few times before drilling or enlongating the holes, should not need to do that. I have never needed to do that, I run a small block that had .020 cut off both the heads and block and run a stock intake at the time untill I could get the other one milled correctly. Worked just fine all though tuff to seal the back and front of the intake from leaking oil. because of the huge gap. I never slotted the bolt holes too!

[451Mopar]

I'm guessing the intake is too high on the heads using the valley tray with the fiber gaskets?
The original engines did not use the fiber gaskets.
Forget the fiber gaskets and just use the valley tray gasket.

I wouldn't enlarge or elongate the mounting holes because it will cause a manifold to head port mis-match.

If you want to use the fiber gaskets and the problem is the intake sitting too high on the heads, you could mill the intake manifold so it sits down on the engine better with the extra gasket thickness.

[dave571]

I have to agree with 451mopar.

Avoid drilling it. Ditch the extra gaskets, and just use the tin pan.

Put a bit of brush on sealer on it, around the areas that are going to crush.

I'd say you're better to force it a little bit, as the ports will match better than drilling.

I've found tapping the manifold down with a soft face hammer also makes the bolts turn easier.

[92whitedak]

aluminium to alumium?? Can anybody say "tig welder"???

Just for ha-has

-Deacon

[charger_dan]

Ramcharger,
You can ditch the composite gaskets and just use the metal
bathtub pan, but you should check and make sure that the
intake and cyl. head gasket surfaces are parallel to each other.

If they aren't, and you don't use any fiber gasket, no amount
of sealer will maintain a seal at that juncture. This becomes especially
important with aluminum intakes, as they aren't nearly as rigid as
the original 50# cast iron intakes this system was designed for.

You can check this clearance/fit easily on a big block:
Remove valley pan, clean all mating surfaces of heads and intake.
Place intake on motor. Carefully line everything up nice and square.
Maybe use a couple of bolts, just finger snug, to hold intake in place.
Run a feeler gauge around bottom area of intake ports, between
intake and head sealing surfaces, to check for excessive clearance.

If you've got more than 5 or 10 thousandths clearance at the bottom
of the port juncture, you may want to address that problem before
final assembly.

Good luck.

[ramcharger_440]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate your help and have solved the problem