Sealing aluminum intake to block

[mswift]

I'm going to be installing my intake on my 390 tomorrow and had a couple questions. (FYI....the motor is out of truck and on stand)

I bought a fel-pro gasket set and it came with cork intake gaskets. I've never been fond of the cork material for gaskets and wanted your guys' opinions on them. Have you used them. Did they leak? I thought about going down to the local Napa and buying another non-cork intake gasket set. Can I just by the front and rear gaskets, or do they come in a kit? I don't really need the intake to head gasket(as I can use the ones that come in kit) Any suggestions for another manufacture?

Also, just regular ol silicone, or do y'all have another preference for sealing? What are the stages I should go thru when sealing the front and rear gaskets? In Steve's book, he talks about setting them, then lifting them (to get silicone tacky?) then re-set them in place.

Thanks for any insight....
Mike

[scamardo]

I wouldn't use either one for the front and rear. I lay down about a 1/2 of silicone and let it get good and tacky before I install. No leaks yet.

[mswift]

So, you don't use a gasket at all? I never thought about that. That may be a good option. You DO use the gasket between head and intake, right?

I may go ahead at try just the silicone and save on buying new gaskets. I am not going to use cork, that's for damn sure.

Thanks for the thought.

Mike

[scamardo]

Yes, please do use the intake gaskets (intake to heads).

[averagef250]

Plan to pull the intake in a week if you use the Fel-pros. Fel-Pros are the worst gaskets you can buy for an FE. You'd be better off cutting up an old 24 pack for intake gaskets than using Fe-pros. Use Victor reinz and toss the cork end gaskets. Cork leaks that's why OEMS haven't used it for 20+ years in new engines. Lay a thick bead of RTV on the ends and torque it down. It's a good idea to glue the head side of the gaskets and set the intake on overnite then finish the job the following day if you're not in a hurry. Gasgacinch works very good too.

[mswift]

Originally Posted by averagef250

Plan to pull the intake in a week if you use the Fel-pros. Fel-Pros are the worst gaskets you can buy for an FE. You'd be better off cutting up an old 24 pack for intake gaskets than using Fe-pros. Use Victor reinz and toss the cork end gaskets. Cork leaks that's why OEMS haven't used it for 20+ years in new engines. Lay a thick bead of RTV on the ends and torque it down. It's a good idea to glue the head side of the gaskets and set the intake on overnite then finish the job the following day if you're not in a hurry. Gasgacinch works very good too.

When you say "glue the head side" you talking about the head to intake gaskets?

How bout this. Here's my prelim plan. Tell me if I should go about it a different route. I'm gonna clean heads and front/rear block with laquer thinner really good. Same goes for intake. I plan to use copper spray on the front and rear rails and lay a nice bead around water jackets on the heads. I will then lay all four gaskets down. I will set intake on the block til mornin. I will wake up with a hangover, walk to the shop, turn the lights on and the radio will be loud as hell from rockin out(radio comes on with lights) and I will go over and turn that damn thing down. I will pull the intake and lay a nice fat bead on top of the front/rear rail gaskets, that are copper sprayed to the block, and also on top of the gaskets around the water jackets on head. I will then set intake on carefully and torque in sequence and to spec. I will then be ready for another beer to get rid of my hangover.

Does that sound about right?

Mike

[mswift]

BTW, what is Gasgacinch?

[averagef250]

Nothing like hungover engine assembly to kick the day off right! Gasgacinch is like super rubber cement for gaskets. It even works on exhaust gaskets. Edelbrock recommends it. You'd use the gasgacinch in place of your copper spray. The fel-pro intake gaskets will never seal with an aluminum FE intake no matter what you do.