Well not going so good. I gave it a couple more hours this morning--- but I've got other stuff to do and need to move on. But I was able to get 3 of the 4 fastners started/i could never get the fourth. Frustrating!!

I've had nothing but bad luck working on this motor. I'm not a mechanic but I've replaced lots of gaskets, including intake manifold gaskets on all kinds of other mfg motors, but nothing fits for me with this one. Generally a person doesn't need to be an engineer to bolt and unbolt things. But?
Maybe I can get some new mounting bolts/chase the threads in the heads/open up the intake manifold holes with a round file--some/maybe chamfer the bolt holes in the heads a bit more/and get the OEM Mac gaskets are try again. Not feeling much like wasting more of my time though. The .04 thickness gasket was still a "tiny" bit too thick I guess, but I thought i could get it to work, but didn't make it. Like i said three of the bolts started and probably could have all worked if I coulda got that last one. But.


So if you're reading this thread and doing something with your 57 Ford 312 Y block--i just hope it goes smoother for you. My experience with this motor has not been positive so far .

I've got other trucks that run great/and are easy to fix--for me anyway/this one looks "cool"--maybe I'll just push it out of the way and make some driveway art out of it. Cool looking but a real pain.

Goodluck to you

 

It's just messing with ya Tom. Give it a rest for a few days. I fine it will go a lot better after that. But hey if ya are gonna throw it away than throw it MY way hee hee

 

Hey arctic,
First things first...make sure you vacume all the old trash from those bolt holes that was left behind by removing the old bolts...also chase all the treads and clean out again. You can use a spray tack to keep the gasket in place on the intake or head and that would keep the thickness of the sealing surface to a minimum. ...but check that the gasket lines up with both surfaces separatly, this way you will know they can line up together.
Be sure there is no interfereance from any other gasket or parts with the new gasket...they could be oversized and are being pushed out of alignment without you seeing it happen.
Line up and possibly start each bolt just a thread or two and walk them down together. You might find the angles of the head to intake surface get better and the bolts run in better with no binding.
If all else fails, just ship that 312 to me and I will make it work somehow in my little '54. :]
good luck with it.
Ed

 

All good info Ed. When Tom has a break from it for a few days he will do again as we all say and it will prolly just fall together. How well I know what a PITA things like this can be when we try to hurry or get discouraged or both. It will go back together. It has to. But when we start to fight it and it aint fun anymore it is time to take a break and do something else.

 

On the heavy manifolds that are hard to manage because of having to lean in to the engine compartment.I remove the carb and anything else that may be in the way. Then I can see what I am doing plus have less weight to move around . Then straight down with some wiggling if needed. After all the carb can allways use a new base gasket and they are cheaper than a couple of intake gaskets.

 

I did finally get the manifold installed today and the truck--so far is running fine. I got the OEM Ford intake manifold gaskets from Mac and they were totally OEM, in the Mfg sleeve etc, but I test fit them and they
too were way to thick to get any kind of alignment with the intake manifold set atop. And I had hoped to momentarily install some 3/8 studs--short ones into the heads/place the gasket in place/and then hopefully be able to set the intake on top of those studs/and if I could then I was planning on tightening things down and once the gasket was now so compressed could hopefully remove the studs-while leaving the gasket and manifold in place and replace the studs with the 3/8 bolts. That was suggested earlier and I thought that a good technique to try. But after getting started I realized I goofed up and bought 7/16 studs ugh-by mistake. Anyway so the NAPA is closed for the weekend and I wanted to keep going, so I went back to my handmade .04inch gaskets and used a round file as needed to open up the intake manifold bolt holes a little here and there. I didn't really want to do that, and I don't recommend it, but sometimes one has to do what it takes. That combo eventually enabled me to get the thing installed. I tried to get ahold of the previous owner, but he's out of town, and figure what had been done to the height of either the manifold--if it is the exact/correct oem manifold and the heads as well. There's been some sort of machining or mixing/matching maybe of some sort. Because no way would any standard thickness gasket "ever" come close to allowing this manifold to bolt to these heads!! No way. I've been kinda laughing--I know you mean well, but honest---I've done stuff before. I know to clean the surfaces OK? I know to chase the holes and such. And i can wiggle stuff around as good as anybody. Sometimes when we mean well, but make a lot of repeated suggestions that are too basic, I think maybe we're doing the people who ask us questions a bit of a diservice. Maybe we should look at their galleries and see their builds and kinda guess they kinda know this stuff already? And are maybe asking for more than just our telling them what they must already know? Or is it just me?

Anyway i've been out driving the truck, and so far all seems good. It clearly idles smoother and isn't stalling so easily/running rough and all.
So we'll see how it holds up.

Goodluck all

 

I'm glad ya got it Tom. I knew ya would.

 

Glad you got it going!

There's every kind and every level of mechanic on the forum. Some who are super machinists and knuckle busters don't even know how to post a picture, or don't take the time. Hard to remember everyone's credentials.

 

Thanks I appreciate your help. It was blocking me from getting my other truck out of the shop--the one that "runs". I'll have to think better or plan better next time. Sometimes I start something that I think is gonna be "slam dunk", and I get surprised .

 

After three marriages I'm still doing that Tom. We never learn

 

I thought I had an exhaust leak in my intake (Y block) went to Napa
got the intake set, new thermostat, more anti freeze. And yes they
are kind of thick glued gaskets to the intake and I think the trick is
have a kid do it. Kids are stronger and can see better. Handed intake
to him he plopped it right on (dead square) took longer for me to drain
the coolant and refill, hoses etc. than for him to do the job. Now next
truck. To put a 4bbl intake on a 332 Y. These intakes makes a 312
look like a toy. Napa said all those Lincolns up to 368 are the same Ok.
Well even with two guys No way same problem as yours. Cant find out
why all gasket holes line up?? I ended up with two step ladders a plank
across the fenders with a chain on the thing, once again got my son
in there & me raising & lowering one side of the plank (sea saw) and
dead square right on. As I right this I now know the old man does not
always have the answers. This kid said to me- it has been said quote
"a problem throroughly understood always has a simple solution"
My face turned to an instant sunburn! sam

 

Hearing your kids say stuff like this lets you know you've done a good job as a parent.
Congrats Sam.

 

Like Ross said, we can't keep track of everyone's credentials, here. There's just too many of us. And asking folks to go to everyone's gallery everytime we want or need to share advice would be a bit excessive, imho.

But more than all that, when people become frustrated, even the most experienced and knowledgable among us can lose focus momentarily and forget or overlook even the most basic of things. It's always good to have a "refresher course" from time to time, if for no other reason than to take a deep breath, calm down, and look at the big picture and go over the procedeure list, just to make sure we didn't miss anything.

So please don't take offense to the members 'words of wisdom'. We are (almost) never meaning to be insulting. ;-)