Well, I pulled the 360 out of my '76 F-150 to re-do all the seals. I'm in the midst of re-assembling it now, and also installing a 390 4-barrell intake manifold. I got the heads and manifold re-installed and then noticed...I forgot to install the 'splash shield' or whatever that piece of metal is that goes under the manifold in the lifter valley. Crap.

Man, I really don't want to remove and re-install the manifold if I don't have to. Do I have to? Is it worth it?

Help!

 

That shield prevents hot oil from "cooking" on the exhaust crossover in the intake. I would pull the intake and install the shield.

 

guess what...I just did the same thing today myself. I discovered the shield as I was adding engine accessories. For a fleeting moment I thought heck I'm just gonna leave it out...then common sense came over me. Tomorrow I'm going to pick up new intake and valve cover gaskets and I'm going to pull it back apart and do it right. Honestly I'm not sure how important it really is...I'm sure I've seen engines with these shields left out before. I think you probably would never know the difference...I suspect that any problems could be in somewhat shorter engine life. The thing is it's not that big of a deal to put it in while the engine is still out and then you'll have peace of mind.

 

As long as the exhaust cross over under the carb is blocked it's no big deal and can be left out. But if there is exhaust flow thru the cross over then you need it to keep splashed oil off the underside of the manifold. Years ago I decide I could live without fast warm ups and have alway put the blocking plates in the intake gaskets when installing the manifold.

 

Yeah, I guess that would explain why I had to clean so much black charred crap off the bottom of this 'new' intake....guess the last guy didn't put the shield on.

Ok, y'all have convinced me. Thanks.

 

Hey Bear, how did you block of the ports? Did you weld the plates in place or just place the plate between the head and the gasket and clamped it together with the intake manifold? how thick should the plate be?

 

Explain what this exhaust crossover is on the intake.

 

What intake are you installing? Many aftermarket intakes don't have the exhaust crossover. I have the Edelbrock Performer RPM and it doesn't have it. I still pulled mine back apart and installed the shield last night. Otherwise it'd be hanging in my garage as a dust collector and I'd always be thinking about leaving it out...lol.

 

When you look at the ports on the intake (all stock ones and some aftermarket ones) starting at the front there is a water passage to the thermostat, then 2 intake ports from the carb to the head and then a port in the center that is for exhaust to crossover under the plenum and heat the plenum and carb, then 2 more inkake ports. Alot of gaskets come with 2 metal plates to mount in the hole in the gasket for the crossover and some gaskets don't even have the crossover hole. If nothing else you can fabricate a small metal plate to fit under the gasket.

 

Thanks Bear! I dont think my set of gaskets came with them, which brand of intake gaskets do you normally use?

and FalconStn, its a Performer 390. Theres a big port under the intake runners where the exhaust crosses over and heats up the intake charge for faster warm ups in cold climates. I live in So cal where the temperature rarely goes below 65.

 

Felpro used to have a set that came with them, but my memory fails for a number. Ask your local parts guy when he's not busy to check contents listed on the package or have him pull all the different sets he has and you check.