this is also posted in the diagnosis category. sorry

ok so i fired up my 305 i just recently installed in my 79 camaro. well i fixed my clutch plate that was in backwards so i went to take it down the street. everything seemed ok, except i was smoking bad. we pulled the hood off and saw oil leaking like crazy down the backside of the block onto my header. the oil is coming from the intake so i took it off and resealed with some blue RTV. but is still leaking from about the same spot, it just slowed the leaking down a little. what do you guys use to seal ur intake manifold down?
thanks alot
Jim

High temp RTV, without the cork gasket. Just fill up the gap, set the intake in place, install bolts loosly, tighten after around five hours.

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A little is good, More is better, too much is just right.

Ditto, just let the RTV sit long enough on the block so that its not still gewy and doesnt stick to your finger when touched. Rest the intake on it loosly thread the bolts in and I think 5 hours is a little over kill to let it sit, but a hour will do u fine.
Travis

thanks alot for the info. i'll give it a try saturday morning.

Silicone is also extremely fussy about surface cleanliness. I brake clean the everlivinshyte out of anything I need to silicone, most of the time I need a chisel to remove that part down the road. (I could remove the oil pan bolts with ZERO worries of it leaking or falling off)
You may get lucky if you spray the leaking area off really well, blast it with some compressed air, then smear a little more on the problem area. Let it set up before running the engine.

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Custom Auto, your source for quality machine work, cores and new parts at competetive pricing right here in British Columbia 1-888-563-4050
A Canadian, EH? (with a 10 second street car)

rust bucket are you saying i should try to spray some silicone or put more rtv while the intake is still on? i was goin to pull it all apart again.
thanks
jim

one other little thing to add.
RTV silicone takes time to completely cure (thoroughly). Ideally, wait 12 hrs after you bolt it down before you start the engine.
I have cheated on this before because I had a race to go to by starting the engine, letting it sit idling for 3-4 minutes to build a little heat and then shutting it off, letting it sit 10 minutes; repeating several times. But then again, as long as the car passed tech, if it started to leak again later, I was prepared for the circumstances of doing it all over again. It's best to just let it cure naturally.

[This message has been edited by HEAVYchev (edited January 17, 2005).]

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by losingstreek:
rust bucket are you saying i should try to spray some silicone or put more rtv while the intake is still on? i was goin to pull it all apart again.
thanks
jim</font>

You bet! Spray the hell out of it with brake cleans, blow it off, and try to reseal it, you've got nothing to lose at this point. You're not dealing with a high pressure point so the chance of success is pretty good.

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Custom Auto, your source for quality machine work, cores and new parts at competetive pricing right here in British Columbia 1-888-563-4050
A Canadian, EH? (with a 10 second street car)

There's 2 more things to look at and check.

Could it be the oil sender and or plug?

Its right there at the back on the intake on the driver's side

Next and I hope this aint your prob.
There's a small plug in the block, thats half under the rear of the driver's side head. The plug is close to the intake.

If a machine shop forgot to put that little plug in, it will leak, and to install the plug you have to pull the head off.

As far as sealing the intake ends. I throw away the rubber and cork end seals, and lay down about a 1/4" bead of RTV (silicon) sealer all the way across the block, and up onto the ends of the intake gaskets about 1/2"-9/16" up the gaskets.

Let it sit a few min. to firm up alittle, put the intake on, and put the bolts in. Let it sit a few more min before you tighten the bolts down.

That will let the RTV firm up so you dont just squezze it all out when you tighten the bolts.

Also besure to tighten the bolts in a criss cross pattern.

well night rider i know for a fact that its not the oil sending pressure unit. i took it out thinking it was and resealed. the leak actualy comes from right above it. from what i can see.

If you want your intake to never leak again, go get a tube of The Right Stuff. This is extremely sticky when applied and turns to rubber when it sets up. All of the OEM's have been using it since the mid 90's. It is available at any parts house. The pressurized can is more expensive, but worth the price. It's about $17, but you can seal 3-4 engines with one tube.

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by 73454:
If you want your intake to never leak again, go get a tube of The Right Stuff. This is extremely sticky when applied and turns to rubber when it sets up. All of the OEM's have been using it since the mid 90's. It is available at any parts house. The pressurized can is more expensive, but worth the price. It's about $17, but you can seal 3-4 engines with one tube.</font>


I use that stuff. Works great!!

why not use the gasket for the intake?.....why do they sell them then?

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72ss t-10/ 373 posi. 350 /30 over/ 300+ hp msd 6AL.. heli core wires. new holley 650 dp ...mech/secondaries. mild crane cam ..headers/ 3 inch flowmasters... red with black ss stripes

The Right Stuff works great. I know a professional race engine builder that only uses tub and tile caulk. His reason is that it never hardens, and seals great. I have seen this to be true. None of the engines he has built for the dirt late model team I was helping ever leaked.