Felpro blue intake manifold gasket.

ricardoa1

Registered User
Hi,


Needs some quick responses. I have used the graphite stock ford intake gaskets before and I thought they were a pain to clean. But now since switching to the felpro blue ones, after removing them it looks like the water jacket area has surface corrosion. I used rtv sealant on both sides around the jackets.

How many have used the felpro blue ones and used sealant around the water jackets? It was messy to clean up also. I dont have time to get the graphite ones but if I dont have to use rtv maybe next time I take off the manifold it will not be a pain to put things back together.


Whats the proper procedure for using the felpro intake gaskets?
 
Hi,


Needs some quick responses. I have used the graphite stock ford intake gaskets before and I thought they were a pain to clean. But now since switching to the felpro blue ones, after removing them it looks like the water jacket area has surface corrosion. I used rtv sealant on both sides around the jackets.

How many have used the felpro blue ones and used sealant around the water jackets? It was messy to clean up also. I dont have time to get the graphite ones but if I dont have to use rtv maybe next time I take off the manifold it will not be a pain to put things back together.


Whats the proper procedure for using the felpro intake gaskets?

I never use sealant around the water jackets on my intake gaskets. I use rtv in the corners only where the runner gaskets meet the neoprene front and rear gaskets.
 
I never use sealant around the water jackets on my intake gaskets. I use rtv in the corners only where the runner gaskets meet the neoprene front and rear gaskets.

This is what I always do with the blue gaskets. Not sure how it looks after awhile...I haven't had to take any of the cars apart since!
 
This is what I always do with the blue gaskets. Not sure how it looks after awhile...I haven't had to take any of the cars apart since!



Thats what I thougt also but other members seem to have use RTV around the water passages, conflicting my thoughts. I feel the rtv does not allow the gaskets to sit properly at the air ports since its thicker at the water passage areas.

I would think felpro would have mentioned in the package if there was a problem with just using them bare.

Also they used to supply RTV in the kit, for the corner areas. Now they dont. Cost cutting or do we even need it at the corners? Ill use some at the corners regardless, but just an observation.
 
Thats what I thougt also but other members seem to have use RTV around the water passages, conflicting my thoughts. I feel the rtv does not allow the gaskets to sit properly at the air ports since its thicker at the water passage areas.

I would think felpro would have mentioned in the package if there was a problem with just using them bare.

Also they used to supply RTV in the kit, for the corner areas. Now they dont. Cost cutting or do we even need it at the corners? Ill use some at the corners regardless, but just an observation.

It seems like a great idea at the corners...but yeah, I agree with you.

Does the new neoprene seal have the jagged ends still?
 
Ricardo,

We just put a set of these on Kurt's motor. I don't trust the coolant ports so this is what we did. Mask the gasket with painters tape on both ends to cover the coolant ports (both sides of gasket). Spray both sides of the gasket with Permatex copper spray and hang on a wire to dry for about 5 minutes, then apply a thin layer of Permatex water pump/thermostat sealer (small gray tube) directly to the coolant ports on the intake manifold and heads. We also used a small amount of black Permatex high temp RTV on both sides of the rubber end gaskets and a small glob in each corner.

All intake manifold bolts were installed with Permatex high temp thread sealer and torqued in several steps to a max of about 19 ft lbs.

David
 
David,

This is the conflicting info I was talking about. :eek:

Stop freaking me out :D

Can you give me more reasons to take all those extra steps?
 
Actually, after David mentioned it, this last time I did spray the gasket (both sides with the copper spray...no RTV except the corners though.

Other 3 times, I just installed the intake manifold gaskets dry.
 
I install the blue ones dry. I just use some high tack gasket adhesive to hold them in place to the heads. And of coarse black silicone at the corners of the rubber strips.
 
I install the blue ones dry. I just use some high tack gasket adhesive to hold them in place to the heads. And of coarse black silicone at the corners of the rubber strips.

I ditch the rubber end gaskets and use RTV on the China Walls... :eek:
 
I install the blue ones dry. I just use some high tack gasket adhesive to hold them in place to the heads. And of coarse black silicone at the corners of the rubber strips.

I have a couple old intake bolts that I've cut the heads off of and I use them as locating pins. Put the pins in, gaskets on, manifold on, then after a couple of bolts are in I take the pins out and put bolts in.
 
I have a couple old intake bolts that I've cut the heads off of and I use them as locating pins. Put the pins in, gaskets on, manifold on, then after a couple of bolts are in I take the pins out and put bolts in.

I did the same thing and cut a slot in each just in case I needed help removing them for some reason....first time, I thought I would be smart and do four - two for each side.....:rolleyes: That doesn't work...for some reason. :eek:
 
David,

This is the conflicting info I was talking about. :eek:

Stop freaking me out :D

Can you give me more reasons to take all those extra steps?

Ricardo,

It will probably work fine just bolting down the dry gasket, I just like to take some extra precautions to make sure there are no leaks if the motor gets hot or I jack the boost up. BTW, I did review this with DD before doing it. He agreed with everything except the need for using RTV on the top and botton of the rubber end gaskets.

It may be overkill, just like the thin coating of RTV I always put on the rocker cover gaskets and the Zipties I install on every vacuum hose connection....but my junk never leaks.

David
 
I have a couple old intake bolts that I've cut the heads off of and I use them as locating pins. Put the pins in, gaskets on, manifold on, then after a couple of bolts are in I take the pins out and put bolts in.

I've tried to do that too. But like Matt said it didn't work for me. Think I had them too long. If they were straight up and down would be no big deal.
 
Ricardo,

It will probably work fine just bolting down the dry gasket, I just like to take some extra precautions to make sure there are no leaks if the motor gets hot or I jack the boost up. BTW, I did review this with DD before doing it. He agreed with everything except the need for using RTV on the top and botton of the rubber end gaskets.

It may be overkill, just like the thin coating of RTV I always put on the rocker cover gaskets and the Zipties I install on every vacuum hose connection....but my junk never leaks.

David

David, I am with you. I ALWAYS put a THIN, I MEAN THIN, layer of silicone(ULTRA BLUE to be exact) around EVERY water port on both sides of the gasket on EVERY intake I work on. NEVER had a come back in all my years.
Also the dabs in the corner. I too use the Ultra Copper Spray, even on the blue gaskets, I don't mask off a certain area though. Spray the whole gasket on both sides.

2 trains of thought... to add or not to add?
My thinking is same as David... THIN silicone to ENSURE a seal, especially on used parts... fill the pitted areas around the water ports. HMMM pitted areas around water ports means... your old gasket WITHOUT the thin layer around it... LEAKED and trapped the coolant allowing it to RUST the head and intake! Think about it. lol
 
This is like the presidential race. No definitive. The pitted corroded look was with the RTV applied from my last installation. So I feel jaded using the rtv again.
 
HMMM pitted areas around water ports means... your old gasket WITHOUT the thin layer around it... LEAKED and trapped the coolant allowing it to RUST the head and intake! Think about it. lol

It seems inevitable that the paper (blue) gaskets would "leak", since the paper will wick some water around the actual built-in seal. Using RTV and/or copper spray to help fill imperfections is definitely a good idea if your parts are pitted at all.
 
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