Intake manifold leaking oil after rebuild

FurryWrecker911

SCCoA Member
In the quest to replace my motor mounts (That I told myself I wouldn't start until April but here we are. lol) I noticed my brand new water pump had what looked to be oil baked onto it. Taking the cell phone and jamming it underneath the thermostat revealed that the intake manifold is leaking all over the place. I'm now stuck here trying to figure out what I could have done wrong.

The Fel-Pro instructions said to lay the blue gaskets down along the engine block with the U-shape downward, then put a dot of the pre-packaged black gasket former along each of the 4 corners which will spread out when compressed. I did torque everything, and yes I did the star pattern, and yes I checked twice.

I don't know if it makes any difference, but the intake manifold bolts needed the breaker/cheater bar treatment and an impact wrench to take out when I had it all apart 2 years ago. I had read that they are reusable, but I'm vaguely curious on if anyone else has had the same amount of fuss taking them off.

Any ideas on how I botched this up? Better yet, any ideas on what to check when I get the supercharger and fuel rails back off of it again?
 

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Did you put a dot of RTV under the gasket corners too?

How I always did it was the dots first, on the corner of the head and the block, then put the gasket in so that a little RTV was both under and ontop of the gasket.
 
Intake manifold bolts always come out hard as a few of the threads also travel down into coolant passages if memory serves me. Makes them always gummed up with dirt,grime, and coolant residue. I always hit them with the wire brush on the bench grinder prior to reinstalling. Threads are always caked making them a bear to remove.

On the intake I always put a generous amount of RTV on the corners. Usually using more than what fel pro supplies with the gaskets in the tiny tube. Never had one leak and never trusted the little amount they suggest.

Granted it sucks to re-do... everything should be easy to remove at this point. Also may want to check the bolts as well. I've had them loosen up after a few heat cycles of the engine.

-Tim
 
Did you put a dot of RTV under the gasket corners too?

How I always did it was the dots first, on the corner of the head and the block, then put the gasket in so that a little RTV was both under and ontop of the gasket.
On the intake I always put a generous amount of RTV on the corners. Usually using more than what fel pro supplies with the gaskets in the tiny tube. Never had one leak and never trusted the little amount they suggest.

-Tim

Thaaaaat's probably where I messed up. I went in with the former knowledge of trying not to double-gasket things and actively avoided letting the gasket maker and the replacement gaskets from touching too much, and I was lite with how much I applied. I even remember thinking "wow, there's a lot left over in this tube."

Thanks fellas. The only way to proceed now is to break out the mini impact and sockets and get to work on it this weekend.
 
Came home from work late tonight, parked the motorcycle, threw the Supercharger on the workbench and finally got a good look at what I'm dealing with before getting dinner. Our problem child is in the bottom right of the image, though it seems like we have a stain in the top right too. No idea what that's about, but I guess I'll find out once I get this off this weekend.

By the way, am I gonna need to order new intake and plenum gaskets?
 

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Well, IMHO, your mistake was using the end gaskets AT ALL...
I immediately file those in nearest trash can. NEVER had anything but azz ache from those, 5.0 3.8 cork rubber, just all seam to want 2
"squeeze" out.

What I do instead is use a sharp center punch to "ping" a line of marks on both block and intake china wall surfaces (same as if center punching 4 drilled hole location) approx 1/4 inch apart and run a THICK (1/4 inch+) bead of RTV (LOVE permatex ultra black) along block b4 bolting intake down. The deformations from center punching give RTV alittle better grip. Makes cleaning surfaces on NEXT change more difficult, but that is BECAUSE it is better adhered to surfaces...

NEVER had this method fail.

Adam

P.S. YES u need new gaskets. Once they have been compressed, ya need 2 replace. Again, IMHO. Others may say if not fired, or only together so long, or MAYBE on this one, in a jam between rounds at a race (???). I won't take the chance
 
OH. I also put a thin skim of RTV around the coolant passages on BOTH sides of intake gaskets.

Adam
 
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