66 Barracuda 273 Intake Manifold options?

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Sellingthewind

Sellingthewind

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Hello dudes!
I am having a hard time finding a replacement intake manifold for our 66 Barracuda.

273 2bbl.

I saw a couple threads mentioning a few including the Edelbrock LD4B manifold, but that doesnt appear to be a direct swap. I like the thought of upgrading, but were are trying to remedy a thermostat flange leak.

Thank you all
 
Can you post a picture of where the leak is? May be able to fix it without replacing the intake. Might not even have to remove it.
 
Sellingthewind said:
Hello dudes!
I am having a hard time finding a replacement intake manifold for our 66 Barracuda.

273 2bbl.

I saw a couple threads mentioning a few including the Edelbrock LD4B manifold, but that doesnt appear to be a direct swap. I like the thought of upgrading, but were are trying to remedy a thermostat flange leak.

Thank you all
Click to expand...


The LD4B will swap directly on and is a great manifold... It is made for the 66 and later 273/318 heads with the standard intake manifold bolt diameter and angle....

The D4B is made for the special angle and diameter 64-65 273...
 
yes the LD4B IS a direct swap for your manifold and will really wake up that 273. The LD4B was specifically designed for the 66 273 ( before an LA 318 was even offered). The only modification needed is that there is no provision for bolting the stock coil bracket to the manifold so you either have to mount a universal coil bracket to the firewall, or use the coil bracket for a 340 six pack which is offered widely. The latter solution requires a bit of minor massaging to the bracket which mounts under the back two intake bolts on the passenger side.
 
Rick@Laysons said:
Probably got more to do with the thermostat housing as opposed to any issues with the intake manifold....
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply!
We have been through 4 housings in the past 2 years. It has leaked since we got the car a couple years ago.

When we removed the first housing, there was a ton of corrosion on both the mating surface of the housing and the manifold. There is a bunch of pitting and no amount of silicone helps seal this.
 
As suggested, here are some photos
jhMk4aL.jpg

0IsxHOr.jpg
 
This will stop the leak.

Thermostat Housing Gasket

Install EXACTLY per the manufacturers directions

My intake looks exactly like like yours. I bought an aftermarket repo t stat housing
And have not had a drop of coolant in 4 to 5 years 16 lb cap.

ALSO...

be sure the screw holes in the block are clean. Screw the bolts in and they should be able to screw in and bottom on the head before the bottom of the hole.
 
Dana67Dart said:
This will stop the leak.

Thermostat Housing Gasket

Install EXACTLY per the manufacturers directions

My intake looks exactly like like yours. I bought an aftermarket repo t stat housing
And have not had a drop of coolant in 4 to 5 years 16 lb cap.

ALSO...

be sure the screw holes in the block are clean. Screw the bolts in and they should be able to screw in and bottom on the head before the bottom of the hole.
Click to expand...
Awesome, thanks so much. I was wondering if there was a silicone / rubber gasket.

I really appreciate it.
 
Looks like you have the A/C version of the thermostat cover and radiator hose. Just an observation, it should still seal and work. I tend to like the stock non-A/C cast iron cover myself. Back to the subject, I found a sealer that works great on leak prone covers. If anyone has chased one on a PT Cruiser, you know what I mean. I found a tube of a sealer made specifically for sealing thermostat covers and water pumps....I believe it is made by Permatex....I can't seem to put my hand on it at the moment. Anyway, that did the trick and I haven't had a leak since. I've also used it on those leak-prone chromed thermostat covers with good results. If I run across that sealer, I'll update this post.
 
Lots of times it’s the gunk in the bottom of the bolt holes causing the bolts not to thread in quite far enough. The housing may not be as thick as the factory one u removed. If that gasket Dana posted doesn’t seal it I’ll be very surprised. Kim
 
In 50 years I have never replaced an intake for a stat-house leak...... But I tend to run 7psi caps, the Heater-cores and hoses last so much longer; decades, and sometimes several decades even.

Get a fat aluminum housing and file it flat. Make sure the receiver step for the stat is deep enough. I install studs into the manifold, with fine-thread up top, then use the load-spreading washers from the slanty intake/exhaust manifold applications, and fine-thread nuts.
Done as above with a 7psi cap, I have used greased Cornflakes cardboard for a gasket.
I wouldn't give a nickle for the steel stat-housings.
 
Last edited:
AJ/FormS said:
In 50 years I have never replaced an intake for a stat-house leak...... But I tend to run 7psi caps, the Heater-cores and hoses last so much longer; decades, and sometimes several decades even.

Get a fat aluminum housing and file it flat. Make sure the receiver step for the stat is deep enough. I install studs into the manifold, with fine-thread up top, then use the load-spreading washers from the slanty intake/exhaust manifold applications, and fine-thread nuts.
Done as above with a 7psi cap, I have used greased Cornflakes cardboard for a gasket.
I wouldn't give a nickle for the steel stat-housings.
Click to expand...

thanks a lot for this, i got the factory intake milled and its still seeping a little. Im thinking something else is up here.
 
Hey all!
You all have been a huge help. I ended up getting the factory manifold milled flat at a machine shop. The Housing still leaks a very tiny bit. Funny thing, when i took the new housing off (after i found how bad it was leaking when i made this post), the housing was warped. I filed that flat after having the manifold milled.

Now that its only leaking slightly, I may tackle this after it gets slightly worse, its only seeping right now.

I may do the method AJ/FormS stated. "7psi cap and studs in manifold" also the Thermostat gasket that Dana67Dart linked.
 
Try running a bottoming tap in the intake holes, then screw the bolts in to see if the distance between the bottom of the bolts & the top of the intake leave enough room to compress the housing gasket. Just a shot in the dark for you.
 
Demonracer said:
Try running a bottoming tap in the intake holes, then screw the bolts in to see if the distance between the bottom of the bolts & the top of the intake leave enough room to compress the housing gasket. Just a shot in the dark for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks, thats one area I admittedly have been neglecting. I may go get one of those bottom tap sets later today.
 
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