Edelbrock Intake Issue

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QUINN FORBES said:
My Performer 318/360 intake although crusty and old like me, does not have cooling passages in either sets of t stat housing bolt holes.
1st two photos show what toolmanmike is referring to with the machined pocked (stock t stat housing).
Not sure if the billet one has this provision.

Photos 3 & 4 show bottom of all t stat bolt holes cast closed off. I can not run my pick down through any of the 4 bolt holes.
I am still suspicious of the O ring system.
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Thanks for the clarification. The intake doesn't have a pocket so the thermostat housing must have one. I would carefully check where the o ring seals against the intake. That second set of threaded holes might be in just the wrong spot to cause an issue. Something worth checking for sure.
 
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Post #24 pics. Not getting how the smaller Chebby style stat will fit. It looks like it would fall in the hole, nothing to support it.
 
Bewy said:
Post #24 pics. Not getting how the smaller Chebby style stat will fit. It looks like it would fall in the hole, nothing to support it.
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The hole is smaller than you think, but there's precious room for error. On the '78-up cars, the smaller stat & housing were standard equipment. The 2176 and its EGR-equipped brother are the only aftermarket intakes of which I'm aware that work with all the factory axial-compressor brackets and attendant parts.
I swapped an internally-corroded 2176 onto an '84 Fifth Avenue. The previous owner of the intake was in FL and ran straight water, so the coolant passage had huge voids and the 'stat opening was fairly thin. My fiancée drove it for almost two years without issue, but the guy who bought it from us told me that the thermostat fell into the coolant passage about a year later. The 'stat flange had eroded that far--hence my "precious room for error" statement.
 
If using the old style (large) thermostat housing NAPA sells cast iron housings (maybe from Dorman?). I think they are less prone to warping. You might google Real Gaskets, an outfit in Tennessee that makes silicone gaskets. I haven't had much luck with some of ther stuff (valve cover gaskets), but their thermostat gasket is great - if you try them FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.
 
Not sure about the chevy t stat but …according to the chevy & ford guys posts ( not that I go on there) they have had alot of problems with the chrome t stat housings.
I think moparofficial is on to something in post #14.
Do a test and bench your chrome job for an ugly stock housing that your thermostat fits in. Go for a rip. Check for leaks.
 
Take your housing, a piece of sandpaper on a truly flat surface and “lightly” sand it flat in a random orbital motion ensuring you keep centralized downward pressure. Some sandpaper (adhesive backed preferably) on a hardwood block of wood and scuff up the intakes thermostat surface until you see a uniform finish.

I don’t use FelPro blue colored gaskets, use the thicker gray style. Use a skim coat of ultra black on both sides of the gasket, bolt it down and let it fully cure before refilling with liquids. I Never ever have any leaks, weeping etc no matter what intake, style of thermostat used. Never Ever.

Someone’s got leaks it’s because any number of reasons: the surfaces aren’t truly flat, uniform, clean, aren’t tightening the bolts evenly, to the right tightness, the bolts are bottoming out, not letting the sealant cure etc

If someone is installing an out of the box thermostat housing on an ootb intake without verifying flat surfaces, bolt length, proper sealant application (I’ve actually installed with no sealant, simply a dry gasket in some cases) and cure time they are not doing things right.

If one thinks they shouldn’t have to do additional “fixes” on these specific new parts well then just keep installing, filling, leaking, draining, removing, replacing until you find the “ones” Check, fix, install, done. The first time.
 
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MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Here's a little Mopar World secret for you ...
if the thermostat housing is Chrome.. it will not seal.
You'll have to surface all the chrome off the mating surface, 'scratch finish' and try again. Two times in my life I bought a chrome thermostat housing once when I first started out doing this...it leaked , I removed it. The other time about 15 years later when I forgot about the first time, it leaked and so I put an old rusted 1968 housing on after a wire wheeling...never leaked a drop.lol
Skip the fancy thermo housings and just clean up a stock one and paint it aluminum.
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So true, chrome won’t get you home! I avoid all chrome water necks and valve covers like the plague, just asking for issues
 
12many said:
Take your housing, a piece of sandpaper on a truly flat surface and “lightly” sand it flat in a random orbital motion ensuring you keep centralized downward pressure. Some sandpaper (adhesive backed preferably) on a hardwood block of wood and scuff up the intakes thermostat surface until you see a uniform finish.

I don’t use FelPro blue colored gaskets, use the thicker gray style. Use a skim coat of ultra black on both sides of the gasket, bolt it down and let it fully cure before refilling with liquids. I Never ever have any leaks, weeping etc no matter what intake, style of thermostat used. Never Ever.

Someone’s got leaks it’s because any number of reasons: the surfaces aren’t truly flat, uniform, clean, aren’t tightening the bolts evenly, to the right tightness, the bolts are bottoming out, not letting it dry.

If someone is installing an out of the box thermostat housing on an ootb intake without verifying flat surfaces, bolt length, proper sealant application (I’ve actually installed with no sealant, simply a dry gasket in some cases) and cure time they are not doing things right.

If one thinks they shouldn’t have to do additional “fixes” on these specific new parts well then just keep installing, filling, leaking, draining, removing, replacing until you find the “ones” Check, fix, install, done. The first time.



In all reality you are correct, the Gasket should be installed dry, just did this on my 99 Cherokee, no leaks.

True, new pieces need to be checked before use. I test for true and straightness on a sheet of glass, many brand new are not up to snuff.

The only ones I have ever fought with are small block Chryslers with aftermarket intakes, not sure why but this is the case. I tried dry gasket, thicker gasket, rtv, rtv and gasket, The "Real" gasket, etc. I finally bought the Billet Specialties o-ringed housing and it sealed. For me this is now the go to to save the aggravation.

I don't suggest by this post anything you have said to be incorrect, I just know I have struggled with this myself and it is exceedingly frustrating for what should be something very simple.
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@cpearce It’s probably safe to say we all have fought with this at one time or another. I did early on with the first few Mopars I’ve owned and have worked on for someone else where the thermostat housing was removed and reinstalled somewhere along the way. Almost all of them had slathered and smeared on red or blue silicone, bolts that were sometimes too long, miss matched, cranked down, and especially stamped housings that were deformed from over tightening. Pitting on the intakes mating surface as well. I used one of those smaller magnum sized Billet Specialties o-ring housings ootb on an M1 and it didn’t leak ever. Pretty sure that’s the only one (style) you can slap on and forget about it. Anything else I do as I mentioned earlier.
Here’s a new cheap cast aluminum housing for an LA that needed the flat surface sanding to make it uniform. It was not truly flat ootb.

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Just came back to this thread after a few days and appreciate all this info. Haven't had a chance to read through all the details but will do so this week when I get a chance to work on the car. Something here will most likely work so it's going to be trail and error at this point. On another note, the intake install instructions mention "do not use end seal gaskets." Is that really an issue if I use end seals instead of just a silicone bead?
 
I want to be clear what you are asking.
Do you mean the instructions suggest you don't use these I have “circled” ?
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And make sure you remove the locating pins in the China wall. I bet the aftermarket intake doesn't have holes for them.
 
No, the Edelbrock intake instructions says not to use them. Gasket set, which includes the end seals says nothing.
 
I know most say not to use them. The world won’t stop if you do or don’t. It’s easier without them, but I use them on the oem intakes, on anything else it’s a test fitting dry, how much from the wall rails to intake, checking if the port alignment will be good and making a determination.
 
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I didnt read every post, but the OP and his mech asked about "dual pattern".
I believe he's referencing the mount holes TO THE HEADS Those dual sets are for magnum or LA install.
Good luck
 
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Cool,
I just always used the front and rear gaskets with “goop” where they meet the intakes and to kinda hold the front/rear in place when dropping the intake in place, with not a problem.
Also heard of people just using rtv on front and rear also with no problem.
I never had the instructions in my hand so thats what surprised me that instructions say don't use.
Me learnded gooder.
 
str12-340 said:
If using the old style (large) thermostat housing NAPA sells cast iron housings (maybe from Dorman?). I think they are less prone to warping. You might google Real Gaskets, an outfit in Tennessee that makes silicone gaskets. I haven't had much luck with some of ther stuff (valve cover gaskets), but their thermostat gasket is great - if you try them FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.
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Great products and reusable to BOOT !!!!
 
str12-340 said:
If using the old style (large) thermostat housing NAPA sells cast iron housings (maybe from Dorman?). I think they are less prone to warping. You might google Real Gaskets, an outfit in Tennessee that makes silicone gaskets. I haven't had much luck with some of ther stuff (valve cover gaskets), but their thermostat gasket is great - if you try them FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

I've had 2 of the "Real Gaskets" blow out and make a hell of a mess, 2 gaskets, 2 separate occasions. It seems they do not like high flow stats.
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