Edelbrock oil leak. Finally figured out why!

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416stroker

416stroker

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I've been having a little oil leak with my Edelbrock Rpm intake and it was bugging me because I was so careful to make sure I had a nice full even bead across the front and the darn thing still leaked out of the right front corner. So I pulled it off and after looking closer I figured out why. I posted pics to show it. SB LA engine blocks have the wide casting at the ends of the rail on the front especially on the right side and the factory intake matched that pretty well and of course then we used end seals. Well Edlebrock never added any extra material in the corner on their casting to fill in that area. You can see where the head and the block come together and there is that little opening where the block drops off. The intake sealing surface goes straight across to the end of the block and doesn't curve around quite enough to cover that opening completely. Even if end seals were used, there would be nothing on the intake side to squish against and make a good seal. I marked the intake to show the area that needs to be filled in so the RTV will squish between the intake and block and make a good seal. You can see in the picture where the intake lays on the block and there is just one tiny little area (arrows) where you won't have contact suface with the intake and sealant to the block to make a tight seal, and oil seeps by that spot. So it looks like I will have to get the intake filled in around that corner area so that it will seal. So if any of you guys are having trouble with oil seepage in this area and wonder why, check out your intake the next time you have it off and you might have the same thing going on that I have. The rear of the intake is matched up really good to the block and never leaked at all and seals great! Both corners had plenty of surface area to squish between the block and intake.

Just a heads up in case you're having oil leaks on the front end.
 
Thanks! Ya know, the funny thing is that the Air Gap I had, never leaked there! Maybe it had a bit more material in that spot than this one has?? Who knows...Maybe I'll send Edelbrock and email with "pictures" and let them know that they need to make some changes to the mold. Second thought...they probably wouldn't pay any attention to me. But I still might.
 
Great find. I wish I had known before I installed my intake (haven't run it yet). Looks like somebody once used a screwdriver to pry off the intake. Nice, clean engine, and wish I had your roller lifters.
 
Very interesting, and Nice catch. It wouldnt surprise me if they do want to see pics. I dont think it's common, but that's definately a casting goof.
 
416stroker said:
Thanks! Ya know, the funny thing is that the Air Gap I had, never leaked there! Maybe it had a bit more material in that spot than this one has?? Who knows...Maybe I'll send Edelbrock and email with "pictures" and let them know that they need to make some changes to the mold. Second thought...they probably wouldn't pay any attention to me. But I still might.
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You should get on that.You never know,they might be gratefull for the help!

I've emailed companies with lists of suggestions for parts needed,mods to parts I've bought that didnt quite fit,parts that just plain didnt work at all. I've never had a bad reaction,but I cant say for sure that they followed up on any of it.
 
I emailed the pics to Dave at Edelbrock. He's the Tech guru in charge of product quality. Hopefully they'll make the change.
 
I called them yesterday and left one of their Techs a message re: my 340 and the way their carb is running really rich. Have yet to hear back.
 
Good luck! I hope they get back to you. Nothing worse than waiting for a tech person to call you back.
 
Nice looking ports on the "baby blue???" stroker intake. Like the way the rollers ride on the cam also.
 
Are you going to modify the intake in that area to solve the problem or use a different manifold? I would think you could fill in that area by welding and grinding it flat, or use some JB weld or epoxy.
 
I spoke to one of the local engine guys who's been around a long time doing motors and he recommended using JB Weld as apposed to welding in some material and risking warpage. He said I could have a piece machined also and then tap in some tiny machine screws to hold it in, but the JB was the easiest to do. So that's what I did and it turned out pretty good actually. Havn't installed the intake yet, but the JB Weld did the trick!!

@skips dart...thanks!
 
Good catch. I have had quite a few Eddy's and never ran into that problem, although I make sure and get the corners sillyconed real well.
 
I've always made sure like you, to really lay down a good bead in the corners and this is the first time that I had one do this. Who knows if the factories are really doing that much quality inspections of the molds before using them and product goes out the door. I hope Edelbrock takes a good look at the pictures I sent them and makes a change to the mold so this goes away. Maybe they use multiple molds and this one slipped by the final inspection process before they started using it. Who knows??
 
There are some well known casting issues with various brands of manifolds - for instance, Weiand Xcelerator manifolds for Ford Cleveland motors very rarely seal properly and need decking and port matching to work. This has been reported to them many times and as far as I know it hasn't been fixed.

How does JBWeld stand up to heat? Would hate to end up with a piece in the motor..
 
I was told 400 degrees before any softening begins. My friend Bob Snyder @ Snyder Race Engines says he's used it for years in his race engines for bonding lifter valley screens to the block and has never had any issues with it coming loose or melting so I guess that convinced me to give it a try. But he also said that there are two different types of JB Weld. He said not to use the quik set 5 minute stuff as it isn't as good. Get the type that takes 24 hours to fully cure.
 
Let us know what Edelbrock says about it. I'm curious as to their response. So many other companies won't even respond to you about problems or if they do they play stupid like no one else has ever had that problem. ARP comes to mind there with the main stud issue where it takes modification to clear the oil pump on small blocks. I know for fact several guys have called them and voiced their complaint and they (ARP) always play stupid like they've never heard of it before.
 
I'm curious too just to see if they will do anything. The only response I got back from the tech guy I emailed was, "how did you get my email address". I guess he feels like no "ordinary" regular outside guy should be able to get inside the company to his level to voice a concern.

I'll let eveyone know if he gets back to me or not or if he even challenges me on the "defect".
 
On mine, I just used Silicone. Until I saw this, I thought it was because I mis-laid the initial bead. I just applied some in the cavity where the manifold overhangs, by pointing the tube nozzle up in there, then "squished" it in there with my finger.

First time I ever had a leak with an intake on a SB Mopar
 
I know your pain! Oil leaks drive me crazy or crazier! I was ready to simply pull the intake and reaseal it because I figured I must have not got enough RTV laid down in the corners, but in the back of my mind, I knew that I had. It was just by chance that I caught this and then it all begun to add up. I feel good about the fix this time and I'm confident that it won't leak this next time around. Like I said, the rear sealed up perfectly, but that's because there was something to seal against. Good luck with your squishing it in the corner. I hope it holds for you.
 
416stroker said:
I'm curious too just to see if they will do anything. The only response I got back from the tech guy I emailed was, "how did you get my email address". I guess he feels like no "ordinary" regular outside guy should be able to get inside the company to his level to voice a concern.

I'll let eveyone know if he gets back to me or not or if he even challenges me on the "defect".
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Seriously,this was his response? I guess he's "above" the concerns of customers.

What an ***.It's amazing how self important some folks become,to the point of pettiness.

Personally it sounds like a cost cutting thing. Save a few ounces of alum here and there and it can add up to a ton of money.
 
Yeah, I was surprised that's all he said! No thank you for bringing this to our attention and I'll make sure we follow up on it or anything else. Nothing other than how did I get his email address!

I'm sure he has me blocked out of his email now!!
 
It could very well be a defective intake to. Just a hypothesis to throw out there. It may and it may not.
 
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