Intake manifold gasket installation help

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Bob Jasinski

Bob Jasinski

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I'm about to install the Fel-Pro intake manifold gasket in my '65 273. The instructions say to install plastic retainers in the second bolt hole from each end, do not apply sealant across the gaskets or seals but to apply a dab of the supplied RTV where the gaskets and seals meet.
Attached are pictures of the installation, does this look correct? Have not yet put on the dab of sealant in the corners.

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I normally put a light smear of sealer around the water crossovers (the 4 square ports on each end) to head off any weeping of coolant in addition to the sealer on the joints of the gaskets and seals. I also put a dab on the bolt threads- some are wet holes.
You'll have people tell you to ditch the cork end seals and just lay down a fat bead of RTV instead; which is okay, but as long as you're careful with the cork ones they'll work fine too. I've rarely had issues with them.
 
It looks like the blue plastic "holders keep the gasket in place. Not a bad idea. I guess the spray Hi-tac I use does the same thing. I like to dry fit the intake with the side gaskets to check the china wall gaskets. If there is a big gap you will need the cork end seals. If the gap is small just use black silicone. A nice even bead, install the intake, tighten the bolts making sure the sealer is touching all the surfaces and walk away until tomorrow. Leave you valve cover breather caps off. Silicone needs air to cure and leaving the crankcase exposed will help that along. I used silicone on my 273 end gaskets because the heads were milled as well as the intake surfaces so the intake sat a little lower than usual.

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Bob Jasinski said:
I'm about to install the Fel-Pro intake manifold gasket in my '65 273. The instructions say to install plastic retainers in the second bolt hole from each end, do not apply sealant across the gaskets or seals but to apply a dab of the supplied RTV where the gaskets and seals meet.
Attached are pictures of the installation, does this look correct? Have not yet put on the dab of sealant in the corners.

View attachment 1715792392 View attachment 1715792394 View attachment 1715792395
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It's not necessary but if you got yourself a can of gasket cinch made by Edelbrock you can paint the head side of that gasket and the intake face of the head ,wait for it to tack up... and then stick it onto the head using the locators... then just use a little rvt on the face of each water crossover 'intake side' only unless you have pitted heads, then put some on before the gasket is set ...and of course a dollop in each corner and under the cork.
 
I don't recommend any sealer on Teflon gaskets, but, where they meet the cork gaskets for sure needs a bead of RTV black. I also coat the cork end gaskets with CopperCoat....on both sides.
 
toolmanmike said:
I like to dry fit the intake with the side gaskets to check the china wall gaskets. If there is a big gap you will need the cork end seals. If the gap is small just use black silicone. A nice even bead, install the intake, tighten the bolts making sure the sealer is touching all the surfaces and walk away until tomorrow. Leave you valve cover breather caps off. Silicone needs air to cure and leaving the crankcase exposed will help that along. I used silicone on my 273 end gaskets because the heads were milled as well as the intake surfaces so the intake sat a little lower than usual.
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This plus if your using an aftermarket intake and/or aftermarket valve covers fit those too, as they will interfere and need clearance.
 
cudamark said:
I don't recommend any sealer on Teflon gaskets, but, where they meet the cork gaskets for sure needs a bead of RTV black. I also coat the cork end gaskets with CopperCoat....on both sides.
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You are not to use sealer on those blue Fel-Pro gaskets. Only where the cork meets them.

The instructions say dry, some guy online says smear some sealer on them. I’ll go with the instructions from the folks that made them
 
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looks like 360 intake gasket on 273 head /I have seen these suck oil on the bottom of runner after a while
 
teringer said:
looks like 360 intake gasket on 273 head /I have seen these suck oil on the bottom of runner after a while
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Yup, those gaskets aren't matching the ports very well. What does your gasket set say on application? Which head castings are you using?
 
These are stock 273 heads, this is the gasket set the rebuilder used, and I am completing the build using it. Everything is stock including the intake manifold, don't know of any other set to use and am open to suggestions. I'm starting get concerned about the plastic locators, are they really necessary? Wouldn't the manifold bolts locate to gasket?
 
just look at your intake...you will see if there is room for them...if the face of the intake is totally flat then do not use them...show a pic of the intake surface...
 
Those plastic inserts don't hurt a thing even on aftermarket intakes without any relief in them. So, you have the 315 casting heads?
 
I used a little Hi-Tack on my 5.2 magnum (I used Fel-Pro gaskets) on the head side of the gaskets to help hold them in place until they were dry, before installing the intake. The plastic retainers can be removed after this. I also used the end gaskets supplied, with a bead of RTV where the intake & end gaskets. Never had an issue. Clean everything real good & USE GOOD GASKETS! It's worth the extra you spend on them.
 
The plastic insert is there to ensure that the gasket stays in place when you set the intake down. I don't use a gasket on the China walls as they have a tendency to squish out and leak. Instead I put down about 1/2 inch beads of permatex black oil resistant silicone, so far no leaks.
 
The intake does have the relief around the bolt holes. Starting to believe these are not the right gaskets to use. The engine gasket set is Fel-Pro FS 8553 PT-10. I looked it up and shows Plymouth Barracuda '68 to '73. Don't know why the rebuilder used this set. I'm going to order the Fel-Pro MS9935 intake set as shown on Rock Auto's site, and not use these. Evidently the lower end gaskets are the same but not the intake gaskets. I had a bad feeling about these, thanks for pointing out the fit issue, these are for a 340 or 360 it seems. I have stock 273 heads ending in 315.

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missing linc said:
The plastic insert is there to ensure that the gasket stays in place when you set the intake down. I don't use a gasket on the China walls as they have a tendency to squish out and leak. Instead I put down about 1/2 inch beads of permatex black oil resistant silicone, so far no leaks.
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Please explain what China walls are, not familiar with the term. Thanks.
 
Did ur gasket set come with the tin intake gaskets? If so they are the ones to use on the 273 small port heads and intake. The locators are made on the tin gaskets. Kim
 
I don't care what the instructions say, I always put a light coat of sealer (I use RTV) around the water ports on each side of the gaskets. I mean really, you want it to not leak the first time, right? A lot of times I agree with no sealer, because in some instances, the sealer will act as a lubricant and make the gasket "squirm" out from under what it's sealing, when you torque the part down. It's not possible for the intake gaskets to do that both by how they are made, and the fact they have bolts running through them to hold them in place. Which brings me to another point. You also need to coat the intake bolt threads with "some sort" of sealer (again, I use RTV), because the intake bolt holes go through to the under valve cover area of the head. With no sealer, oil will migrate up the bolt threads from crankcase pressure and puddle on the intake manifold next to the bolt heads and have you wondering where it's coming from. So seal the bolt threads, too. Just because the factory "didn't do it" doesn't mean it's a bad idea.
 
Bob Jasinski said:
These are stock 273 heads, this is the gasket set the rebuilder used, and I am completing the build using it. Everything is stock including the intake manifold, don't know of any other set to use and am open to suggestions. I'm starting get concerned about the plastic locators, are they really necessary? Wouldn't the manifold bolts locate to gasket?
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Use the locators and forget what bs instructions say.
I've always used sealer around the water crossovers n corners..and with those gaskets. The gasket cinch is just incase you don't have locators..so they dont move around...it's just like automotive contact cement. Its specifically for intake and water pump gaskets. Use it or don't. Who cares, it doesnt...It doesn't care what the gasket is made of either..
I've used that gasket predominately for decades for it's reusability when only glued to the heads, unlike paper that oil soaks and will delaminate.
 
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-315 heads are for 64-65, 273s with small, 59-64.5 cc closed chambers. (Measure the volume to help you determine what compression ratio you will end up with). Those give a higher compression ratio than open chamber heads. The small, stock valves, 1.78 and 1.50, are light weight, which is good for higher RPM. Of course they had adjustable rocker arms to go with solid lifters too. Those are desirable heads. Small port 273 intake manifold gaskets can be more difficult to find but I think the 318 have the same size ports.
Dry fitting is important so make sure any gaskets used are held in place while doing that. This will enable you to see how big the gaps are and even to stick a feeler gauge in to measure them. Then you can decide which gaskets you need or even if some surfaces need to be milled.
 
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Richard Sweet said:
-315 heads are for 64-65, 273s with small, 59-64.5 cc closed chambers. (Measure the volume to help you determine what compression ratio you will end up with). Those give a higher compression ratio than open chamber heads. The small, stock valves, 1.78 and 1.50, also have smaller diameter stems and are lighter weight, which is good for higher RPM. Of course they had adjustable rocker arms to go with solid lifters too. Those are desirable heads. Small port 273 intake manifold gaskets can be more difficult to find but I think the 318 have the same size ports.
Dry fitting is important so make sure any gaskets used are held in place while doing that. This will enable you to see how big the gaps are and even to stick a feeler gauge in to measure them. Then you can decide which gaskets you need or even if some surfaces need to be milled.
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They're all 3/8 stem.
 
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