viper771

Since I have some time I figured I would finally do this project. I noticed the other day the thermostat housing is also leaking antifreeze out, and the intake has had antifreeze leaking out around one of the bolt holes. That is prob one reason why the exhaust smells so bad when the car is running, and the vac leaks I am having are most likely coming from the bad gasket... I just see a lot of sealer around everything, and I suspect that there may be no gasket at all!!! I have my shop manual and read though it.. but ANY extra advice would be great.

What kind of sealer should I use? Do I have to put it on the bolt threads (you know how shop manuals are specific about certain things with certain sealers etc)... I have the metal gaskets by the way. I HOPE this solves a lot of problems I have been having with the car. I still hope to get it on the road soon

So thanks in advance for any advice!!!!

Don R.

I've never actually done the intake on a 394 but have done many others. Take photos of how everything is hooked up before you start disassembly. Drain the radiator. Carefully remove the carb, trans linkage, coil, wiring, and power steering pump brackets. remove the upper radiator hose and disconnect the upper heater hose. If you have an AC car you will have to carefully move the compressor and alternator brackets to expose the manifold. Pull off the manifold (Heavy!) and keep track of where all the bolts go. Remove thermostat housing and old thermostat.


Stuff paper towels in the ports and clean all the gasket surfaces really well then use a vacuum cleaner to be sure no crud is left inside. Inspect the gasket surfaces for cracks or corroded areas, a new gasket won't fix any of that. Plan on replacing your thermostat and maybe your hoses while you have it all apart. Also check to see if your valley cover is leaking oil, now is the time to do that gasket too if it is.


I have always used Permatex Aviation Form-a-Gasket Sealant Liquid for pretty much everything. Brush it on in a thin but even layer and cover the entire gasket sealing surface. Carefully lower the manifold back on, thread in all the bolts and torque to factory specs, there should be tightening pattern in the FSM, usually from the center outwards to the ends alternating on both sides. Take this opportunity to paint everything before you reassemble. Good luck!

viper771

Do you do both sides of the gasket? Ill have to get more supplies i think. I have a new heater core to install too. Now do i have to put sealant around the bolts too? Thanks for the advice. The engine is more orange than red so it really all needs repainted..

viper771

I got it off!! I do have some questions though. I found a port that I didnt know about under the intake (see pict my thumb is pointing toward it). My car was an orig a california car and I suspect it is a part of the orig 1962 PCV system but not sure. I plan on putting a PCV system back on, but a later one from 63 since I have that type of aircleaner. Since this port was open, I suspect that this added to my vac. problems I was having with the car.

Also, do the heads have extra bolt holes toward the front that nothing screws into? I found one where the temp sender is on the pass side, and the drivers side the intake is just solid there, but there is an open bolt hole under it.

While the intake is off, I plan on redoing the thermostat, change out the heater core, put in new water pump, and prob paint the engine. How hard is it to paint the engine while it is in the car? I have never attempted that before but I have seen it done.

I didn't see any tube for the heat riser. I thought they usually rot out or there was a physical tube under the intake but I didn't see anything. Info on what I am missing there would be helpful as well..

But at least I am finally moving forward. One most question.. some of the bolts that look new are much shorter than some of the orig bolts (say for instance the thermostat cover, one new bolt is shorter than the old bolt).. and where the shorter bolt was located is where i had a lot of leakage. If I get new bolts, do they have to be grade 8?


Sorry for all the questions but this is a new undertaking for me. thanks in advance

Don R.

Oldskeeper

OK Martin, the tube you are referring to in the picture is the end of the choke tube, it goes through the intake through the exhaust cross over passage.
There are unused bolt holes in the intake,allowing for air brackets, just like the head bolts have a threaded section that is used for options.
I would use the correct length bolts and the correct grade (8 will work just fine)
Like Don said, clean all surfaces and stuff paper towel in the ports to block them off from the scrapings going into the heads or cooling system.
You will require a torque wrench to torque the bolts and a manual to see the process.
I clean the machined surfaces with brake cleaner before assembly.
I use a thin layer of gasket sealant on the steel gaskets both sides and thread sealer on all of the bolts as some go into cooling ports and some don't.
After scraping the surface of the heads and intake I check the for deflection by using a steel ruler and feeler gauges to see how much there is.
If it is only a couple of thousands .001 then the gasket and sealant should be fine.
FOLLOW THE MANUAL FOR TORQUING!!!!!!
and you should be fine.
Martin are you going to the nationals in Cincy this year?
Do you need any of the parts I have here for your updating the breather?
let me know
Steve

viper771

Hey guys thanks for the info!! I didn't think that was the choke tube... I guess I was thinking it looked like something else lol. It looked more like a port to attach a rubber hose to (see pict). So I dont have to plug that up at all then, since it is just a heat capillary tube right?

I have manuals upon manuals for all cars I have or have had (see pict).. they just don't contain certain things (like the length of the bolts) or the tricks people have learned over the years that help supplement what the manuals tell you.

I am not sure why the intake was leaking so bad toward the front. The bolts I took out of the front were shorter than the ones toward the rear, but they looked like the orig bolts. They had sealer on them too when this newer gasket was put in.. but yet on the pass. side anti freeze was leaking out around one, and on the drivers side I did the spray carb cleaner trick around the intake... Sure enough, the RPM would rev up indicating a leak there

The only other bolts I do want to change are for the thermostat housing, one older bolt was longer and bent.. the other was new but way shorter... and it was leaking for that side. I will figure it out and get things going. It will be nice to have this car working like it should. I am going to take out the heat riser valve too since I am quite sure it is frozen shut. With the single exhaust I have on it now (I have no idea why anyone would put single exhaust on a SF), it causes a lot of heat problems.

But I will keep everyone updated Thanks for the input. I hope to check out the olds nationals since cincy is just 45 mins from me. At least 2 ppl who are going are going to stop by to see my 442 that I have for sale who are going to the olds nats too. What kind of parts do you have steve?

Oldskeeper

Martin, one thing to do before assembly is clean out the blind holes and run a bottoming tap to make sure all the bolts don't bottom out on crud at the bottom of the holes.
As far as parts go I was thinking the PCV valve and hose to the breather, is your breather a 63?
We will be in Cinncy for Wednesday and we will be leaving on Saturday afternoon.
What parts are you looking for?

viper771

I need to get a set of taps to clean threads. I have never heard of a bottoming tap. I will have to look into that! As far as I know the engine has never been apart, so it could have crud all built up. I will look into that though and I appreciate that!.

Look at the pict of my aircleaner.. I think it is for a 63? I am not sure what I need. I think they repop just about all the pieces I need. I was just going to throw the PCV valve where the downdraft tube is now, and just run a hose from it to the aircleaner and clamp her down.

I am still trying to find an orig oil filler cap though (the chrome pinwheel one). I still have options I need to install like the remote trunk release The only thing I need to really do on the inside is put in a headliner. I have the orig boards (they are kind of warped) and sail panels.. but I haven't gotten that far yet. See the picts

I will have to check out the nationals for sure. I hope I can since I always miss out on the car shows!! Are you bringing any cars down?

Oldskeeper

Martin, the breather you have is a 63, I'll bring the hose and a good PCV for you.
I'm not bringing any cars this year, hopefully next year in Milwaukee we will be able to bring some thing.
I would think you should be able to find one at the Nationals,I saw a couple last year so this year there should be a couple of oil filler caps.

viper771

I will def try to make it then and see what I can find! I hope to sell my 442 here soon. I have my eye on another car

hurstoldz

I know this is an old thread, but, did you decide to keep the pcv hooked up? If not, does your car have a base plate under the carb with a vacuum port sticking out straight towards the front of the car?

viper771

My car is a California car but the orig pcv stuff under the carb was already missing when I got it. I have a 63 or 64 starfire air cleaner and I'm going to use the pcv setup for those years since easy to find the valves.

hurstoldz

OK cool... thanks!