Zeppelin967

so I've got what was a bone stock olds 455 with c heads. I have just finished rebuilding it... Back in the car and broke in the new camshaft... Heads were rebuilt to stock but with all new exhaust valves and hardened seats. New timing gear and all new valve train. The Cam is a voodoo 276/284 Adv. Duration... Like I said I broke in the Camshaft... And noticed a water leak on the front of the intake manifold... Guess the front gasket rolled... So I took it off and rtv'd the whole gasket... Replaced and no leaks but now it won't run correctly... The tack reads a big bounce from 750 - 1100 rpm... Timing is correct and on the right stroke. Will idle shortly and will soon die. Also have spark to all plugs... But the carb will burp on occasion... Upon dieing... After fiddling around it now will not rev very well Or at all... At idle You can hit the gas and you hear the carb suck but no rev.... I've become frustrated and angry... Been on this for three days.. Ive done everything I can possibly do that I can think of...

Oldsmaniac

Tough to diagnose this on a forum. Check for vacuum leak and things under dist cap. Is the ignition points? Plug wires on in correct order. Double check ignition timing. Go over basics.... Front intake gasket does not seal water... ?

Sugar Bear

Did it run ok before re-sealing the intake?

tru-blue 442

I'm wondering if he reused the old intake gasket.

Zeppelin967

Yes it did run and we'll... All wires are in order... And it does have points... I might have to adjust the contact on the points... There was a leak in the corner where the head meets the intake manifold... And the crappy rubber gasket in the front rolled... Herd it's a common issue... Solution in most cases was to remove crappy gasket and put a thick layer of rtv down... And then to rtv heavly around the water ports for the intake... I feel the problem is in the timing or distributor... I don't think it's the carb... Cuz once again it ran previously... The only thing that was removed since doing the intake was the distributor... But if the timing is correct and the firing order is right what else could it be? The points arnt making contact or too much contact? Pugs are new and gapped... Wires are new Ish... Not many miles but atleast 6months old... And cap is new. And the intake Valley pan gaskets is new... But has been torqued down and rtv'd three times... And yes cleaned each time

oldcutlass

Double check your dwell and timing. Spray carb cleaner around the manifold to head area and front and rear to make sure you don't have any vacuum leaks. You'll have a dramatic change in RPM if you find a leak with the spray.

cherokeepeople

what do you mean by rtv'ed the "whole" gasket.around all the ports or just the end ones.and did you reuse the gasket or use new ones??

Zeppelin967

I rtv'd the entire intake gasket just a bit around the intake ports And heavy around the water ports... The valley pan gaskets is a new gasket only 2 weeks old... By the time I had first start and took it off the intake to fix the leak was only a few days... And then re used the same valley pan gasket and added a bit of rtv to it as well... And then Reinstalled it

tru-blue 442

The valley pan gasket is designed to be used only once. It is a crush gasket.
My best guess is you may have multiple vacuum leaks around the intake.

Zeppelin967

I was beging to think that myself... I'll get a new one tomorrow... And see if that helps... I hope it works... Because I'm beside myself going nuts.... Because I know the car better than that...

Sugar Bear

Use a torque wrench and follow the tightening sequence. Rather certain you are on to the problem. Good luck and keep us posted!

Fun71

FYI, the front rubber seal has nothing to do with the water ports. If you had a water leak it was not due to the rubber seal rolling - the water leak would be from the ports on the intake gasket.

joe_padavano

I'm confused. If the intake gasket has been torqued down more than once, it is not new. The gasket is one-use-only. The raised beads around each port deform when torqued down to make the seal. Once deformed, it cannot be reused. Get a new gasket. RTV around the four water ports on both sides of the gasket. Ensure the four locating bosses fit into the holes in the heads. Torque per the CSM. That's all you have to do. You cannot re-RTV and reuse the gasket.

Zeppelin967

Thanks you guys... I did not realize that the valley pan gasket was a one use wonder... And I realize the front rubber gasket rolling has nothing to do with the water ports... But still rolled and was most likely to cause an oil leak and I know I needed to rtv the water port... So I rtv'd them both... Sorry for the confusion... Again I rebuilt this block myself... I understand each function of the gaskets... Just didn't realize some were one use wonders.

mrhotrod

you are using a stock iron intake with that also right ? the valley pan is designed for the stock intakes and one time use yes. if you have an aluminum intake of some type you should be using gaskets instead of the pan.

cherokeepeople

if you use a fel-pro the intake/valleypan gasket comes with a small tube of rtv to use on the water ports.and they used to come with a small brush and a tube of hi-tack for use around all the intake ports.

Zeppelin967

new valley pan solved the issue... Thanks guys...

tru-blue 442

Glad you figured it out.