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My turkey tray intake gasket failed and showed evidence of coolant escaping around one of the rear ports. Coolant got into the oil in unnoticeable amounts and burned the main bearings over time. Now that I am putting the engine back together I also noticed that one of the center ports shows signs of leaking as in pics. Looking for input on why this happened and how to avoid in the future. Also I'm thinking that composite gaskets might be better than the turkey tray since I've already had a problem sealing. Preferences and experience with both? Thanks!
1970 Cutlass S originally 2bbl 350 swapped for Edelbrock Performer aluminum intake. No machining done to heads or surfaces and intake sits squarely in the valley. Sorry the bad gasket is long gone. I wish I still had it to inspect.
It was put on about 8 years ago and it's been apart now for almost 4 so I don't recall everything that was done. But I do believe there was sealant on the gasket when I took it off, but it may have only been applied to coolant ports. Which obviously didn't work.
Yes I bought it new and put it on out of the box. And like I said, it sits straight on the engine. I know sometimes people have issues with intakes being a little out of square but this one seems fine.
#1 that is not a turkey tray gasket. There is no sealant put on the center ports, just the water ports on the end. The very center port that's leaking was the exhaust crossover, not an intake port.
#1 that is not a turkey tray gasket. There is no sealant put on the center ports, just the water ports on the end. The very center port that's leaking was the exhaust crossover, not an intake port.
You're telling me that the intake itself is not the gasket? Wow. You don't say?
If you actually read the initial post you'd see I DO NOT have the gasket, it's gone, in the garbage for years. I'm showing the ports on the intake so people can at least see where I was leaking. I hope that makes sense to you.
You're telling me that the intake itself is not the gasket? Wow. You don't say?
If you actually read the initial post you'd see I DO NOT have the gasket, it's gone, in the garbage for years. I'm showing the ports on the intake so people can at least see where I was leaking. I hope that makes sense to you.
Reading the entire thread is not a requirement for some. It's the noise which counts the most.
I replaced my stock OEM metal turkey tray intake manifold gasket w/ the same type metal turkey tray gasket about six months ago. I used Permatex 'The Right Stuff' sealant. Very happy w/ the sealant - pretty nice stuff, IMO. The turkey tray I thought was a better option to reduce the oil splatter to the bottom of the intake manifold even though there are two-piece gaskets available. No experience w/ composite gasket.
You're telling me that the intake itself is not the gasket? Wow. You don't say?
If you actually read the initial post you'd see I DO NOT have the gasket, it's gone, in the garbage for years. I'm showing the ports on the intake so people can at least see where I was leaking. I hope that makes sense to you.
This is what I thought that was on there by the picture, some use these in leu of the turkey tray. My bad, missed the part where the gasket was long gone. You can go either way using another steel shim type turkey tray or a fiber gasket. Using the fiber gaskets, you can block off that center exhaust cross over port. Either way throw away the rubber ends and use RTV on the front and rear walls. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/f...ake/oldsmobile
I've used both composite and metal tray numerous times. IMO its personal choice as to which one. I don't see an advantage to either one with aluminum intakes or cast iron ones. I've had both eventually leak at the one of the corners about every ten years or more. I don't use the rubber end seals ever. RTV instead.
I'll be replacing mine because it leaks at the front right corner in the upcoming weeks. I put this Torker on in 07 and used the mr gasket composites. This time around I'll be using the turkey tray and a Performer. I use RTV at the water ports and Permatex 3H on both sides of the turkey tray and/or the composite, on the intake ports.
I'll add that the Torker I'm removing has the cross over blocked with some thick stainless probably 12 or 14 guage. Most anything else will burn through. I used a dremel and recessed the crossover port in the intake, to accept this shim and be flush. I won't be blocking the cross over on the Performer this time. I'll probably go back to the hot air choke in place of the electric choke I'm currently using as well.
Try the composite gaskets, use RTV around both sides of the water ports and 3 layer tall beads on the end rails. I use the Turkey Tray or the shim gaskets with Permatex Aviation Sealant around the rest of the ports.
I have used only composition gaskets on the aluminum intakes on my engine (Performer 350 and Performer RPM). I liked the Mr Gasket Ultra Seal as it had a silicone sealing ring around each port but it has been discontinued for a while now. The "regular" composition gaskets work well, just be aware that the intake bolts need to be retorqued periodically until the gasket settles in. The thermal expansion of the aluminum intake crushes the gaskets a bit, which then leaves the bolts slightly looser than before. I had to retorque the bolts about once a month for 2-3 months.
If you use the metal style gasket (either turkey tray or two piece) should work fine as that is what the factory used on engines with aluminum intake manifolds. Just be aware that the seal is made by crushing the embossed rib around each of the ports so you have to get the gasket placed on the heads correctly, then lower the intake evenly to prevent disturbing the sealing surfaces.
The other thing I would like to add is to make sure and use a torque wrench on the bolts. The Edelbrock instructions say 25 lb ft which I think is a lot less than the factory specs ? When I did my Wifes 307 engine last year I was a little concerned with that but went ahead and did 25 lbs. I also retorqued the bolts after letting it sit overnight. I used aviation form-a-gasket on all of the ports, water and intake.
Do they make an Ultraseal with the additional beads around the ports for the 350? In the past they did not and I checked a couple places again they did not list for a 350, or does the big block Ultraseal fit the 350.
Do they make an Ultraseal with the additional beads around the ports for the 350? In the past they did not
Depends upon what your definition of "in the past" is. I have a spare hanging on the wall in my garage, so they definitely were available in the past, but were discontinued at some point.
June 8th, 2019 | 09:53 AM
