Hello!

I'll start off by informing you that I am an amateur, and a stupid one at that. With that out of the way, when I swapped over to a 4-barrel manifold on my '71 Supreme (350cui) I made the mistake of not only putting black RTV gasket maker on the main seals but also around the ports (thinking this wouldn't hurt) and created a vacuum leak a year down the road. Keep in mind there is a metal turkey tray gasket in there as well.

I am currently trying to correct this error but I cannot get the manifold off. I've been using a 3-ton cherry picker pulling from a carb plate and have had no luck. I have removed everything from the manifold and in front of it, except the oil fill tube, to cut out the RTV on the main seals that I can get to. I have the bolts just barely loose in case that if it finally gives, it doesn't rip out the distributor. I am at a loss and open to any suggestions.

Thank you,

Clay

 

The should be a bump that sticks out around the thermostat housing. Use a pry bar underneath and lever it up .

 

Go to about the 20 minute mark on this video I made you can see me lift it up in the manner I spoke of.

 

You can remove the intake with the distributor on. It's putting it on that is a pain with the distributor in place. With someone intakes it's easier than others.

 

We had to use plastic chisels, I think from Harbor Freight to get one stubborn one off, at both front edges and it finally popped, screwdrivers will mark up the intake and the rail of the block

 

I have never marked up a block or the intake using a prybar. You can use the prybar caps to avoid that too and use a rag on the block. You can also use a heat gun to help things a bit.

 

The picker lifting from the carb plate is pulling straight up, which distributes the load which is not good. You need to pry upwards one side to concentrate the force to break that area free, then “peel” the rest of it up.

 

 

Use a propane torch or a heat gun (not a hair dryer) to heat the manifold flanges all the way around. Use the torch slowly without concentrating the flame in any one place in order to soften the RTV. I know this may sound silly but carefully recheck your work to ensure that all the manifold bolts have been removed.

 

The RTV is sticking the intake to the block. Plastic wedges are the best way to do this. If possible, use an Xacto knife to slice the bead at the front of the intake to the block. That will help. Once you get it started, keep prying. The trick is to start at one corner and pry your way up. You aren't going to break it loose with a straight up lift from an engine hoist. And don't be too gentle; if that's an iron intake, you aren't going to hurt it. Of course, I ASSUME you do, actually, have all the bolts out. I would not use heat.

 

I just pulled a stock iron 4 bbl someone did that to, no ill effects like vacuum leaks. It took a pretty good pry to remove with a bar. You still use the RTV around the 4 corner water ports. I use Permatex Aviation sealant, Edelbrock's Gaskasinch is the same, I believe, on both sides of the intake gasket. As said, especially in this case it will need help with a pry bar, just remove the bolts, it needs to twist to come up. I almost never remove the distributor doing an intake on car, this isn't a chebby.

 

With the way he is trying to remove it, yeah it might be a casualty. Like I said, it takes a good sideways pry, especially when someone RTV's the ports and mine was done some years ago, still the hardest one I have removed. Hopefully you didn't use the high torque grey RTV, that stuff is very rigid. They used that on mine, only a tiny bead, thank goodness.

 

you said you had the bolts loose but still in.REMOVE the bolts.remove the lift plate and pry from the front of the intake,it will come loose.

 

Thank you all for the help. I just moved across the country and don't have access to the menagerie of tools my father and grandfather collected over the years so I need to pick up some pry bars. Tonight I will take out the bolts and the distributor and start prying from the front of the manifold. I will update with progress!

Clay

 

Vintage,



Is it okay to put force on this edge or should I be wary? Is this the spot you recommend placing the hunk of wood?

Thank you,
Clay

 

I would still suggest a non-metallic wedge in between the intake and the head at the front, starting at one corner and working along the front to break loose the RTV at the front seal. I've used Permatex Ultra in this application and I definitely needed to do that to break the intake loose.

 

Permatex Ultra is what I used. I will continue to use it; but apply it correctly.

 

Success! Ran over to harbor freight and got a 30’ crowbar. I heated the front main seal and anything close to it, wedged a chisel in between the gap where a scraped out the RTV and lightly tapped it in until snug. Put the bar under the lip and it slowly pried loose eventually. Thanks everyone for the advice!

- Clay