Greg Rogers

Going to have to change the intake gasket (3rd time) on my 71 350. Had lots of problems with the felpro turkey tray.What recommendations you guys have?? I'm thinking of using the 4 piece type this time. Maybe using part of the old turkey tray as a shield to keep oil from the bottom of the intake (hot exhaust passage to carb) What do you think? I keep having a rough idle from a vacuum leak. Very frustrated...

DoubleV

I like the Mr. Gasket Ultra Seals ( MRG-4694G ) and use an old cut up turkey tray as a splash shield.

joe_padavano

Still never had a problem with the stock turkey tray gasket when installed properly.

jpc647

Can you be more specific?

I just ordered the Felpro gasket kit with the tray. Figured the tray was better than without, even with an aluminum intake.

joe_padavano

Olds used the tray gasket with aluminum W-30, W-31, A4, and A5 intakes with no problems. I've also used them with aftermarket aluminum intakes successfully.

The two tricks are 1) be sure to put a bead of RTV around each of the four water ports on both sides of the gasket, and 2) be sure that the locating features at the four corner bolt holes are correctly indexed in the recesses in the heads. This correctly locates the gasket on the long block and holds it in place while you drop the intake on. If these locating features are out of place, they get crushed by the intake, causing a leak path at the water crossover ports.

And of course, the gasket is not reusable. That question comes up every so often. The embossed beads around each port are distorted to seal when the intake is torqued.

captjim

I agree with Joe, used the stock gasket on several Edelbrock intakes without issue. Test fit the tray DRY! I like the brush on type sealer around the intake ports and the RTV around the water ports. Also, a thick bead on the end rails. Another tip; if using the stock intake (heavy) an engine hoist helps greatly to slowly lower it in position. I learned than on my 350 Buick.

oldcutlass

Or a friend, the proper vocabulary, and beer.

Greg Rogers

Talked to my friend who used to work at the engine plant back in the late sixties. He said they used to just push the turkey tray down with their hand and the on goes the intake- very imprecise and hap hazard but had very few problems. I also remember working on Olds V-8's back in the day and having no problems. When I went thru this engine in '97 I changed the intake gasket with no problems. Last year I broke a valve spring and decided to change cam,etc. I put the intake back on by myself and had a massive vacuum leak. Took it back off and found on of the locater tabs was smashed, as Joe said. So I made sure that didn't happen. I found that 3 of the locators would seat but the 4th one would not. If I moved it I could get that one to seat but then another one would pop out. This time I had help from my buddy who used to work at the engine plant, years ago. We came to the conclusion that the turkey trays were a little off- Maybe made in Mexico or China now.... I asked about it on the site back then and some of the guys mentioned issues they had also. Anyway I ground off 1/2 of one of the locators and put it on with his help and all seemed OK. Well now I am trying to get the car to run right now after getting the a/c fixed and couldn't believe it was a vacuum leak but it is. I think I like your idea, doubleV. Was thinking about doing that. Thanks for your responses, guys.

joe_padavano

I've had this same problem with aftermarket gaskets, and used the same solution. Worked fine, but you do need to be careful about getting the intake in place.

Greg Rogers

Well, a buddy and I ended up drilling and tapping the intake manifold and installing a sheet metal shield below the exhaust/carb heat passage so I could use gaskets that were made for a aluminum intake manifold. The gaskets didn't have the holes for the heat crossover so I cut them. I was going to thread the holes in the lifter valley to attach a shield like I heard some 330's had but decided messing with the block and getting metal shavings in there was risky. I used Permatex Ultra Grey on the end walls.All seems Ok- no more vacuum leak. Going to get back on it in a few days and get it all sorted out.

DoubleV

Nice job on your shield but to be honest that seems like alot of work considering the tried and true method of just installing an old turkey tray with the port openings cut off.

joe_padavano

As opposed to the factory-style gasket that was used under hundreds of thousands of aluminum intake manifolds...

(Count 'em - W30s, W31s, EFI 350s in Sevilles, 260s, 307s. Of course, then there's the turkey tray intake gasket used under the aluminum intakes on the 750,000 215s that GM built, as well as the ones Rover built. The number is actually WELL over a million.)

s i 442

I never even gave it a thought about what the factory aluminum intakes used!

Greg Rogers

That was what I originally was going to do, though I couldn't figure out how to keep the old tray in there-as in how to locate it. BUT.. you have to know my friend... he is a perfectionist. He knew this was all going to be inside of a engine and wouldn't ever be seen. But anyway I sure appreciate his help. How do you tell someone to chill out and not go overboard after you have asked their opinion on a problem? I think the beers we had also made it all happen. Well anyway it is done and I hope works ok.

TripDeuces

My head hurts................

Greg Rogers

ok

Greg Rogers

Mine did....

my71olds

So if the intake gasket is not put on correctly what symptoms would you see? white smoke from the exhaust? We are trying to figure out if we did this. Thanks

brown7373

Have the heads ever been resurfaced or machined to increase compression? Doing that also requires the intake surfaces to be cut down so the surfaces remain parallel.

olds 307 and 403

The Ultraseal 3 intake gaskets won't fit with my performer intake on an uncut bone stock 350, not pleased. I usually go factory turkey tray, super easy to install and stays where it should. Guess what I am going back to, the turkey tray.