MHENDERSON

Anyone had trouble with alumiunun intakes?I have put 2 differnt ones on and the both leak antifreeze.Do they make a thicker gasket?Does bead blasting hurt the intakes?

J-(Chicago)

Are the intakes new?
Have the heads been milled?

BIGJERR

Your not using that turkey tray steel gasket are you?

MHENDERSON

I did but Im going to use the 2 piece gasket today,try it again!

O.P.LARRY

Aluminum intakes are know to warp over time.Glass bead will not affect them at all

joe_padavano

And yet, the factory had no problems using the metal gasket with aluminum intakes...

BIGJERR

Now Joe you know as well as I do that the factory didnt always do it right.........If it isnt sealing there has to be a issue somewere......Composite gaskets are cheap and easy to get so i would use them,You feel free to use that big ole chunk of pressed steel I'll pass ................Jerr

Destructor

I used an ordinary composite Mr. Gasket on my Edlebrock intake, it lasted 7 or 8 years before the gasket blew out on the driver’s side rear coolant passage. My replacement gasket has lasted two years so far. Be sure to retork a few times. Also they must seat perfectly parallel. Use a good RTV sealer around the coolant passages. I also used Permatex sealer (the thin gooey stuff) around the intake ports. I’m sure the metal gaskets can be made to work but mine also leaked the first time I changed over to the aluminum and used the turkey tray. If it’s a big block there are gaskets available which utilize silicone beads around each port, get one of those. Unfortunately as far as I know no one makes a beaded gasket for the 350. I did buy a set of Mr. Gasket Ultraseal III and put them away for possible future use. Also the surfaces must be perfectly clean, use a good sharp gasket scraper and solvents or gasket remover.