[fiesta62]

hi, I have a 67 gto just installed a new edelbrock aluminium performer intake manifold, I use the blue felpro gaskets, with locktite gasket cement, but I am getting a slight leak around the water crossover,
I have tightened the bolts as far as I dare , they are already about 50ft pounds which is double what edelbrock recommends , I did all the usual cleaning it was spotless and used plenty of sealant so I find it very disappointing its leaking

I have read a few things about the felpro blue gaskets being too hard for aluminium , does anyone have any thoughts on what is the best gasket ?

I been looking at maybe the MR gasket ultra seal sold by summit, but it has the exhaust crossover blocked formed as part of the gasket which I think will burn thru in time so no sure about these......I use a metal plate over the exhaust crossover ports with the standard felpro gasket, but its leaking.... any thoughts please ?

[tinindian68]

I don't know if you've tried this, but loosen all of the intake bolts and try tightening the long bolt that goes into the front of the water crossover, then torque down the remaining intake bolts. I've never had any problems with the Fel-Pro gaskets.

[GT182]

Just be careful you don't break the water crossover bolt.

Don't ask how I know.
Hell, I tell you. I didn't but the owner before me did.

[geeteeohguy]

FWIW, the stock cast iron intake and Quadrajet carb will outperform the Edelbrock set-up in both performance and economy. X2 on putting anti-seize lube on the long thin bolt to the timing cover, and snugging it up BEFORE you tighten the other bolts on the intake in a cross patter. 50 foot pounds is waaaaay too tight, as well.

[fiesta62]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

FWIW, the stock cast iron intake and Quadrajet carb will outperform the Edelbrock set-up in both performance and economy. X2 on putting anti-seize lube on the long thin bolt to the timing cover, and snugging it up BEFORE you tighten the other bolts on the intake in a cross patter. 50 foot pounds is waaaaay too tight, as well.

I did the timing cover bolt up first before others so its ok, I know 50 pounds is too much but it has slowed it down to just a small weep from the water crossover, I think I just need to re gasket it and use silicon this time , as the gasket cement obviously does not seal

as far as edelbrock verse stock, I have tested both, various times, I have had the stock on and off and swapped back and forth the edelbrock, I know my car well and have been thru many many tests, I can guarantee you without question there is absolutely no noticeable difference in power, maybe on a dyno ok, but seat of the pants forget it , you cannot notice any difference

but if I was pushed I would lean towards the edelbrock having a bit more down low, a touch more alive and responsive, but there is no way I could say the stock was better in power you just cannot feel any difference worth talking about

BUT and heres a definite I can tell you, my car pings with the stock manifold, under light load it just has a very annoying ping, and my temp got up another 5 to 10 degrees,

I put the edelbrock back on and ping is gone, well ok not 100% but I would say its reduced the ping by about 80%....no question real time testing, the stock manifold makes my car ping

also it adds 24 extra pounds in weight, that's 24 extra....so I loose 24 pounds and cure the ping and reduce temp....so why would anyone say the stock is better just don't make sense....

one last word, this edelbrock performer manifold was designed around 20 years or so after the stock design, technology and testing has moved on, the design has never been changed or updated, if edelbrock thought it could be better surely they would change the design ? but nope still selling the edelbrock performer as designed,

does anyone truly believe edelbrock would design a manifold that performs worse than a stock design, really ? nope cannot believe that one.....tested myself, many times, the edelbrock performer is a better all round manifold

[tom s]

They did back then and the improvement was the RPM.Make sure the intake is not touching somewhere on the valley pan.Common depending on the intake and valley cover.I have found the most consistent install is to finger tight all 10 bolts and then draw the intake forward.Sometimes when you tighten the draw first it want to lift the back of the intake a touch and does not get a good flat seal on the flanges.Tom

[fiesta62]

yes I tightened all bolts to just snug to still allow the timing cover bolt to pull it tight, did all that,

the RPM is for a different rev range , comes in for more top end but not as good down low as the performer, on a street car we all need that low down power so the performer is the one for the street car...well for my street car use

performer runs 0 to 5500 rpm perfect for a Pontiac street car

RPM 1500 to 6500 I am never going to be running my GTO at 6500 rpm....

so the performer is still the one to use

[tom s]

Is the rubber donut new or has it been compressed too many times.A new one when just pulled up can show thru the joint crack.If it is too old that might be the issue?Tom

[fiesta62]

its leaking at the manifold gasket front bolts area not the rubber washer

[Goatracer1]

The Performer manifold was an emissions compliant replacement that came out to give good fuel mileage and bottom end response. It was released in the days of rising gas prices and lines at the gas pumps. It was the Performer RPM that was a replacement high performance manifold.

[fiesta62]

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

The Performer manifold was an emissions compliant replacement that came out to give good fuel mileage and bottom end response. It was released in the days of rising gas prices and lines at the gas pumps. It was the Performer RPM that was a replacement high performance manifold.

exactly....good fuel , though I don't see any difference I can notice but at least its not worse....bottom end response yep I think that's there....and no pinging and less heat and less weight.....so again I say why are there guys saying the stock is better....its just not , I wanted to keep my car original anyone that knows me knows how fussy I am but the stock manifold no matter how many times I fitted it, the stocker pings, heats up, and adds weight...its on the shelf !

[gomowgto]

you may have solved your problem by the time I saw this post, but I feel compelled to respond, I had the same problem with mine leaking at the crossover on the stock manifold on my 67. I even had the stock manifold milled to make sure that it wasn't warped, and it still leaked. Finally after close examination with a bright light there was a coating of some sort of build up around the passages on the head that looked like metal and felt as smooth as the head itself. I looked at those passages multiple times and even felt them and they looked and felt as smooth as the head itself. you couldn't feel it and couldn't even see it until you looked at it with a bright light and at a certain angle. before I would just clean it with brake cleaner but the darn thing kept leaking. Once I saw that I took a razor scraper and with a good amount of pressure I was able to scrape off that material, (whatever it was) and put it back together with new felpro blue gaskets and it never leaked a drop again. Hope this helps.

[fiesta62]

hi, its still leaking, I bought new gaskets but have not had time to replace yet, I think as I will use silicon to seal next time it should be ok, I used gasket cement last time and I think that's the issue, I always scrape clean the head with a razor blade and cleaner so think its as clean as it gets, but I will of course take extra care next time and really scrape it clean , thanks for the thoughts on it...

[GT182]

I was told that most guys around here building Pontiac engines are using the Mr. Gasket intake gaskets, instead of Felpro gaskets, due to their quality and durability. I'm using their part number #502G-#502 gasket with the cross-over blocked with a stainless steel plate. I'm running a manual choke so I don't nee the heat to warm up the choke.

[arbys]

When using the Fel Pro gasket with the blue outline at the runners does the blue go towards the head or the intake manifold?