About to Fire my Engine Builder

[lalessi1]

Well this is a long story but I will try to make it short. I am in the middle of changing a head gasket on my FE. I overheated the engine a couple of years ago and when I realized it I shut her down. I heard what sounded like thermal shock water hammer that lasted what seemed like minutes. I was sure the (right) head gasket was blown. After cooling down the engine seemed OK. Last week I noticed antifreeze and oil leaking from the rear right head gasket, then a lot of steam appeared in the exhaust....

I think I caught the problem in time to avoid a total rebuild? Today I flipped the intake over and I have NEVER seen a head to intake gasket so misaligned...

Talked to a friend and he said I should talk to my engine builder...

I went into the closet and we had a long conversation.

[mustang6984]

So...did you smack the engine builder up 'long side the head?   

[rmk57]

 
  Only thing I can think of is if the block, heads or intake manifold have been milled quite a bit. Most of the time that will get get some misalignment but not usually that much.

[hiball3985]

Lynn, FE port heights vary depending on what heads. Are they factory or aftermarket heads? Did he just use the wrong gaskets.

[Ford Blue blood]

Worth looking at the head/intake ports.  Your picture looks like the gasket moved when setting the manifold in place.  My "trick" to help keep the gaskets in place is to use a very light coat of gasket cement around the drain back holes, the cross over exhaust hole and the water ports.  Even the aluminum manifolds can offer challenges when setting them in place.  I use a cherry picker for setting the cast iron manifolds!

[lalessi1]

The problem was the gasket itself. The heads, manifold were new and the block had very little machine work.  The correct gasket moved during installation. I never dreamed it could move that much. I order some "Gasgacinch" to "glue" the gasket to the head first (as recommended by Edelbrock). It seems that only the two end bolts align the gasket. I am wondering how much HP that gasket cost me on the dyno? Both sides were the same.

[hiball3985]

Lynn, I stopped using the cork gaskets on the end China walls years ago, I use Permatex Right Stuff now and haven't had any oil leaks. Only down side is you have to move a little fast, not much time is allowed before the stuff starts setting up..

I forgot to mention, set the manifold on and check the size of the gap between the manifold and end walls. I've found some after market manifolds leave a very small gap and if you use cork gaskets they are too thick and don't allow the manifold to get good clamping between the manifold and head.

[lalessi1]

Lynn, I stopped using the cork gaskets on the end China walls years ago, I use Permatex Right Stuff now and haven't had any oil leaks. Only down side is you have to move a little fast, not much time is allowed before the stuff starts setting up..

Yeah I used the cork gaskets the last time, I am sure they were leaking. I am gonna use Motorcraft TA-31 diesel engine silicone this time . Barry Rabotnick recommended it. He is a well known FE builder.

[hiball3985]

I'm probably preaching to the choir but I have also found that original intake manifold bolts are sometimes to long on after market manifolds, I had to double up flat washers on my Edlebrock. I just went through this with a friends 460 also. I love after market stuff, hammer to fit, weld shut and paint to match

[rmk57]

 
  My 460 has four studs, one on each corner pointing straight up, so it's pretty fool proof not to get the right alignment. Fe's must have the same setup?

[lalessi1]

The FE only has a single dowel in the left front corner to help line the manifold up so that the distributor fits. The Blue Thunder manifold that I have did not work with the dowel so I used the distributor to make sure the manifold was in the right location. The problem is that the gaskets can move even when the manifold is in the right place. I have not been able to come up with a solution other than "glueing" the gaskets to the head.

[mustang6984]

I knew a guy in a machine shop back in the 80's...EVERY intake he put in...he put a small dab of gasket sealer in the top corners of the gaskets...just a dab...let them sit for about 10 minutes or so (long enough to smoke a cig and drink a pop) and then went back in and set the manifold onto the heads.
Far as I know...never had a leak. He was also the first one I knew of to stop using the end gaskets in favor of line of gasket sealer. He would put that on as soon as the heads were in place, then by the time he was ready for the intake it had firmed up enough to be a "form-a-gasket" and it worked...again...none of those infernal leaks.

Hope this helps.

[CobraJoe]

I have been using 3M spray adhesive for years, with good results. I spray a light coat on the head and the gasket, wait 5 minutes, and stick them together. I clean up any undesired glue with  3M trim adhesive remover, but lighter fluid (Naphtha) works just as good.
I have even been able to reuse the gasket in a pinch if I had to pull the intake.

[lalessi1]

I have been using 3M spray adhesive for years, with good results. I spray a light coat on the head and the gasket, wait 5 minutes, and stick them together. I clean up any undesired glue with  3M trim adhesive remover, but lighter fluid (Naphtha) works just as good.
I have even been able to reuse the gasket in a pinch if I had to pull the intake.

I thought about using 3M spray adhesive but I was unsure about it interfering with sealing the gasket. I decided on the Gasgacinch since it was designed for the problem and recommended by Edelbrock (I know they make it). Waiting on NAPA to get it. I have the head back on the car and torqued down. We to great lengths to make sure the surfaces were as clean as I could get them.

I appreciate everyones comments!

[Ford Blue blood]

I have to mention this, are you aware that the FE head gasket can be installed backwards and "look" like they are correct?  If I remember correctly the left bank the arrow, or word front is up ( can be read ) and it is down ( is hidden ) on the right bank.