Im in the middle of a semi engine rebuild. Im putting new heads and intake on my 74 318. The heads are #302 casting swirl port heads. I'm putting an edelbrock performer intake instead of my edelbrock street master intake. I pulled heads, intake , and accessories are off today. I cleaned the block a little bit and sprayed mopar blue engine paint where the eye can see and ill pick it up tomorrow.


My question is: On my old intake there was this oddly shaped half inch thick plate that was on the drivers side right under where the linkage would be. My new intake doesnt have the screw holes tapped yet but it does have the spot where it should go. Is this something for the choke? Do i need this anymore? There are no wires or anything going to it.




My Second question: There is this fitting that was attatched to the new performer intake. There wasnt anything like it on my old intake so i am confused?? Its on the drivers side towards the back of the intake. Hmmm?



Final question: Can i get rid of the the header studs that are in the heads? They are off of an 86 dodge 318. They have studs on the first and the last header bolt holes. Due to clearance issues id like to get rid of the studs and get some normal header bolts. Are these studs jutting into the some passage where i need to keep them? Thanks!

 

The two bolt plate is a block off for the EGR, The other ?? Water temp ?? The EGR may not be drilled all the way thru

 

Do I need the erg block off plate?

 

EGR look at the manifold under the plate see if there is a large hole ? Like said it may not have been drilled. If it has you need the plate

 

The piece in the intake runner is likely for air temperature in conjunction with an external air density sensor for a fuel injection system.

 

The 2 studs at the front and rear of the heads for the exhaust should be removed for headers just remember those holes go into the water jacket so when you put the header bolts in you must use thread sealant on the bolts...Bill

 

Okay I found out I can get rid of the erg plate because my new intake hasn't been tapped yet. I'm not gonna worry about that fitting on the back of the intake yet.

But I'm soooo frustrated right now. The heads headers valve covers and intake are on. All is well there except my intake! My friend had the intake bolts and mixed them all up and now I can't bolt the intake down because some of the screws are too short! Are intake bolts all supposed to be the same sizes? Can I just go to napa and buy intake bolts that will fit it? Uhh! I've been messing with the intake for the last 3 hours and I can't get it right.

Also my ac bracket and alternator bracket aren't lining up right anymore. With some force I can get the alternator to work but the spot where the ac bracket bolts to the intake is way off, maybe half ab inch to an inch. Did edelbrock streetmaster and performer intakes have different bolt locations?

 

If you get bolts use Grade 8 only. Get washer head style if available or loose flat washer for sure on aluminum.

Oh, the rest of that stuff is why we love this hobby.

 

Okay intake is on, carb hooked up. Alternator in place. One of the two ac brackets on. Distributor in place.... BUT!!!!!!!

I look in my gasket set and found the front and rear cork intake gaskets! Wtf!! I feel like I should tear it all back down and put that gasket in along with the gasket maker. All that's in it now is the gasket maker and when I feel the back I can feel an eighth of an inch gap between the intake and block. I feel like I know the answer but do I need to tear it back down to put the gaskets in?

 

Not necessary Maybe I assume we are talking about the end seals for the intake. Depending on the fit Sometimes a good application of silicon is all that is needed. With a gap? I would take it apart and re do it..

 

Yes you need to either make the gasket or use cork

Here is a trick and some free HP. When it is off sit it on there dry and shim the front and rear walls until the intake bolts holes line up dead nuts with the cylinder head intake threads. When you do this you insure the intake ports and runners are lined up.

This will tell you what total thickness will be of the wall bead for silicone. In some applications two intake gaskets are needed on each side also to get proper alignment.

Its not necessarily to do this but if you are looking for a certain ET or want to twist the dyno to a certain figure don't give away free HP...after all you paid for it. Use it.


As for screwing up the gaskets... There is a cool thread on here about all our colossal (best) mess ups. Its a good read. Forgetting gaskets is small potatoes. Wait to you drop a car off a lift and need a crane to pick it up threw the roof I still smile when I remember that one.

 

Ha I'm not that mad, it gives me an excuse to spend more time with me car lol. I just want to do it right so I don't have to tear it all apart any time soon. Thanks pk1, ill see what the gap is and ill probably end up usong the gasket becsuse the gap was fairly large. Does anyone know if I'm supposed to put gasket sealer on the cork intake gasket?

 

Do I need some sort of thread lock on the plugs that are going into the intake?

 

When you do the intake gaskets the gasket set from mopar has a plastic guide pin (center of end gaskets) that keeps it from moveing and the side gaskets have 2 ears that hold the ends. What I use if not useing mopar gaskets is spray both surfaces with contact cement and intall the end gaskets on the block side. You need to put a small bead of RTV in the corners (head to intake) and you should be in good shape. Thankfully the intake is one of the easiest engine components to remove. Bill

 

I used the little plastic pins to keep the head to intake gasket in place, ill look to see how the front and rear gaskets go in.

How about the thread sealer? Do I need it?

 

I keep reading that permatorque gaskets are bad for aluminum to iron surfaces. My gaskets are blue but idk Idk if they are permatorque. Should I get new intake gaskets? And Ive been reading that the cork ends are bad for sealing. Instead they use a fourth inch bead of rtv. What should I do?!

 

Yes put thread sealant on all the intake bolts...The gaskets are fine and DO use the cork gaskets Do Not use RTV as a gasket on the front and rear of the intake the GAP is to wide and will blow out and/or leak..Bill

 

Do I just use the cork without rtv? Are you sure permatorque gaskets are fine? Edelbrock specifically says not to use those with aluminum manifolds.

 

You do want to put a bead of RTV in the corners but not on the whole gasket. I dont use Fel pro gaskets for any thing. If you have a NAPA there gaskets are made by Victor and are real good gaskets...Bill

 

I was just at napa and they didn't have any gaskets. I had to order them from Illinois.

 

WTF are you kidding. It must be a lame store... Good luck anyway...Bill

 

Napa: no auto parts available

 

LMAO thats a good one...

 

If you don't put thread sealer on the bolts, Oil will wick up the threads and you will end up with oil around the bolt heads

 

Correct,, its not pretty