I have a big intake gasket issue. I'm running GM fastburn heads, and Edelbrock Performer vortec intake (Part no. 2116). The intake gasket I WAS using is a Fel-Pro 1255. I liked it because it was not plastic with rubber sealing rings such as the OE gasket for Vortec engines that don't seem to last all that long.

Well, the Fel-pro gasket "slipped down" on the heads, and I had a tremendous vacuum leak. Now wonder it wouldn't idle! Well, yesterday, when I realized it was a vacuum leak, I pulled the intake, and replace the gaskets with the OE design (I used a Carquest gasket which is made by Victor. Hey, they deliver to the shop!) I spent an hour or so opening up the exit of the ports on the intake (gasket matching), then put it back on the engine with the new gasket. I notice that the intake doesn't fit quite right. I can see a little bit of the rubber sealing ring sticking out! It seems the ports don't line up to the heads! It sealed ok, but I'm worried that it won't for long, I know how these gasket are! I also know that the orange ring was closer to the port than that when I was gasket matching it.

I would like to hear what other people with vortec heads are running for intake, and gaskets.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

 

By the way, I also torqued the thing to GM's spec, which is 11 ft.-lbs.

 

I have the iron vortecs and I am running the recommended GM gaskets. The plastic ones that clip onto the head with blue silicone rings around all ports and water jackets. I have removed my intake 4 times and the gastkets are still like new sealing and lining up perfectly, GM got these ones right. I am using the Perfomer RPM intake(7116) and I love it. I would recommend getting it or an air-gap RPM for fast burn heads depending on your cam I guess. The exact part number for my gaskets are 12529094. I would not recommend gasket material intake gaskets, because they move and can only be used once.

Just curious, what mods do you have in your engine?

 

Actually, I just noticed your profile. How do you like the HOT cam, I think it's awsome. What heads were you running before the fastburns? Any track times?

 

GasGZLR have you been to the track with your setup? I am curious to see what the Vortec Hotcam combo are capable of.

I have a vortec headed TPI but stuck with the stock cam. I just installed a set of 1.6 roller rockers today.

 

Thats how there supposed to seal. Actually the carquest (victor) gaskets have more rubber mating area then the felpro gaskets exact copy of OE GM. You should be fine as long as you loctited them and check the tq after a couple heat cycles.

 

I love the combo! I like the idle of the HOT cam, lopey, but not too lopey. Still has decent vacuum at idle, etc.

This engine was a ground-up build, so no swapping has been done on it, all of the goodies were put in as it went together initially! 1.6 Roller rockers, cam, .030 lightweight pistons....

No track times, because I am far from being able to click off a good run (therefore, I've saved the embarassment.) The Q-jet isn't agreeing with me. I can't hold it at WOT for more than a few seconds until the RPM's are above like 4800 or so. If I do hold it open, it "fall's off". I'm sure it's in the carb. The car still pulls really strong at like 5500 RPM's, even with the edeljunk intake. My plans are TPI setup with a SDPC base (Ported out of course!) or a SR, or miniram. I also need better exhaust. The cast iron logs don't flow well at all.....

I would like to go with an air-gap type intake, but hood clearance is an issue. The air cleaner hits now, and I'm pretty sure the Air-gap is a bit taller.

As for the gaskets, GM did get it right, somewhat. It seems they are fine with plain old "green" anti-freeze, but with the Dex-cool that is factory fill in the trucks with them, well, they suck. Many external leaks! I change them all the time! There for a while, we had 2 or 3 a week come through the shop (I did almost all of them!) I wish I would've had more time to look into why they didn't seem to fit yesterday, but it was my ride home from work! I'm going to see if Edelbrock has anything to say about it and maybe pull it back apart. I just need to come up with the money to swap in the TPI stuff. And yes, I noticed how the gasket material type gaskets like to slip....

 

SSC,
Are the gaskets supposed to be that far off? THey are no where close to being lined up with the ports properly. To be lined up properly, the plastic portion would be even with the top of the intake, not the rubber seal portion. they line up perfect on the heads, just not the intake. It seems almost like the intake has been milled to make up for heads that have been milled quite a bit. I bought it brand new in box from Jegs though.

 

You would think if the bolt holes lined up and your bolts went in without resistance that everything was lined up the way it is supposed to be. But I do know that is not always true.

Anyway, I bought a Professional Products performer clone and wasn't able to do anything to get it lined up with the ports on the heads. I then bought a Performer RPM and it seemed to line up fine. Might be the way your intake is sitting on the heads that's the problem. But you could always strategically super glue the gasket on the head in a few spots so you know it's not moving. Then if you put the manifold on and it looks wrong, it's probably not the gaskets fault.

Besides just the sealing issue, it also makes the time spent gasket matching useless if the gasket is hanging into the itake track blocking air.

 

Well, I know the gaskets are lined up on the heads properly, because they have the little locator "Pins" on the gaskets. They line up with the ports on the heads perfectly. The gaskets have slots in them where the bolts go through, so I know they can have SOME misalignment. I have a few of the stock truck CFI intakes laying around here, maybe I'll pull the Edelbrock off and compare it to them. Maybe I'll even set one of the CFI intakes on the fastburn heads? I can also throw a set of iron vortec heads on an 98 vortec engine I have sitting on the stand and see how they fit there. I just don't want to pull the car back apart until I put some sort of fuel injection on it. I really don't want to put much time and money into my temporary setup (Carbureted).

Thanks for the input guys!

 

The last time I went to the track I ran a 13.5 corrected at sea level. I have 2.0 60 fts and the rear is hopping. Those times were with my XE 268 H cam. The HOT cam is MUCH stronger and I just placed an order to summit to get lower control arms, torque arm, panhard rod, and Billet tranny servo. I'm hoping to get into the twelves or at least better 60 ft times.

My 195,00 mile roller lifters were resurected, cleaned and put back to work.

 

Why the 1.5 ratio rockers instead of the 1.6? Curious here!