I just finally installed my Edelbrock Performer TBI intake manifold today on my L03. I cleaned the head surface extremely well and used Fel-Pro OEM replacement gaskets. Problem...I don't know if I used enough RTV on the end seals. I used the whole tube of Black RTV supplied with the Fel-Pro Gaksets, and I even used some RTV Gray when I ran out of Black. I also used the gray on the intake gaskets around the water passages. My problem is, I don't know if I used enough...I really don't want to take the thing off, I already torqued it down. It called for either a 3/16" or 1/4" bead and I'm pretty sure I used that with the two small tubes of RTV. I even overlapped onto the intake gaskets. Should I just go ahead and install everything back on, fill up with coolant and give it a go? OR should I take it off and put more RTV on? I just don't want to have to take everything off, drain the coolant and so on, to fix an oil leak! If I took the manifold off now would I have to use new gaskets even though I haven't run the engine...man I dont know, help.

 

Put her back together and start her up, youll never know if it sealed or not if you dont get the car running. If I were you i would just get it running and pay close attention to it. Let it run for a while and check the oil to see if there is any coolant in it. Also if it didnt seal right you could have a vaccum leak but you wont know until its running. Good Luck.

 

It sounds like you should be alright with what youve done. If you do decide to pull the intake back off you should use a new intake gasket. External oil leaks can be fixed with the manifold on. The one thing to watch for is oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil. If you get either one of those youll have to change both fluids immediatly.

 

It sounds like you used enough on the end seals. Silicone is OK on the outside of stuff where it can be wiped off (or cut off after it has dried) but it is very bad on the inside where it can get to things like oil pump screens and oil passages. Did you look at the stock manifold when you took it off?, That's about the amount of silicone you'll need to seal the new intake. Back in the day we used cork or rubber end gaskets, then someone figured out this was a better way to go. Use some grey around the water passages, and spread a layer on the ends of the block where the manifold seats and call it a day. I'm still old-school and use aviation permatex on the gaskets, but I use the grey silicone on the end rails, when I torque the manifold you can see it squish out a little, and you know that you've sealed it, any remaining gloop can be cut off when it dries.