Hey there, well recently on my 84' T/A I noticed my intake gaskets had been leaking externally on the passenger side. I did rule out any other possibilities. So it looks like this Saturday ill be wrenching away on it. I tried doing a search on the carb style engines but only found TPI info. I was curious if I have to remove the carb in order to get at the intake bolts? I picked up a 3/8 Torque wrench and I'm planning to pick up the Fel-Pro gasket set. Also gonna pick up the Right Stuff gasket maker for the china walls. For the pros out there is there any tips or tricks?? Also I heard I may have to remove the Valve Covers??
This is my first time doing this on a SBC, hopefully everything goes smooth. Thanks!!

 

Are you leaking oil at the intake? Could it be coming from the valve cover? Around an intake bolt (which can be pulled and re-installed with sealer)?

If you do the intake:

Go ahead and pull the carb. It's only four bolts after you've disconnected everything else from it. You can usually reuse the carb to manifold gasket. Spray it down with some carb cleaner while it's off and replace the fuel filter.

Use a 1" wrench on the fuel filter housing when disconnecting the fuel line to it. Otherwise the housing has a tendency to spin and will twist your fuel line.

You may be able to leave the VCs in place, but if there's any hint of a leak there - now's the time to replace them with rubber VC gaskets.

Mark the position of the distributor rotor before pulling it out and reinstall in the same position. Do not turn the engine while the dist is out.

 

Sorry forgot to mention its antifreeze that's leaking. It's not leaking a lot but enough where after I shut down the car it starts to pool in the valley where the port where the intake meets the head. I plan on also replacing the heater hoses(original). Do you have a recommendation on the Valve cover gaskets?

 

Replace your heater hoses before going any further. It's unlikely the antifreeze is coming from the intake.

If your water outlets on the water pump and intake are corroded up bad, you can get brass replacements at most any hardware store.

 

Alright I'll give that a shot first then. That be nice if that's all it was but it looks like it starts to weep at the same spot every time

 

Yes you will probably have to remove the VCs, and it'll be AHELLUAVLOT eeeezier if the carb is removed from the intake before pulling it as well. (not "necessary", but it's the way to go unless you just enjoy creating extra difficulty for yourself, which admittedly, some people do) Use a 5/8" tubing wrench on the fuel line nut, and HOLD THE BIG NUT STILL with a 1" wrench, so you don't destroy the steel fuel line and have to hack-job it with rubber.

As far as VC gaskets, anything but cork. The FelPro VS12869R are a good choice, best is the 12869T set. Most important thing though, is to make sure the VCs themselves aren't bent, specifically, that the bolt holes aren't punched inward from over-tightening. No gasket has a chance of sealing if that's the case, which it virtually always is. (I'd say "always", but there might accidentally be ONE set out there in the world somewhere that isn't like that yet) Always straighten the VC flange, plus a little more, then only tighten the bolts until they make the flange level again. Best way to get em to seal is to clean em up until the flange is SPOTLESS; sterilize em with lacquer thinner; lay a nice wide bead of gorilla snot on em; lay a matching bead on one side of the gasket; wait about 15 minutes; lay the gasket on the VC and press it into place. Then use grease on the side that faces the head.

On the intake, if it still has the factory gaskets, they fail by starting to weep coolant. It's probably getting into the oil as well since part of the water port adjoins the crankcase. Use a thin smear of the Right Stuff around the water ports; not the intake ones, or the exhaust ones, just the water ones. Use a good thick wrap, about 5 or 6 turns, of Teflon tape on the 2 center bolts on each side, to keep em from weeping oil up onto the top of the intake.

 

Thank you that helps a lot! Do you guys think a 1/2 Torque wrench would be fine for torquing the intake back down too 30ft lbs? Or is that gonna be over kill?

 

Yeah, a bit much.

Torque isn't super critical on those. It's more important to tighten them evenly, fully, in order. The gaskets are rather squishy, so it usually takes several rounds before they're all there.

30 ft-lbs is a good pull on a 9/16" - 5/8" box wrench; not a "gorilla" pull, or an "everything you've got" pull, but a ... good solid one.