I have heard that when installing an intake, it is better to ditch the front and rear intake gaskets and just use RTV in those to spots, so that the intake sits better on the heads. Anyone heard of this before? Thanks.

 

yep heard of it.....Ede I believe has had success with that method...myself..Ill use both the gasket and some RTV .....

 

I usually don't, just use RTV.

 

i like to use a 1/4 inch of rtv instead of the china wall gaskets

Eric

 

i use it if the engine is on a stand, if the engine is in the car or truck i use rtv. using the gasket or not has no, or very little, effect on how well the intake fits the heads

 

I use RVT on the China Walls.

 

Yeah the more I think about this the more it looks like a better idea. Even if it has little effect, I would rather put all the emphasis possible on making the seal between the intake and heads than on making the seal between the intake and the block. The seal with the heads is crucial. The seal with the block is not, as there is not even engine vacuum here. All this seal is really doing is keeping oil from seeping out. Thanks again.

 

I rtv a thin amount around the watter jackets "only" on the heads. and use a very think layer on the front and back gasket let it gush out when you put the intake on then scrape it off later. make sure you torque and then retorque your intake after you heat it up. "aluminum shrinks" and after that i bet you never have a blow out... throw away the china made gaskets

 

Gaskets? What gaskets? I didn't even know a gasket was supposed to go there! I just put a **** load of RTV on the china walls. THICK Matt

 

i use nothing but RTV around the china walls

 

RTV here too.
Tried the china wall gaskets with RTV once. Gaskets kept squirming around when the intake bolts were tightened. Slip to the inside, then to the outside, then back to the inside, and so on.

Wound up with RTV all over my fingers, the front of the eng, on my shirt, on my face, in my hair, all over my tools...
The RTV was starting to dry and I was still messing with it.
Made up a few new curse words that day!

Finally chunked them in the trash. Cleaned up the mess and just used a 3/8" bead of RTV. Works fine.

 

when i use the china wall gasket i use high tack sealer to hold it in place while i set the intake on the block and heads.

 

I use GM Goodwrench Sealant from the dealer. That stuff will seal up anything-oil pan, water pump, intake, fuel pump, leaky faucet, hole in roof, whatever. The stuff is in a gray tube and is awesome. Matter of fact I just had to pull my motor apart (see thread) and had to take a prybar to get the intake off. Its only been on 3 weeks!

 

:sillylol: :sillylol: :sillylol: Thanks, ZZ for the flashback, been in that boat before ......needed a good laugh

 

When I did the heads on a friend's 2.8, we used Ultra Copper on the china walls. Ran some of it over the intake gaskets for the coolant passageways, too. Found a great picture on here; lets see if I can dig it up...

Sweet! Way to go Thirdgen.Org!! Found it; scroll down to Val's message & picture; that's what we did. https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...threadid=30245

 

I also use the RTV, but once I put down a heavy bead, I let it setup a while. I install the intake once the RTV starts to "gel". It seals great and makes less of a mess.

Mark

 

i never use them, waste of time, cause of leaks

 

I only use Permatex Ultra Black on the walls, I have used this stuff more times than I can count when either building engines for myself or other people and never once had a problem with leakage.

 

Every intake gasket set I have bought has given me RTV for the china walls. The only time I have ever seen them was in a 70s SBC rebuild book.

 

The "china walls" are supposed to be installed dry, with a SMALL dab of rtv at the head/block joint.
I don't have any problem with slippage or sealing issues.

But, that's just my opinoin, and I could be wrong.
I think I'll put that in my sig

 

High tack sealer is great stuff. I use it religiously.

 

The intake gasket kit that I just put in did not even come with the end china-wall gaskets, they supplied a small tube of black RTV to use in place of the rubber gaskets. I did as instructed, and all seemed to work well. The old ones that I took out...the rear gasket had cracked and slipped out and started to leak oil all down the back of the motor, in copious amounts. I recall installing them in the past, and having trouble keeping them in place. Clean the china-walls real good, incuding using alcohol to prep them, and use the black RTV, and you will be in good shape....In my humble opinion.

 

When I installed my Performer RPM intake, I used the gaskets.
After I was done putting it all together, I decided to look at the Edlebrock instructions and it said "Do not use the front and rear rubber gaskets, use a bead of silicone instead."
I just left them on.

 

Same here .....that's how I've done it in the past...no problems

 

gasket/RTV combo has not failed me yet.

 

i use a thick bead of RTV... no gaskets on the ends...

 

My block has a bunch of holes drilled in the china walls, and so far all of my intake gasket kits (except the last one) came with 2 sets of china wall gaskets... one set with the corresponding **** to fit into the holes, and one set without. Every time, the set with the **** fit perfectly and didn't move AT ALL. No leaks either. I just squirted some RTV in the corners where they meet the head.

Since my last kit only came with the gaskets without the ****, I pitched them and just used RTV, and so far so good. The gaskets were easier though.

 

Use a decent silicone sealer and you'll be fine, I've done it both ways and have no problems either way, but i'm more comfortable using the sealer. Just don't go crazy with the stuff, I've seen that crud stuck in the oil pump screens. The end gaskets with the little bumps are for the old blocks, roughly speaking pre 68, the others are for newer engines.

 

I've only had my intake off 1 time, but I used the gaskets and a thin film of RTV, just as extra insurance

 

I never use those china wall gaskets. I just use RTV...I've done this at least 7 times on my vehicle and never had a problem.

Ive used the gaskets on my buddies truck and it worked fine also. I use RTV at the edges of the gasket tho.