Intake help?

[MWA]

Hello everyone,

I just purchase a #7111 edelbrock intake to put on my 350 oldsmobile rocket. I bought new intake bolts as well. So I take the old stock intake off and did the normal process, clean old gasket material,all the good stuff. So I put the ATV and the valley pan on and drop the new intake on. I use the new edelbrock intake bolts and when I come down to putting the last bolt on in the middle of the intake I find out that it will not go in. I have change the last four bolts around in the middle of the intake and whenever I get to putting in the last bolt it just won't go. I also noticed that the new intake bolts come with 12 bolts. They are all the same size and length except for 3 bolts they are short. So I figured that the 3 short bolts go and bolt in to the middle of the intake. So I have one long bolt left and it is to long for the middle on the intake. Does anybody know how thes edelbrock intake bolts are suppose to go in? I really need some help!!! Oh it is a 69 350 Oldsmobile motor.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

What do you mean by it "won't go"?

You can get it started at all as if the holes are misaligned? Or is the bolt too long and bottoming out?

Have you left all the other bolts loose so that you can move the intake slight if needed?

Are you just using the stock metal intake gasket? If so I'd toss that in the trash and get a nice set of composite intake gaskets which may or may not take care of your issue.

When it comes to bolts I always like to dry fit the intake with the gaskets in place and then measure the depth of the each hole to the face of the bolt hole in the intake and then just buy bolts to specifically fit. I don't trust any of these companies to give me the right bolts even though you think Edelbrock could since it's their manifold.

 

[MWA]

The intake bolts that are the long one seem to bottom out and the short one seems not to catch at all. It seems like they are not long enough. I am using a metal valley pan. There was a valley pan on the motor when I took off the stock intake. So I went to Summit and purchased another valley pan kit. All of my other bolts fit fine and go all the way in. I just seems when I get to the last one it will not go. I am replacing the bolts in order like the intake directions say.

 

[MWA]

When I went to summit they only had intake bolts for edelbrock for the Oldsmobile 350. Does anybody know it were I can get other brands of intake bolts?

 

[FE3X CLONE]

When I went to summit they only had intake bolts for edelbrock for the Oldsmobile 350. Does anybody know it were I can get other brands of intake bolts?

Intake bolts are not special. You can go to any hardware store and pick them up. I would just make sure to get a grade 5 at minimum for piece of mind.

 

[MWA]

Ok now I have another issue. I had to go to work last night and forgot to remove the intake off the engine. So I removed all the bolts I had in and tried to remove the intake. Now the new intake will not come off. Also I looked at the box I had for new valley pan I put on and I found out that Summit Racing gave me the wrong valley pan. They gave me one for a newer year Olds 350. That might also have been the reason that the last bolt would not fit in properly. Any suggestions on how I can take off the intake. I guessed I did a pretty good job of sealing the intake properly. Any help or ideas?

 

[DoubleV]

What's the difference between an older 350 and a newer 350 as far as intake gaskets go?

Why is your intake stuck? Did you have sealer on it? Either way you should be able to pry it up with a prybar.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

What was your exact process for installing the intake and intake gasket the first time around? That way we can get an idea of what might be going on.

If you used RTV on the end rails and have allowed it to setup then that's the reason the intake is sticking. You'll likely need to use a screw driver to pry it up some or use a dead blow hammer (the rubber kind with steel shot on the inside) to tap the intake with to break it loose.

There shouldn't be any different in intake gaskets for any of the SBO engines other than the 260 and later roller cam 307.

When I install an intake I typically use something like the Mr. Gasket Ultra-seal II composite gaskets. I spread a thin layer of RTV around the water ports then brush on some hi-tack (Edelbrock calls their's gasgacinch) around the intake ports and set the gasket on the head making sure all of the bolt holds and ports are lined up properly.
You can then take the valley tray you have and cut off the portion that would seal the intake ports and use it just as a valley tray only. Spread a nice bead of the RTV on the end rails and let it setup a little before placing the intake on the engine. Get all of your intake bolts threaded in and then start tightening them down according to the factory sequence.

Of course before you do ANY of this you need to dry fit everything and check your bolt alignment and engagement. As you've found out, it's not any fun having issues trying to install bolts, etc. once you've spread all that RTV.

 

[MWA]

What I found out is that there is two different intake valley pans for the Olds 350 One is the made for 1968-1972 and the other is made for 1973 and up. You cannot really tell the difference until you put the valley pan on. You will see a very small gap between where the engine and heads. And the valley pan will not line up correctly. My mistake and it has caused me you loss time and nerves.Too upset. And I still cannot get the intake back off to put the correct valley pan on. I have tried everything I can think of to pry it off. I had a easier time taking off the original intake.