intake manifold removal/installation

[83cutlasssedan]

putting in an edelbrock intake manifold. I need to go pick up a few things like some plugs for hoses, black RTV sealant, and I think gasket sealant. I haven't done this installation before so I was wondering a few things. First of all is there any special tool I need for the head bolt on the old intake manifold for removal. Also, is the black RTV sealant sufficient, i noticed some ultra black stuff that had a higher temp rating, should I go for that instead? What's a good gasket sealant for the new gaskets on the intake and on the valve covers? Any info would be great.

 

[megaladon6]

black or ultra is fine, just make sure to buy good stuff. permatex is usually very good. use only a very thin layer. i prefer to run a small bead and then use my finger to spread it, almost to the point where it becomes opaque. messy but effective. i put it on the head and the intake surfaces, give it about 10-15min to tack slightly, then place the gasket on the heads and then the intake.
find your bolt torque values and pattern before doing anything though.
this does NOT apply if you have vortec heads however. for those, buy the fel-pro gasket and just bolt it on. but on vortechs torque is critical!!!! they have a 3-step procedure. most other stuff is a 2.
on any intake, you will probably have to run a bead at the front and rear block rails as many gasket kits don't come with the valley gaskets. for that you generally need about a 1/8in thick bead.
whoops, i'm guessing you have a BOP motor. i'm used to chevy's but the main principles should all be the same.

 

[83cutlasssedan]

so I pulled off the old manifold today and ran into a little problem. I took off the distributor thermal vacuum switch and the efe/egr thermal vacuum switch off the old manifold to put on the edelbrock manifold. The efe/egr tvs fits in the new manifold but the distributor tvs is too small for the threaded hole that's in the edel manifold. Does anyone know what I should do here...is there something I'm missing? By the way the edelbrock manifold is not equipped with EGR.
Thanks

 

[RITTER]

so I pulled off the old manifold today and ran into a little problem. I took off the distributor thermal vacuum switch and the efe/egr thermal vacuum switch off the old manifold to put on the edelbrock manifold. The efe/egr tvs fits in the new manifold but the distributor tvs is too small for the threaded hole that's in the edel manifold. Does anyone know what I should do here...is there something I'm missing? By the way the edelbrock manifold is not equipped with EGR.
Thanks

Just go to your local NAPA store and get an adapter fitting, take your switch and the manifold to be sure you get the correct size!

 

[Bonnewagon]

If you are dissableing the EGR do not use the initial timing that the EGR motor uses. Go back to pre-EGR timing since the diluted mixture is the reason for all that initial timing. I think 73' was the first year for it. When the EGR valve is bad, or disconnected, the motor pings.

 

[83cutlasssedan]

So should i use less advance. My stock settings are 15 btdc. Should I use 13 btdc? Have no idea where I can find timing settings for a pre-egr engine.

 

[pontiacgp]

If you are dissableing the EGR do not use the initial timing that the EGR motor uses. Go back to pre-EGR timing since the diluted mixture is the reason for all that initial timing. I think 73' was the first year for it. When the EGR valve is bad, or disconnected, the motor pings.

the reason why the engine pings with a non functioning egr is because the egr keeps the cylinder temperatures down. One way to cure that is to run the carb richer so the added fuel will cool down the cylinders and prevent the pinging....or use a higher octane...or retard the timing

 

[83cutlasssedan]

Is more advance better for performance or is less advance?

 

[pontiacgp]

one more thing about the egr....if you not using an egr the egr ports in the heads need to be stuffed with aluminum foil to stop the heat raising from those ports to overheat the manifold....

for the timing too much advance you loose power....

 

[megaladon6]

more advance/less advance, neither is "better" there is CORRECT advance. since you've done the manifold and eliminated things you need to re-tune the engine. this means the carb and timing. it is going to take some experimentation. the best way is usually with a vacuum sensor plugged into manifold vacuum. you tune for the highest vac reading, then drive and figure out if there are bad spots.
for timing i prefer the redneck way. set by ear for the best idle, then drive the car. go easy at first, when you get pinging, retard the distributor. then go a little harder. repeat as necessary. when you can be at 30mph and do a WOT run and a standing WOT run with no problems you have the max safe advance.