Ok so this is the thing. I have a stock 400cid 6.6L Ford power plant. I want a bit more punch to it. So I bought a Eldelbrock Performer intake used and a new Eldelbrock carb. The intake is in great shape. I asked the guy that had the intake what he used for the gasket. He just said "some silicone". To me that dose not sound right. The original FoMoCo gasket is a valley pan gasket to keep the hot oil hitting the bottom end of where the carb sits. So my question is, do I use a stock valley pan gasket or do I use the Edelbrock gaskets that I can get for this intake.
You would use the steel valley pan gasket with Permatex High tack or equivalent on on both sides of the gasket by the intakes ports and if there are coolant crossovers you seal around those with silicone on both sides of the gasket. The Edelbrock site instructions for that manifold says, " GASKETS: Do not use competition-style intake gaskets for this street manifold. Due to material deterioration over time, internal leakage of vacuum, oil, and coolant may occur." It's common to use silicone instead of the rubber end gaskets because they tend to squeeze out or cut from the manifold pressure and leak. Some guys take a center punch and dimple the mating surfaces on the block and manifold on the ends to give the silicone something to grab on to after it dries.
See if this is your intake, wagnut. Then scroll down to "applications".....they recommend a gasket in that section. http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/mc/manifolds/ford/performer-351c.shtml
Thank you BV and SF, exactly what I was looking for. I bought a rebuilt engine that had been used for about 5,000 miles and the guy wanted something bigger for his Bronco. It's clean, score marks are still on the cylinder walls, valves are nice and clean.....I just hope I did not buy something with a problem I can not see.
Hey, wagnut....I got to thinking after I read your original post again....why not just drop a good 460 in there??
I had thought about doing that to my '77, But when I found out how much crap I have to change over, I dropped the idea. The 460 is a brilliant engine but the 400 has always been loyal to me. Not one has failed on me for something due to a engineering problem. The '78 I have now has 251k original miles on her and has not been rebuilt. And it has taken me everything from Chicago traffic on a 90 deg day, to interstate driving down state in a major rain storm doing 80. So why brake the tradition? HA HA HA! Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE a LTD with the 460 power plant, so much I could work with and it is the definition of a work horse. Now if I can find a Country Squire around here in IL with a 460, trailer tow package, and brougham package that is priced at a reasonable means, I will figure out a way to become mine.
There where a few clean examples left floating around even as late in the early 00s. The '78 I have now was the last one I have seen listed here in the Chicago area on Craig's List when I bought it in '08. And I have never seen anything listed locally here online or the paper since then. There was a '73 light blue sedan from FL for a few years, up in some little car dealer in Richmond, IL. But he wanted WAY too much for a car with a 351, dog dish hub caps, no top, just a plane Jaine car.
Some years back I owned a '78 t-bird with 351m.I slung a rod in it and found a '74 galaxy with a 400 in it for $200.The galaxy was really rusty and I bought it for the motor.Drove it home on the interstate 60 miles to my house put the motor in my t-bird and it was great engine.Out lived my t-bird so I put it in a '73 swb f-100.
A lack of intake sealing was one of the major oil leaks on the 351M pulled from my Torino. That, the real main, and the oil pan gasket did not go well with the worn rings and valves. I'm glad I pulled that engine when I did. The 351C in there now will be awesome once the transmission mating issues are sorted out.
