Just thinking out loud: The heads and block haven’t been machined, correct? The intake manifold is a one-off piece, correct? Could the manifold be the problem? Maybe it isn’t square to the heads or maybe the pieces on top aren’t sealed fully? Some type of smoke test for this?
Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift
- Thread starter Wildman
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You can lay pieces of 60/40, .125 solid core soldering wire across the ports and at the valley then set the manifold on and torque it down. It will flatten the wire and you can mic the flattened wire.
Good idea. Make sure you put one in the throttle bodies too.
I haven't read everything, but have you put a straight edge across the surfaces and used feeler gauges to see where the low spots are? Just looking at things, I'd guess it's your intake that's not flat.
OP
There is a gasket between those two areas & the intake leak has been between the heads and manifold each time.
This isn't a bad idea.
Good idea. Make sure you put one in the throttle bodies too.
I haven't read everything, but have you put a straight edge across the surfaces and used feeler gauges to see where the low spots are? Just looking at things, I'd guess it's your intake that's not flat.
Yes I ran a feeler gauge around the intake with it just sitting on the heads not torqued down & didn't find any high or low spots. Then the next idea was to smear the grease around on the block to see if it showed any spots where it made contact or smashed it out to show high or low spots.
At this point I think I'm just going to seal the china walls & use some Hi-Tack with the studs to keep things lined up and give it one last try.
Sorry. Have read a lot of the 339 pages but not all. Have built some not run of the mill V8 stuff that had unique challenges and was looking to help.
Here's the post where the problem was discovered to be something inconsistent with the way the manifold is mating up with the heads.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/wildmans-tj-is-getting-a-face-lift.19356/post-1254526
OP
Reddvltj linked the page but honestly just go back a few pages and you'll see what the issue was.
I had the intake cocked to the left on the first install and had vacuum leaks on the drivers side. Pulled it and installed new gaskets and used Hi Tack and had it cocked to the right so had vacuum leaks on the passenger side.
Heads are flat and so is the intake. So trying to figure out WTF is going on. This intake was made for the LA engine not the magnum engines but was modified to fit the magnum engine by F&B Throttle bodies.
I could fit the 0.005 feeler gauge under the intake all the way around but felt resistance also. I couldn't fit the 0.10 feeler gauge under the intake at any spot.
This was with it not torqued down.
maybe a little research into if one of the gasket companies has thicker intake gaskets would solve this? Kinda sounds like the intake isn't quite wide enough squish the gaskets. Wider gaskets might take up that space,center the intake and get proper compression.this kind of thing can happen with head or block milling so hopefully its an option
OP
So far I haven't found one that is thicker than the 0.060 gasket. I've searched and thought I'd found thicker ones but they were for the LA engine not the magnum engine.
Also the way the grease transferred would indicate that there isn't a issue with the intake.
Damn. "I had the intake cocked to the left on the first install and had vacuum leaks on the drivers side. Pulled it and installed new gaskets and used Hi Tack and had it cocked to the right so had vacuum leaks on the passenger side." Sure makes me think wider gaskets are the solution.
OP
And as I just said I've BEEN SEARCHING and haven't found any thicker gaskets than what I have already. And I've looked everywhere. And I've emailed 2 companies and got one reply that No they didn't make anything thicker.
If you take the time to go back and read all the posts that dive into the issue the average gasket for his engine run roughly 0.060" the gasket he currently has to put on there measured at 0.075"... Hopefully that combined with using some cut off bolts as guide it will correct the issue.
If not I think I may have found some 0.125" gaskets but I need to research them a little more
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How about 2 gaskets
That thought did cross my mind... pressed together with some high temp sealant between the two...
OP
How about 2 gaskets
Believe me I'd thought about that one too. Glue two set's of gaskets together...
Ah good you measured the desired thickness. That was my next suggestion. Take a deep breath guys it sounds like we agree,lol
https://www.gallagherseals.com/gasket-sheet-blue-gard-3300-3-32-thk-15-x-30.html high temp, .094" need to cut it yourself though. I saw some guys saying if you cut out the right bolt holes you can use LA intake gaskets on a magnum. Don't know if its true but thats another thing to look at
from the pic it looks like both sides the top of the intake ports do not have much or any grease there. Just below the fuel injectors. I noticed the mounting holes are on either side of the ports but not sure if when at full torque that the manifold is not bottoming out on something leaving that area open. When thinking about it, it changed sides after reinstalling it. I think it is bottoming out on one side or the other preventing the top to seat properly. I would do some blue dye or the putty or wire method but not on the gasket face but now on the bottom edges of the intake. There might be a hump somewhere that is holding it up.
