Water leak in rear of engine
#11
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Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 195

Intake bolt torque is critical if you want lower intake gaskets to seal. Be careful, if your new gaskets leak and you get coolant in your oil the engine can be ruined very easily. I would worry a lot about your repair as it is right now (worried enough to start the repair again with new gaskets). You may want to drain the oil to check if coolant has passed into your engine since your repairs.
Bolt holes for the bolts should be chased with a tap and cleaned out as junk gets packed into the holes and interferes with tightening. Bolt threads should be wire-brushed to clean and apply Teflon sealer (like for head bolts). Use the FelPro Metal/rubber gaskets only - NOT the plastic ones. Torque with a 1/4" drive inch pound torque wrench in the three torque steps using the recommended tightening sequence. It is not good to overtighten either. Buy a torque wrench if you don't have one. 1/4" clicker torque wrenches can be bought for $30 - MUCH cheaper than a new engine. I like to let my repair sit overnight and then go over one more time with the torque wrench.
Good luck and best wishes for a successful repair.
Bolt holes for the bolts should be chased with a tap and cleaned out as junk gets packed into the holes and interferes with tightening. Bolt threads should be wire-brushed to clean and apply Teflon sealer (like for head bolts). Use the FelPro Metal/rubber gaskets only - NOT the plastic ones. Torque with a 1/4" drive inch pound torque wrench in the three torque steps using the recommended tightening sequence. It is not good to overtighten either. Buy a torque wrench if you don't have one. 1/4" clicker torque wrenches can be bought for $30 - MUCH cheaper than a new engine. I like to let my repair sit overnight and then go over one more time with the torque wrench.
Good luck and best wishes for a successful repair.
What Les said. Keep in mind that your intake manifold took a set with the RTV goop on the ends that has hardened and you are now fighting when further tightening the bolts. This may prevent proper uniform torque or even crack the intake manifold.
I already install it and I also put RTV that come with the set in front and rear of the engine.
George
I already install it and I also put RTV that come with the set in front and rear of the engine.
George
#12
You should have done that before
Find a service manual for GM 4.3 Vortec. Print the pages with tightening torque tables (I am storing my prints at the jack space). Get some RTV and do it over again. The most annoying part of cleaning the spaces in between the lower intake and heads is already done. All shouldn't take long.
The coolant leak may be an answer to how it is done by now :P
Find a service manual for GM 4.3 Vortec. Print the pages with tightening torque tables (I am storing my prints at the jack space). Get some RTV and do it over again. The most annoying part of cleaning the spaces in between the lower intake and heads is already done. All shouldn't take long.The coolant leak may be an answer to how it is done by now :P
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joshbrandy
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