5.0 Intake install questions

[olddog]

Keith,

I have Edle Vic Jr intake and Edle Performer RPM heads. The bolts were stainless with a thin stainless flat washer against the intake and a stainless lock washer on top of the flat washer. I had problems with the bolts not staying tight. They would loosen in about 4 heat cycles. I was only going to 16 ft-lb per Edle instructions of 16-18. Since there was RTV fairly thick at the water ports, I'm not certain that the intake was ever tight up to the head. So with vibration maybe that is why they were working loose. However, I have had many people on this site tell me they have to re-torque often.

When I took it apart the flat washers are cupped now, and the lock washers are completely flattened out (no spring left at all). I know stainless is not the best fasteners, but with aluminum I don't want to paint steel bolts and hate rust.

I am thinking of lock tighting steel studs into the head. Use a good thick flat washer stainless. Tighten with a stainless nut. Then use a stainless acorn nut to jam (lock) the first nut into place. Good Idea or bad idea? What do you usually do?

Next question. The gasket opening is much larger than the water ports. This is corroding the flanges. Should I fill (not over fill) this area with a sealant? I am using "the right stuff."

What should I torque to? I was thinking 25 ft-lb, but that may be too much.

[Keithc8]

I do see the intake bolts needing retorquing after a few heat cycles but that will normally do it. The stainless washers and bolts may be giving you the problem with not holding the torque. We normally use a flat washer with no lock washer and a little blue Loctite on the bolt threads. We will use a little RTV around the area inside the gasket where the water cross over is on the intake. You will get a little corrosion here no matter what you do. There are anti-freezes out there that I think have changed in the last few years and they are hard on the gaskets. We have also seen this with a lot of the water as well. We will normaly use distilled water in our cooling systems on our cars. I do not think you will have to go to the studs and lock nuts to get this fixed. Mkae sure that your intake is setting at the right angle to the head intake surface. Also make sure that as you tighten the intake bolts that they are not keeping the intake from pulling down in any way, like binding the intake up against the bolt. Just some things to look at when you redo it. Good luck, Keith

[olddog]

Thanks for the informatio. I appreciate your time and knowledge. I never thought to check for the bolts binding. I will do that. I hope to get it together this week end.