1.65 Roller Rockers on the 350

Thanks guys!

 

Hey Mike A,

When you put your intake manifold back on, what type of sealant did you use? A silicone for the both water ports and intake ports? Or did you use something different for the intake ports, like a type more resistant to the gas mixture?

Steve

 

I had the intake off and on 3 times with the same gasket...... I used Permatex "copper spray-a-gasket" part # 80697 on that intake runners section and Permatex Ultra Black #24105 on the water passages.

Mike

 

Sorry for all the questions Mike, but I've been having trouble getting a good seal on a couple pairs of the intake ports using the silacone sealant. I also use the steel valley pan gasket and trim the height of the end seals. When I trial fit the aluminum manifold, there are no gaps and it fits tight and firm, no wiggle. But over time, i notice a slight loss of vacuum and along with a pair of the spark plugs having damp or wet threads with oil. Upon removing the manifold, the seal has shifted or sections of it are gone.

So, my next question is.....do you use any other gasket other than the steel pan?

Thanks,

Steve

 

I use just the stell valley pan gasket. You can try some of the "Indian Head" type of gasket maker. it is like a shellac type that goes on with a brush and does not harden up much. Never use a RTV type of sealant on the vacuum port section of the intake, as it can pull loose and get sucked in very easily. Use the RTV only on the end seals and around the water ports. You may also want to check your head to intake surface for straightness.... make sure it isn't warped a all.

What part of the seal is gone, and what part has shifted? None of the metal part of the gasket should ever be missing...... it would take alot of heat to burn that away, or something cutting it. Got any pictures?

 

Thanks a lot Mike, I really mean it. The information you're sharing is really helpful. I have checked the heads and the manifold for warpage and there is no clearance between the straight edge of the gage I used and the surfaces, and when I test fit the manifold, it's firm and tight. The steel valleypan gasket is fine, no missing sections. What I meant by the seal missing is the RTV that was used around the vacuum intake ports (advice from a local professional mechanic, a lesson learned here) some of the sealant is gone or shifted, causing vacuum leakage.

Your advice makes great sense, and I will pull the intake next weekend and reseal it with the products you recommended.

I'll keep you updated, thanks again Mike.

Steve

 

Good luck! Hope you get 'er all sealed up...... :bglasses:

 

Hello Mike Atwood,

I pulled the intake, cleaned all the surfaces, installed the new valley pan with the copper spray-a-gasket. So-far so-good, still have 16 inches of vacuum at 650 rpm and the spark plugs are dry. The torque specs I had from a Poston sheet (my son had switched manifolds from 4bbl stock to Poston to TA) said to torque the manifold to 25ftlbs, which I did over about 4 increments. Checking on-line today, I noticed that the TA specs say 45footlbs for an aluminum manifold to iron heads.

What foot pounds do you torque your manifold to?

Thanks,

Steve

 

I run mine at about 40lbs......... although the last time going together, I actually didn't need a torque wrench.... (had the intake off so many times I could feel 40 ft lbs! :laugh: Just kidding)
:TU:

 

Dear Larry and Mike,

Thanks for the information on the torque, having a forum like V8Buick and the very helpful folks like you take a lot of the uncertainty and guesswork out of working on the GS.

I will likely pull the QJet wednesday evening, put in leaner .072 jets with .044 rods (had it calibrated richer before to compensate for the vacuum loss) and while it's off I'll torque the manifold to 45 over a couple more increments.

Thanks again guys, I'll let you know how the vacuum readings change.

Steve

 

Dear Mike and Larry,

Wow, the last two weekends have been very busy, and very productive. Largely due to the accurate and extremely helpful advice from you two guys, along with many others on this forum. Here's an update.........

Retorqued the manifold at 45lbs, and rejetted the Q-Jet primaries to .072 jets and .044b rods. Got a solid 17 inches of vacuum at 650rpm.

Reread through your post Larry about how to time our Buicks. Installed the bushing onto the mechanical advance, disconnected the vacuum advance and plugged it at both the carb port and the distributor. Measured and cut a piece of masking tape to exactly 1.75 inches, taped it to the harmonic balancer, filed a notch at the end of the tape and chalked it. With the help of a green-eyed redhead, this 350 is timed at 34* at about 2600 rpm. (Will try the silver springs to see if I can get it to come in earlier.) Picked up another inch of vacuum, now just over 18 at 650 rpm. The inital timing setting ends up on top of the 12 notch.

Took it for a test drive last evening, and I know we're not supposed to swear on this forum, but holy ####!!! This buick can really run! (I owned a '68 Goat and a '70 442 years ago, and this GS would have stomped the Olds and given that old poncho a real run.) By the time I hit 4000 rpm in third, I was over 90mph, with another 1000 rpm to go in third and I haven't even hit fourth yet. It is soooo quick, just gobs of throttle response and it just doesn't stop pulling! I had to back off..........need to get this GS to the track and get her timed.

Again, thanks to you guys. You're a wealth of information THAT WORKS!!!!

Steve

 

Awesome..... another Buick on the road, and ready to make some road kills! :beer

 

Great to hear!!! So many people get caught up in the bolt ons and skip the tuning.

 

Hey Steve, are you planning on taking the Buick to any of the shows around the area this summer? I live about 10 minutes from you at the east end of Maybee Rd in Orion, and had emailed Jake a few times about meeting up at the car wash that he goes to, but then my car broke a rocker and I have it apart now and he left for the marines. I probably won't have my car out until next year (if I'm lucky), but I still go to the shows up at KMart on Dixe Highway, in Waterford. I also go to the shows at Bakers in Milford.

I usually end up riding with a buddy of mine, he's got a beautiful '68 Pontiac. It's a Tempest, but looks like a GTO with chrome bumpers and a primered spoiler on the back. It's not running right for some reason, we think it's got to do with the timing, and he just got switched to night shift, so we haven't been able to check it out too much. He gets a lot of grief from the Pontiac guys, because he has a 502 BBC motor in it. He would rather have had a Pontiac motor, but for the price he got this motor, he couldn't pass it up.

I was thinking of Jake the other day. We just got an invitation to a welcome home party for my wife's cousin, at the American Legion Hall, on Airport Rd. He just came back from Iraq last week. He's in the marines and was on the front page of the Free Press or the Detroit News, and was on Fox 2 News when they were filming the homecoming at Selfridge.

Jake Car is red right? (I thought that's what he said)

Hopefully we'll see ya at some shows this summer.

Tell Jake to take care and that we're all proud of him.

TTYL,
Scott Crisp

 

Hi Scott,

I talked to Jake this morning and he said he remembers you from this forum, and says thanks to all for your support. He really loves being a Marine!

About the car shows, on Tuesday nights I try to go to Boomers on M-59, west of the entrance to the airport, and some Sunday I want to get over to Baker's, the one you mentioned.

The picture of your GS looks pretty sweet, I hope you get her running soon. Jake's GS is blue with white stripes and Crager SS's. I hope to see you around some time.

Steve

 

These are rollerized on the shaft or bronze bushed?

 

The TA rockers have bearings on the shaft, not just a bushing. They are really a nice piece.