Now we are going to install the intake manifold... In the last chapter, we installed distributor gear, oil pump, and windage tray...
This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 16... If you missed one of them, you can find it here...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley Plugs
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before Assembly
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 5: Crankshaft Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 6: Installing Rings on Pistons
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7: Install Pistons in Block
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7a (Optional): CC the Engine Cylinder to Find Compression
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 8: Install the Camshaft
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9: Install Camshaft Thrust Plate
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9A (Optional): Timing Chain Options
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 10: Install Timing Chain
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 11: Check Piston-to-Valve Clearance
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 12: Installing the Heads
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/ams/how-to-rebuild-a-small-block-part-13-installing-the-valvetrain.442/
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 14: Preparing the Timing Chain Cover
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 15: Installing the Timing Chain Cover and Water Pump
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 16: Installing the Distributor Gear, Oil Pump, and Windage Tray
*************************************************************************
Hello everyone, it's Krazykuda here to show you how to rebuild a small block... This article is to help any newbies through rebuilding a small block Mopar LA engine, but may have a few tips that some of you seasoned builders may find useful... If you haven't ever built an engine, I will show you what you need to know to do it yourself...
The goal of this series is to show what you can do at home in your own garage... Go at your own pace and ability and then take it to someone knowledgeable for what you are not capable of doing yourself or don't have the proper equipment/tools for...
Keep checking back in from time to time as this is a work in progress and I plan to keep updating it as I build more engines and can show you more variations...
I am going to break this into sections that you can follow along with and make sense to do in 'stages' when you build... Plus you can then jump to the section that you are working on to help keep from sorting through one very long thread to find what part that you are working on when you are doing it....
*************************************************************************
*** Important Note *** Sometimes things may not go right and you will run into a snag/road block... Do not get in a hurry to finish and take short cuts that may compromise your build...
Step back, take a break, and think about it for a while... Or seek help from other experienced people or professionals to overcome the problem... Do it right and don't take any unnecessary chances that may compromise the integrity of your build...
If you don't fix the problem correctly, it may come back to haunt you and cost even more time and money than if you took the time to think about it and research it to fix the problem correctly...
This has been a public service announcement from krazykuda....
*************************************************************************
This chapter shows you how to install the intake manifold...
Before installing the intake manifold, it's good to get any pre-prep work done on it...
If you are running an aftermarket intake, turn it over and make sure there are clearance holes for the locator pins that are in the center of the block on each end of the lifter valley... These pins are used to help locate the end gaskets and keep them from squishing out and moving when you install and torque the intake manifold, which we will refer to as "intake"...
Here I circled them in red and pointed to them...
Here's one close up...
Here's a factory manifold...
Front...
Rear...
If your intake does not have these clearance holes for the gasket locating pins, I recommend drilling them in the intake... If you don't have the clearance holes for these pins in the intake, it will prevent the intake from seating all the way and it won't seal...
To figure out where to drill the clearance holes, just set the intake on the engine and give it a few taps with a large rubber hammer to make marks on the bottom of the intake manifold where they go... Then drill some holes in those locations that will be a little larger than the pins, give them some extra diameter for more clearance around the pin to make up for any location differences... Only make them deep enough so the locating pins won't bottom out, do not drill all the way through the intake if you can help it...
If you don't have the clearance holes in the bottom of the intake for the pins and you don't feel confident drilling them, then remove them... You will just have to make sure the intake end gaskets don't squeeze out and loose their seal when you tighten the intake...
Here is the block with the gasket locator pins removed in the top of the block at each end of the lifter valley...
Cicled in red and arrows point to them...
Here is the one in front of the block...
Here is the one in the back of the block...
If you are going to use an aftermarket triple gauge kit with oil pressure and temperature gauges, now is the time to drill the intake for the water temp sensor for the mechanical gauge to avoid getting chips in the water jacket of the engine... It's easier to drill and clean out the chips with the intake off the engine... I like to use the triple gauges as they are much more accurate and reliable than the stock dash gauges...
*** Side note *** If you decide to run the aftermarket triple gauges, I recommend getting the ones where the oil pressure and temperature gauges have a 270° sweep as they are more accurate than the of a 90° sweep because they have more range to travel... 90° sweep is ok for volt and amp gauges, but for water temp and oil pressure go with 270° sweep...
I like to mount the temp sensor for the water pump in the intake manifold on the water port just to the left of the thermostat... It is close to the thermostat so it gives an accurate temperature for what the thermostat is seeing... Since it is on the driver's side it is easier to route the gauge wire through the firewall and down the intake, and the sensor wire will be able to reach it... If you put it on the other side of the engine, the sensor wire may be too short to reach... The wire on the gauge for the temp sensor is only so long... Plus you can tie wrap it to the throttle bracket to keep it under control and out of the way of the carburetor linkage... If the sensor wire tangles in the throttle linkage you may have a full throttle episode which may not end well (you can blow the engine if it revs in neutral, or crash if you are in drive if this happens), so tie wrapping it to the throttle cable bracket will keep it out of the way so that doesn't happen...
Here is the bushing that comes with the temp gauge to mount the sensor on the intake...
In these two pictures notice that I don't bottom the bushing to the top of the intake... If you screw the bushing all the way down, the end of the sensor tip will hit the bottom of the water port and won't seat and seal in the bushing... Just install it so the of the top port wall is at the bottom end of the bushing...
When you drill and tap the intake for the sensor bushing, be careful when tapping the hole... It is a pipe thread which is tapered and if you run the tap too deep, the bushing will screw in too far... Just run the tap until the bushing starts to thread, then test how deep the bushing will go in... Then remove the bushing and tap it about a half turn and test it with the bushing again, then another half turn with the tap and test it again, and repeat until you have the bottom of the bushing just at the top of the wall of the water jacket port... If the bushing goes past the top wall of the water port, it may restrict some flow and more importantly may make the sensor tip bottom out in the port before it's properly tightened in the bushing... With tapered taps and threads, the more you tap them, the deeper the male thread will go... So be cautious and don't tap too far before checking...
Here is what the temp sensor looks like on a finished engine...
While we're on the subject of aftermarket mechanical gauges, now is a good time to put in the bushing for the oil pressure gauge... Here it is in the picture at the back of the block near the distributor hole... Leave this hole open for the stock oil pressure sending unit for the stock oil gauge if you aren't going with a mechanical gauge...
If you run the aftermarket oil pressure gauge, it's difficult to also run the stock oil pressure gauge because there is not very much room to run a tee fitting to be able to run both gauges, pick one or the other... I go with the 270° sweep aftermarket mechanical oil pressure gauge because it's more accurate...
Before you install the intake, chase all of the intake manifold bolt threads in each head with a 3/8" x16 tap...
I like my Irwin/Hanson tap and die kit... It has served me well over the years...
Now that the intake manifold holes are all cleaned out with your tap, it's time to get your gaskets out... Here is the individual Fel-Pro intake manifold set... Notice the 4 round red plastic locators in the clear bag between the cork gaskets... They are used to keep the side gaskets in place when you install the intake...
Close up of the part number...
Line up the end gaskets on the block to determine which side goes down toward the block, and then line up the side gaskets on the heads to see what side contacts the head... Then place them with those sides up and get ready to apply the Gaskacinch...
Here is the Gaskacinch with a dried rubber booger on the side...
Apply a coat of Gaskacinch to the gaskets and let it dry for about 15 - 20 minutes... Then apply a second coat and let it dry for 10 - 15 minutes until it gets sticky/tacky...
Install one of the side gaskets on the head and use two of the red plastic locator rings on the second hole inboard from both ends to hold the gaskets in place... The 4 plastic locating rings come in a small manilla envelope or clear bag with the gasket kit, two for each side.. Here is what it looks like...
Here the red plastic locator rings are shown in red arrows and circles...
Then do the same for the other side so it looks like this... The red locator rings stay in the gaskets when you install the intake manifold... They keep the gaskets from becoming mis-aligned when you set the intake on the engine...
Here's all 4 circled in green...
Next install the end gaskets... Here's the one for the rear of the block...
There's a tab on the end of each head gasket, place that tab into the oval holes on each side of the cork intake end gaskets... Here's the passenger side rear tab...
Here's the driver's side rear end tab...
Here's the driver's side front end tab...
Here's the passenger side front tab...
Next get the silicone RTV sealer, any color of your choice; clear, blue, black... I use the clear...
Run a line/bead of RTV at each corner where the thin blue side gaskets meet the cork end gaskets... This fills and seals the gap between the two gaskets... Note that the blue side intake gaskets are tucked under the cork gaskets...
You don't need alot, just a line like this for each corner... Here's the passenger rear side...
Here's the driver rear side...
Here's the passenger front side...
Here's the driver front side...
Then take your finger and force the bead into the crack between the two gaskets and smooth out the top of each bead like this... Passenger front...
Driver front...
Driver rear...
Passenger rear...
Next swab all of the gaskets with some Gaskacinch and let it dry for 15 - 20 minutes... Then do another layer of Gaskacinch and let it dry 10 - 15 minutes until it gets sticky/tacky...
When the second coat of Gaskacinch is sticky/tacky, then carefully place the intake on the engine lining up the bolt holes in the intake with the ones in the heads...
Then start all of the bolts a few threads to make sure all of the holes are properly aligned... When installing a part with a bunch of bolts, always finger start all of the bolts first before tightening any of the other bolts... This allows the part to shift/adjust if any of the other holes aren't aligned properly...
Here's the engine torque specs from the 68 Plymouth service manual...
The intake manifold bolts are 3/8" x 16 coarse thread and should be torqued to 35 foot pounds...
Here is the intake manifold torquing sequence from the 68 Plymouth service manual... You start in the center and alternate sides and work your way outward...
The 4 bolts in the center of the intake manifold on either side of the carburetor flange may not be accessable with a torque wrench... I tighten them with the ratcheting end of a 9/16" gear wrench by hand... Tighten them first good and tight, and after I torque the rest of the bolts, I put the gear wrench on one of them to see how much force it takes to turn them and then try to apply that much force to the middle bolts to match the 35 foot pounds of the torque wrench...
After all of the intake manifold bolts are torqued, cover the carburetor opening with duct tape and put a rag in the distributor hole or a distributor to keep anything from falling into the engine...
*************************************************************************
Now we are ready to install the oil pan...
This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 16... If you missed one of them, you can find it here...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley Plugs
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before Assembly
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 5: Crankshaft Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 6: Installing Rings on Pistons
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7: Install Pistons in Block
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7a (Optional): CC the Engine Cylinder to Find Compression
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 8: Install the Camshaft
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9: Install Camshaft Thrust Plate
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9A (Optional): Timing Chain Options
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 10: Install Timing Chain
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 11: Check Piston-to-Valve Clearance
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 12: Installing the Heads
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/ams/how-to-rebuild-a-small-block-part-13-installing-the-valvetrain.442/
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 14: Preparing the Timing Chain Cover
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 15: Installing the Timing Chain Cover and Water Pump
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 16: Installing the Distributor Gear, Oil Pump, and Windage Tray
*************************************************************************
Hello everyone, it's Krazykuda here to show you how to rebuild a small block... This article is to help any newbies through rebuilding a small block Mopar LA engine, but may have a few tips that some of you seasoned builders may find useful... If you haven't ever built an engine, I will show you what you need to know to do it yourself...
The goal of this series is to show what you can do at home in your own garage... Go at your own pace and ability and then take it to someone knowledgeable for what you are not capable of doing yourself or don't have the proper equipment/tools for...
Keep checking back in from time to time as this is a work in progress and I plan to keep updating it as I build more engines and can show you more variations...
I am going to break this into sections that you can follow along with and make sense to do in 'stages' when you build... Plus you can then jump to the section that you are working on to help keep from sorting through one very long thread to find what part that you are working on when you are doing it....
*************************************************************************
*** Important Note *** Sometimes things may not go right and you will run into a snag/road block... Do not get in a hurry to finish and take short cuts that may compromise your build...
Step back, take a break, and think about it for a while... Or seek help from other experienced people or professionals to overcome the problem... Do it right and don't take any unnecessary chances that may compromise the integrity of your build...
If you don't fix the problem correctly, it may come back to haunt you and cost even more time and money than if you took the time to think about it and research it to fix the problem correctly...
This has been a public service announcement from krazykuda....
*************************************************************************
This chapter shows you how to install the intake manifold...
Before installing the intake manifold, it's good to get any pre-prep work done on it...
If you are running an aftermarket intake, turn it over and make sure there are clearance holes for the locator pins that are in the center of the block on each end of the lifter valley... These pins are used to help locate the end gaskets and keep them from squishing out and moving when you install and torque the intake manifold, which we will refer to as "intake"...
Here I circled them in red and pointed to them...
Here's one close up...
Here's a factory manifold...
Front...
Rear...
If your intake does not have these clearance holes for the gasket locating pins, I recommend drilling them in the intake... If you don't have the clearance holes for these pins in the intake, it will prevent the intake from seating all the way and it won't seal...
To figure out where to drill the clearance holes, just set the intake on the engine and give it a few taps with a large rubber hammer to make marks on the bottom of the intake manifold where they go... Then drill some holes in those locations that will be a little larger than the pins, give them some extra diameter for more clearance around the pin to make up for any location differences... Only make them deep enough so the locating pins won't bottom out, do not drill all the way through the intake if you can help it...
If you don't have the clearance holes in the bottom of the intake for the pins and you don't feel confident drilling them, then remove them... You will just have to make sure the intake end gaskets don't squeeze out and loose their seal when you tighten the intake...
Here is the block with the gasket locator pins removed in the top of the block at each end of the lifter valley...
Cicled in red and arrows point to them...
Here is the one in front of the block...
Here is the one in the back of the block...
If you are going to use an aftermarket triple gauge kit with oil pressure and temperature gauges, now is the time to drill the intake for the water temp sensor for the mechanical gauge to avoid getting chips in the water jacket of the engine... It's easier to drill and clean out the chips with the intake off the engine... I like to use the triple gauges as they are much more accurate and reliable than the stock dash gauges...
*** Side note *** If you decide to run the aftermarket triple gauges, I recommend getting the ones where the oil pressure and temperature gauges have a 270° sweep as they are more accurate than the of a 90° sweep because they have more range to travel... 90° sweep is ok for volt and amp gauges, but for water temp and oil pressure go with 270° sweep...
I like to mount the temp sensor for the water pump in the intake manifold on the water port just to the left of the thermostat... It is close to the thermostat so it gives an accurate temperature for what the thermostat is seeing... Since it is on the driver's side it is easier to route the gauge wire through the firewall and down the intake, and the sensor wire will be able to reach it... If you put it on the other side of the engine, the sensor wire may be too short to reach... The wire on the gauge for the temp sensor is only so long... Plus you can tie wrap it to the throttle bracket to keep it under control and out of the way of the carburetor linkage... If the sensor wire tangles in the throttle linkage you may have a full throttle episode which may not end well (you can blow the engine if it revs in neutral, or crash if you are in drive if this happens), so tie wrapping it to the throttle cable bracket will keep it out of the way so that doesn't happen...
Here is the bushing that comes with the temp gauge to mount the sensor on the intake...
In these two pictures notice that I don't bottom the bushing to the top of the intake... If you screw the bushing all the way down, the end of the sensor tip will hit the bottom of the water port and won't seat and seal in the bushing... Just install it so the of the top port wall is at the bottom end of the bushing...
When you drill and tap the intake for the sensor bushing, be careful when tapping the hole... It is a pipe thread which is tapered and if you run the tap too deep, the bushing will screw in too far... Just run the tap until the bushing starts to thread, then test how deep the bushing will go in... Then remove the bushing and tap it about a half turn and test it with the bushing again, then another half turn with the tap and test it again, and repeat until you have the bottom of the bushing just at the top of the wall of the water jacket port... If the bushing goes past the top wall of the water port, it may restrict some flow and more importantly may make the sensor tip bottom out in the port before it's properly tightened in the bushing... With tapered taps and threads, the more you tap them, the deeper the male thread will go... So be cautious and don't tap too far before checking...
Here is what the temp sensor looks like on a finished engine...
While we're on the subject of aftermarket mechanical gauges, now is a good time to put in the bushing for the oil pressure gauge... Here it is in the picture at the back of the block near the distributor hole... Leave this hole open for the stock oil pressure sending unit for the stock oil gauge if you aren't going with a mechanical gauge...
If you run the aftermarket oil pressure gauge, it's difficult to also run the stock oil pressure gauge because there is not very much room to run a tee fitting to be able to run both gauges, pick one or the other... I go with the 270° sweep aftermarket mechanical oil pressure gauge because it's more accurate...
Before you install the intake, chase all of the intake manifold bolt threads in each head with a 3/8" x16 tap...
I like my Irwin/Hanson tap and die kit... It has served me well over the years...
Now that the intake manifold holes are all cleaned out with your tap, it's time to get your gaskets out... Here is the individual Fel-Pro intake manifold set... Notice the 4 round red plastic locators in the clear bag between the cork gaskets... They are used to keep the side gaskets in place when you install the intake...
Close up of the part number...
Line up the end gaskets on the block to determine which side goes down toward the block, and then line up the side gaskets on the heads to see what side contacts the head... Then place them with those sides up and get ready to apply the Gaskacinch...
Here is the Gaskacinch with a dried rubber booger on the side...
Apply a coat of Gaskacinch to the gaskets and let it dry for about 15 - 20 minutes... Then apply a second coat and let it dry for 10 - 15 minutes until it gets sticky/tacky...
Install one of the side gaskets on the head and use two of the red plastic locator rings on the second hole inboard from both ends to hold the gaskets in place... The 4 plastic locating rings come in a small manilla envelope or clear bag with the gasket kit, two for each side.. Here is what it looks like...
Here the red plastic locator rings are shown in red arrows and circles...
Then do the same for the other side so it looks like this... The red locator rings stay in the gaskets when you install the intake manifold... They keep the gaskets from becoming mis-aligned when you set the intake on the engine...
Here's all 4 circled in green...
Next install the end gaskets... Here's the one for the rear of the block...
There's a tab on the end of each head gasket, place that tab into the oval holes on each side of the cork intake end gaskets... Here's the passenger side rear tab...
Here's the driver's side rear end tab...
Here's the driver's side front end tab...
Here's the passenger side front tab...
Next get the silicone RTV sealer, any color of your choice; clear, blue, black... I use the clear...
Run a line/bead of RTV at each corner where the thin blue side gaskets meet the cork end gaskets... This fills and seals the gap between the two gaskets... Note that the blue side intake gaskets are tucked under the cork gaskets...
You don't need alot, just a line like this for each corner... Here's the passenger rear side...
Here's the driver rear side...
Here's the passenger front side...
Here's the driver front side...
Then take your finger and force the bead into the crack between the two gaskets and smooth out the top of each bead like this... Passenger front...
Driver front...
Driver rear...
Passenger rear...
Next swab all of the gaskets with some Gaskacinch and let it dry for 15 - 20 minutes... Then do another layer of Gaskacinch and let it dry 10 - 15 minutes until it gets sticky/tacky...
When the second coat of Gaskacinch is sticky/tacky, then carefully place the intake on the engine lining up the bolt holes in the intake with the ones in the heads...
Then start all of the bolts a few threads to make sure all of the holes are properly aligned... When installing a part with a bunch of bolts, always finger start all of the bolts first before tightening any of the other bolts... This allows the part to shift/adjust if any of the other holes aren't aligned properly...
Here's the engine torque specs from the 68 Plymouth service manual...
The intake manifold bolts are 3/8" x 16 coarse thread and should be torqued to 35 foot pounds...
Here is the intake manifold torquing sequence from the 68 Plymouth service manual... You start in the center and alternate sides and work your way outward...
The 4 bolts in the center of the intake manifold on either side of the carburetor flange may not be accessable with a torque wrench... I tighten them with the ratcheting end of a 9/16" gear wrench by hand... Tighten them first good and tight, and after I torque the rest of the bolts, I put the gear wrench on one of them to see how much force it takes to turn them and then try to apply that much force to the middle bolts to match the 35 foot pounds of the torque wrench...
After all of the intake manifold bolts are torqued, cover the carburetor opening with duct tape and put a rag in the distributor hole or a distributor to keep anything from falling into the engine...
*************************************************************************
Now we are ready to install the oil pan...
