How do I check port alignment between intake and heads

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duster360

duster360

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Anyone know how to check the alignment of the intake manifold ports to the cylinder head ports
 
Start by using your gasket on the intake with the bolts through the bolt holes. Mark the gasket ports on the intake and do the same for the heads. This will give you a general idea of how close they align. I have seen 2 identical name brand intakes side by side that had major core shift. You may or may not be surprised by what you find.
 
Tape your intake gaskets to the heads after heads are torqued down with the head gasket. Line gasket up to intake ports. This assumes heads are port matched to intake gaskets.

Bolt you intake down and torque to specs.

Now trace the intake gasket with a pencil or sharpie along top of intake.

Remove intake and intake gaskets. Tape intake gaskets to intake manifolds aligning with the trace mark you made when everything was bolted together.

Port match intake to intake gasket.
 
Also, depending on how things align, you might want to get thicker or thinner intake gaskets. summitracing.com has gaskets of various thicknesses.
 
Bill, would milling .010 off the deck require the same off of the intake, or is it a small enough amount to not require .009 off the intake? Is this amount small enough to not affect the original gasket? Thanks.
 
Thats not enough to worry about ! Us RTV on ends of manifold instead of the cork or foam end gaskets. Put out dowel pin's
 
did this math the other day. Basically whatever you mill off the heads- take 70% of that to each side of the intake.
 
Engine is together but the intake sits a little high and won't seal at the bottom. I have found some intake gaskets that go all the way down to .012". So I need figure how to do it with the engine together if possible. The marking the gasket at the top of the intake sounds like a good idea.
 
Typically,

You will need '2' sets of Intake Manifold Gasket sets {soft type}.

The last thing you want to do is 'mill' the Intake Manifold.


 
69 Cuda 440 said:
Typically,



The last thing you want to do is 'mill' the Intake Manifold.

Very true. If you do mill the intake to properly match the heads, the heads and intake should remain together on any engine it's put on. A milled intake can be used on a un-milled set of heads with a thicker intake gasket. The term "port matching" is the best way to align the ports if both parts are compatable. The gasket to be used for assembly can be a pattern for both the head surface and the intake ports. If you have a huge mis-match, you may have the wrong combination of heads or intake. (stock 273 intake on 340 J heads or the like.)
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Its way cheaper to mill the intake manifold then mill the intake side of the heads in the long run, you can still use the heads this way with other intake manifolds. I use a bore scope camera to check the proper alignment of my ports.
 
mini said:
Its way cheaper to mill the intake manifold then mill the intake side of the heads in the long run, you can still use the heads this way with other intake manifolds. I use a bore scope camera to check the proper alignment of my ports.
Click to expand...

True,

But if you 'mill' the Intake Manifold, that unit could be useless on another untouched combination.
 
I agree it is much better to mill the intake face of the heads but since the heads are already torqued then the intake needs to be milled. I would make a horizontle swath of dykem across the top and bottom of the head ports extended as far out on each end as you can then scribe a horizontle line with your pointer in the dykem on the top and bottom of the ports. Then do the same on the intake but in addition on the intake ends make an additional swath of dykem around the corners (8 swaths) with a scribed line turned around the corner so when you set the intake down (no bolts or torquing needed)you can see the scribed lines (it'll make better sense when you do it). level the intake side to side so the distance between the intake lines and the head lines is the same on each side & note that distance which is how far the intake needs to set further "down" in the "V". Your machine shop will do the math for the right amount to be milled taking into consideration the LA intake angles. As said remove the dowels & use "the right stuff" gasket sealer on thoroughly cleaned surfaces in lieu of the tailor made end seals unless the seals you have are the right thickness & most ain't as they are too thick. Do your mockup/measureing with the gaskets you intend to use (I'd suggest Felpro composition) #1243 for a 318. EDIT missed that you have a 340 which as you know would take a different number (couldn't find the FP number)
 
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