Intake manifold leak at valley

Hello, everyone. I just want to start off saying that I know this is a Riviera forum and not an Eldorado forum, but my Riv hasn't come to me yet. Well, actually my money hasn't come to me yet , but it will! I do intend to have a Riviera in the next couple months or so, so........ soon! Hopefully my friend Mark will see this post.

Well, I have a 1980 Eldorado that has a 5.7L 350 fuel injected (these engines were used in some Rivieras; don't know about the fuel injection in the Rivs ) . A while back, when I was around 14, #1 cylinder had a bent intake valve, so the intake manifold had to be removed. When my uncle and his friend reinstalled it (I uninstalled most of it and they installed most of it), they messed up the back seal that runs along the block, sealing up the valley that contains the lifters and push-rods. A corner is puckered out, so oil slowly drains out, burns, and smokes. I'm tired of breathing burnt oil in the cab!

I have the gasket set, but it's a HUGE job to do. My $450 a/c compressor has to be removed, one million and a half vacuum lines have to be disconnected, 50,000 wires......... So, a neighbor who has been working on cars for about 50 years suggested that I loosen the manifold, prop it up, push the seal back in, and re-tighten it to see if that will work. I'd just have to drain the coolant and loosen the manifold bolts. What do you guys think? How big is the risk of a coolant leak into a combustion chamber?

Again, I apologize for posting about this car on this forum, but I figured because these used an engine that was an option for a '79-'80 Riv, so I guessed it would be ok. Please feel free to delete this or move it if I'm in the wrong section and I'm sorry if I broke any rules. I won't make any more car-help posts for this car here any more. I appreciate the help and I hope everyone is having a happy 4th!

Do you know offhand if this used the Buick 350 or the Chevy 350? A picture would help.

We are all car guys, some of us familiar with the old ones. You posted in the correct 'other' forum, so all's well!

Is that one of the FWD rear-facing V8s like the early 70's eldos?

Hey, Derek. It is actually an Oldsmobile 350. The only Caddy's that had this engine were from California. I figured the 350 in the Rivs were the same . Yes, it is a rear-facing front wheel drive like the older Eldorados. It has a strange drivetrain setup. I was actually told that these had a drive chain.

Do you mean a picture of the spot? We have an older digital camera that I don't think will focus in on that. Because it's a small area (1/4" to a 1/2"), I decided to try cleaning it with alcohol and placing some silicone gasket sealer on it. I pressed it into the space and on the surface. It might work, but I won't hold my breath!

Oh man, I lost my post before sending it again.

I'm here Danny, get back to you tomorrow.

Mark

Hey, Mark! Good to talk to you. Don't worry, I loose posts like that too. I won't be touching this thing again untill tomorrow afternoon anyway.

The olds 350 admittedly is one I haven't worked on. (455 yes, 350 no). But take a general picture of the engine bay with the air cleaner out of the way and we should be able to help determine how difficult it will really be. I've done plenty of intake gaskets for various purposes. The hardest part will be brittle vacuum lines or carb base gaskets deteriorating, things like that. The manifold itself is not that difficult.

Ok, I could do that. Like I say, I have done this before on this car. It took me a very long time the first time (different fittings attached for 26 years or so at the time), granted though that I've become much more experienced than I was then too. I could probably do the job in a day. Things like loosing my a/c bug me. We just spent around $450-$500 getting that fixed (bad expansion valve). Fortunately, I can recharge it myself. I will get the picture in a bit. Thank you for your help!

Hello. I tried cleaning the area, applying silicone in the space/on the surface. So far so good! No more smoke, no more smell. I'll just have to see how well it holds up. Thanks.

Hi Danny,

I'm glad your have your leak problem fixed.

Listen friend, I may be wrong, and if any of the admins want to set me right I'll stand corrected, but I don't see any reason why you can't post what you want on RivPerformance. Your car is a cousin of our Riv's and in actuality the Eldorados and Toronados set the stage for the first FWD Riviera's, mine included.

There are folks on this sight who don't own Riviera's or one of our older cousin's like you do, and they are still welcomed. If we had our own catagory, you wouldn't need to post in "Other".

I may not post often, but I'll still be here Danny.

Mark

Thanks, Mark. I appreciate it. I'm just glad that I didn't have to do any major work to fix it (at least for now). Thank for being a good friend to me. If you have any computer trouble, I may be able to help you with that! Just ask!

Thanks friend,
Danny

Danny,,, Pard,,,,, that is not the way to fix a leaking manifold gasket..... there is not any substitute for doing it the right way.... use masking tape to label all those hoses that olds was famous for... and the wires and other lines..... then take the bolts out and get 2 500 lb. gorrillas to help you remove it from the engine..... then when you get it off remove the old gaskets from all the gasket surfaces,,,,, then take you a prick punch and the gasket surfaces that run across the back, center of the block , stipple with the punch to give it a even, rough surface that will hold the gasket in place when it is tightened down..... then when you install the new gaskets, glue them to the heads with yellow trim cement,,, [gorrilla snot] and coat the gasket surfaces of the intake manifold with a thin layer of wheel bearing grease... so it will slide without moving the gaskets.... then very carefully set the intake on.... double checking everything before you do.... when it is on start all the bolts with your fingers before tightening any of them.... then beginning in the middle of the manifold just snug the bolts down working toward the ends.... then tork to 10 lb.... then to 20 lb.. then to the final tork amount.... each time starting in the center and working to the ends....
Then hook everything back up .....

DocModisett wrote:

Danny,,, Pard,,,,, that is not the way to fix a leaking manifold gasket..... there is not any substitute for doing it the right way.... use masking tape to label all those hoses that olds was famous for... and the wires and other lines..... then take the bolts out and get 2 500 lb. gorrillas to help you remove it from the engine..... then when you get it off remove the old gaskets from all the gasket surfaces,,,,, then take you a prick punch and the gasket surfaces that run across the back, center of the block , stipple with the punch to give it a even, rough surface that will hold the gasket in place when it is tightened down..... then when you install the new gaskets, glue them to the heads with yellow trim cement,,, [gorrilla snot] and coat the gasket surfaces of the intake manifold with a thin layer of wheel bearing grease... so it will slide without moving the gaskets.... then very carefully set the intake on.... double checking everything before you do.... when it is on start all the bolts with your fingers before tightening any of them.... then beginning in the middle of the manifold just snug the bolts down working toward the ends.... then tork to 10 lb.... then to 20 lb.. then to the final tork amount.... each time starting in the center and working to the ends....
Then hook everything back up .....

^^^ that's the way you do it ^^^

Albertj