Head gasket question

[fishman]

I have a sbc dart little m block with AFR heads and super victor intake, over the years I have a small oil leak at the back in drivers side . I ran across a post somewhere saying with the felpro 1004 gasket is a common problem and he just puts a small bit of rv silicone under the head gasket where it meets the intake on all four corners. What is your thoughts on this, I emailed felpro on this with no reply

Thanks

[BillK]

Go to the parts store and get a bottle of leak detecting die and put it in the oil. That with a cheap UV flashlight will help you see exactly where it is leaking from.

I have never had an issue with the 1004 or other Fel Pro Performance gaskets leaking at that point. Are you using RTV on the front and back of the intake or trying to use the gasket ? I dont think I have used a gasket in 25 years. I use "The Right Stuff" and always try to squeeze some into the corners before running a bead across the front and back.

[anarot]

Fishman, same thing here but with little m and 1003 gaskets after last rebuild a couple of years ago. Leaked both sides at the back where the cylinder heads met the block. Front was fine. Previous 2 rebuilds with new head gaskets there was no problem. I always run a bead of silicon across the back and front rather than use the gaskets supplied. To fix it I really had to force the silicon in where the heads meet the block and that stopped it.

[fishman]

I’m just rebuilding the motor right now, that is why I asked about similar problems and I did make a mistake in my post the gasket was a 1003 but I’ve went to the 1004 gasket for the rebuild. I’ve havnt put any silicone on the head gaskets. The intake manifold gaskets I use the cork gaskets with right stuff under and on top of the gasket.
With another forum member saying he has the same problem with the 1003 gasket maybe it’s a issue with the particular gasket

[BillK]

I use the cork gaskets with right stuff under and on top of the gasket.

Throw the cork gaskets in the trash and just use a bead of the right stuff on the front and back. The cork gaskets might work if it is a totally stock engine but I have never seen them fit right on anything that has been modified in any way. And putting silicon on them is liable to make them slide out.

[dannobee]

Yup, throw away that cork crap and just clean everything really good with brake cleaner or alcohol, then run a bead of RTV on the front and back of the intake manifold. It'll squeeze into the triangle area well enough.

Like others, I haven't used anything other than RTV for 25-30 years now. And neither has GM, once they figured out that engine oil was supposed to stay INSIDE the engine.

[houser45]

I’m just rebuilding the motor right now, that is why I asked about similar problems and I did make a mistake in my post the gasket was a 1003 but I’ve went to the 1004 gasket for the rebuild. I’ve havnt put any silicone on the head gaskets. The intake manifold gaskets I use the cork gaskets with right stuff under and on top of the gasket.
With another forum member saying he has the same problem with the 1003 gasket maybe it’s a issue with the particular gasket

Nope, don’t think so. It isn’t the gasket.

[Walter R. Malik]

I have a sbc dart little m block with AFR heads and super victor intake, over the years I have a small oil leak at the back in drivers side . I ran across a post somewhere saying with the felpro 1004 gasket is a common problem and he just puts a small bit of rv silicone under the head gasket where it meets the intake on all four corners. What is your thoughts on this, I emailed felpro on this with no reply

Thanks

This only happens to me when I have angle milled the cylinder heads only past the mating surface and not all the way to the intake flange.

[novafornow]

Just recently pulled the heads off of a 355" sbc that was leaking oil through the head gasket up by the intake. Used the same 1003 gasket as before, but put a smear of silicon on the gasket at the finger that sticks up toward the intake. Problem solved. This was an aluminum head deal, and maybe the aluminum does not have the clamp load needed that far up. I have ALWAYS done this on angle milled stuff, but never done it on a flat head. It will be my SOP from this point on.