Mike, et Listers,
Silicone, high-temp, RTV, etc., type sealer has its place. In fact it's
wonderful stuff and ranks right up there with duct tape in terms of utility
and versatility. However, I just can't bring myself to throw away those
nice cork gaskets and fill that big hole with nothing but silicone. I'll
admit that probably the biggest reason is habit; but consider the following:
Ever get any gasoline on silicone? It tears it up real quick. Now I haven't
done a real thorough study of the long term effects of exposure to other
hydrocarbons, but I've extrapolated my observation about gasoline and
decided not to take a chance. Besides, it's possible, for example when
changing jets or doing other work on the carb, to spill gasoline around the
seal.
Another experience with silicone is with my three-piece Centerline wheels.
They use it to seal the wheel along the circumference where the two main
pieces are joined. Lasts about ten years and then you have to re-do it.
Does this mean that the intake manifold seal will fail in ten years too?
Don't know - don't want to find out either.
Let's pose the question the other way around: Has anyone out there ever
used yellow snot, yellow death, contact cement, or whatever you want to
call it to glue the cork doglegs to the block and had it not seal?? I've
done it this way a dozen times or more and never had a problem. I think it
requires only slightly more proficiency than just using silicone and I feel
a lot more confident when I'm finished.
Bob
At 06:50 AM 10/17/98 -0700, Mike Sutter wrote:
>Listers,
>
>I installed an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake on my 302. I actually read
>the entire instruction pamphlet that the good people at Edelbrock supply
>with the manifold. It suggests that the cork "dogleg" gaskets that are
>intended to seal the front and rear ends of the manifold be left on the
>workbench. They suggest a 1/4" bead of high-temp silicon type gasket sealer
>be used in the gaskets place. The reason they prefer this procedure was
>previously described by Bill Martin in his post from the Digest on
>Saturday. I installed my manifold as per the instructions and have not had
>any leaks.
>
>P.S. Torrey pines Concour d'Elegance this Sunday featuring Alfa-Romeo
>
>Mike S.
>
Robert L. Palmer
Dept. of AMES, Univ. of Calif., San Diego
rpalmer@ames.ucsd.edu
rpalmer@cts.com
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