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Topic: Intake Gasket (Read 2176 times) previous topic - next topic

Intake Gasket

Anyone ever put intake gaskets on a 86-88 5.0 with it in the car? Looking at it, it looks like its going to be a real PITA. Any advice, suggestions, etc? It seems my leak may in fact be caused by the intake gasket leaking.

Intake Gasket

Reply #1 –
It's really easy to do. Just follow the directions in a auto repair book and you'll be fine. I think it took me about 3.5 hours to swap intakes on my 88.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Intake Gasket

Reply #2 –
The lower kind of sucks, but at the same time, you don't really have to pull any accessories unless you want to. You will have to pull the dist if your doing the lower intake. Just keep it clean and stuff rags in the heads and try not to get anything in the oil.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Intake Gasket

Reply #3 –
Alright, obviously I'm going to have to remove the plenum. Anything that you guys might recommend to change while this is apart? I'm not really excited about doing his, but I figure I should replace anything that might be disturbed in the process.

Intake Gasket

Reply #4 –
Replace the heater hoses and any vacuum line that is soft/cracked... Be very careful removing the heater hoses or you'll be replacing the core as well. I split them from the tubes and just peel them off...

A trick that will make install easier is get two 5/16 bolts that are approx 1" longer than the std intake bolts and use them as guides when setting it back in place... Once all the std bolts are started remove the guides and install the reg bolts... A small block Ford is one of the few engines you can use this trick on, as most have bolts that go in at a angle...

A 5.0 aluminum lower is a piece of cake, try installing a iron FE intake without help, they weigh around 85lbs...

EDIT  I forgot to mention you must cut the heads off of the longer bolts to use them as guides...

Intake Gasket

Reply #5 –
Also,you don't have to remove the distributor.You can work around it.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Intake Gasket

Reply #6 –
if you buy a complet gasket kit it come with the distributor o-ring and pcv filter

Intake Gasket

Reply #7 –
Quote from: TurboCoupe50;326770

A 5.0 aluminum lower is a piece of cake, try installing a iron FE intake without help, they weigh around 85lbs...




This.  Ive been there done that.  Ford can BS people all they want, but deep down anyone who's done this job on a FE knows that FE is the internal designation for shaging Enormous.
41 Dodge Luxury Liner Sedan
78 F-100 2wd flareside
84Turbo Coupe
84 Thunderbird Élan
85 Thunderbird 3.8
88 Turbo Coupe
88 Mustang GT
90 Stang LX 5.0 5spd
93 F-150 4x4 ext cab
96 Mustang GT
98 Mustang GT
99 SVT Cobra
06 Fusion SEL
14 Fusion Sport

Intake Gasket

Reply #8 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;326728
It's really easy to do. Just follow the directions in a auto repair book and you'll be fine.


1) Disconnect the negative battery cable
If worms had daggers, birds wouldn't f**k with 'em

Intake Gasket

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Scott D;326798
1) Disconnect the negative battery cable

I should do that (very smart idea as a "just in case"),but never do.I like to have the stereo playing while I work.I used to disconnect the battery cable,but I've removed the intake so many times,it doesn't take long at all now,and I've got it down to a fine science now.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Intake Gasket

Reply #10 –
As previously stated, the distributor does NOT have to be pulled, but it's much more of a hassle trying to weasel the intake back into place.  Tom had a great suggestion about the guide pins...it makes life so much easier...I've done it a few times myself, with great results.

Good luck,
Don
Project 3G: Grandpa Grocery Getter-'85 Crown Vic LTD 2-door, 351W with heavily ported/polished GT40 heads, heavily ported/polished Typhoon Power Plus upper & lower intake, Comp Cams 265DEH retarded 1*, FAST EZ-EFI, HD T5, 8.8" 3.73 trac lock with extra clutches, 3G alt. swap, '99 CVPI front brakes, '09 CVPI rear disc brakes, '00 CVPI booster&m/c + wilwood adj prop valve.

Parted & Gone-'88 T-bird Sport, 351W swap, ported GT40 heads

Intake Gasket

Reply #11 –
Alright. Well tomorrow is the day this is happening. Time to take the engine apart, we'll see. Anyone have a procedure? I'm sure this is a little more complicated than it'd like. :/

Intake Gasket

Reply #12 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;326801
I should do that (very smart idea as a "just in case"),but never do.I like to have the stereo playing while I work.I used to disconnect the battery cable,but I've removed the intake so many times,it doesn't take long at all now,and I've got it down to a fine science now.


Thats what a little cheapo stereo from walmart is for, but as for the battery, depending on the job, i might take the battery out, just to completely eliminate any possible chance of something happnin, but for the intake gasket swap, its pretty much an easy task, but time consuming, but removing the dist. makes it easier to do.

My $.02
Remember, if the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

When all else fails, get a bigger hammer.

Chris
 93 cat rebuilt 3.8

Intake Gasket

Reply #13 –
I leave the distributor in,and,even with the strut tower brace on,it's still not a big deal swapping or removing and installing the intake.Now,if it were a cast iron intake....maybe I'd have a different opinion.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Intake Gasket

Reply #14 –
to each his own, its not like its a PITA to remove and put back in, just put a new distributor in my car to day, including the time it took to swap the oil pump shafts over, 5 min start to finish. its not rocket science to put 1 in and take 1 out.
Remember, if the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

When all else fails, get a bigger hammer.

Chris
 93 cat rebuilt 3.8