440 Valley Pan queston

garyh

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I am about to install a new intake manifold (valley pan) gasket and I am wondering if I use the four gaskets that came with the new valley pan? '68 440 eng? Thanks in advance
 
I never do. A little permatex on both sides of the pan and a little more in the corners.
 
I know I'm late to the party but since I just went through this I thought I'd chime in.

Here's what I ended up doing: I used the factory valley pan and sprayed Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket on both sides. I bolted down the end bars to hold it in place but didn't fully torque them down. Then I sprayed some copper stuff on both sides of TWO of the FelPro gaskets and laid them in place. The copper stuff was tacky enough to hold them but I used a couple pieces of painters tape as insurance. A dab of Permatex in each corner filled any little gaps. Then I placed the factory 4-barrel intake manifold where I wanted it. Had to be VERY careful to put it STRAIGHT DOWN without any sliding or wiggling.
All my bolts lined up perfectly. No issues whatsoever. My engine has the original, unshaved factory heads and the cast iron intake wasn't shaved either. All original bolts were replaced with new Grade 5 bolts and added hardened washers, all from the local Tractor Supply Company.
Great place for all kinds of hardware btw. Grade 5, 8, stainless, metric, standard, whatever you need. And they sell it by weight so it's easy to get as many as you need of whatever it is.

Anyway, torqued everything down in three steps and VOILA! Done deal and no leaks. BTW this valley pan gasket had been through 2 manifold swaps before I finally settled on this combo. Speaks well for it's design methinks.<br>Hope this helps you or someone else.
 
No gaskets, indian head, high tack, something like those on the port and crossover area, some RTV in the transition head to block area and across the front and rear rail. Intake on thread seal the bolts and put them in.
 
No gaskets, indian head, high tack, something like those on the port and crossover area, some RTV in the transition head to block area and across the front and rear rail. Intake on thread seal the bolts and put them in.
Thread seal on the bolts? Oops. Didn't know anything about that. Is that really important or just a precaution?
 
Thread seal on the bolts? Oops. Didn't know anything about that. Is that really important or just a precaution?
I have to assume he meant threadlocker, not seal, on the bolts.
If you didn't throw threadlocker on the bolts, just retorque them after several hundred miles.
 
I have to assume he meant threadlocker, not seal, on the bolts.
If you didn't throw threadlocker on the bolts, just retorque them after several hundred miles.

The bolt holes go into the valley, so seal on the threads is essential otherwise you'll get puddles of oil from seepage.

I went ahead and used the gaskets with the pan, plus permatex. The intake and heads were original, never before removed. It was tuff getting the holes to line up - a buddy of mine pried the intake down while I started the bolts, but we eventually got 'em all cinched in place. Then re-torqued after one cool down cycle. A couple months later, I recently checked all around the intake seal with some propane gas and found a slight leak at #8, re-torqued and it went away.

BTW - I highly recommend propane for a quick vacuum leak check...no nonsense results.
 
Tell me more on using propane for vacuum leaks? How do you do it? Thanks
 
to use propane, carb cleaner or water to find a vacuum leak on a CARBURATED engine is a simple matter is carefully spraying small amounts at the sealing areas and listening for any change in rpms. Water is safe and easy, but only works good when it can lay on the surface for a second or two before evaporating or getting sucked in. Propane is preferred to find those nasty bottom side locations and mechanics who have tools to do carburetor work often own a propane enrichment tool which allows for a very small metered amount of propane to be delivered by a length of hose. as a poor mans trick a small plumbing torch can be used, but lacks the hose and the control for small quantities... USE CAUTION. Carb cleaners, penetrating oils, etc are equally dangerous and like water cant get to that bottom leak very well. I advise against ether, in my experience it seems lighter than air and will bring a fire back to your face.
 
For carburetors you are listening for the engine to change... does require you are extra careful not to spray where the carb itself picks up the additional fuel. Fuel injected engines all have a way to control idle speed, and this DOES NOT WORK, unless the idle circuit is disabled. Cars with o2 sensors are better diagnosed with propane by watching STFT with a scan tool, because the computer will sense the fuel mixture change better than you could hear a difference.

Same tool, same concept... and propane is completely safe to feed to your engine... ever hear the knocks and rattles when ether or whatever is used to run one. Small, focused amounts of whatever you use is the only way to narrow down where the leak is, and I recommend starting with a spray bottle of water first. I always have one at my tool box... quick safe diagnosis of some vacuum leaks, secondary ignition leaks, and great to rule out belt noises too.
 
I know I'm late to the party but since I just went through this I thought I'd chime in.

Here's what I ended up doing: I used the factory valley pan and sprayed Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket on both sides. I bolted down the end bars to hold it in place but didn't fully torque them down. Then I sprayed some copper stuff on both sides of TWO of the FelPro gaskets and laid them in place. The copper stuff was tacky enough to hold them but I used a couple pieces of painters tape as insurance. A dab of Permatex in each corner filled any little gaps. Then I placed the factory 4-barrel intake manifold where I wanted it. Had to be VERY careful to put it STRAIGHT DOWN without any sliding or wiggling.
All my bolts lined up perfectly. No issues whatsoever. My engine has the original, unshaved factory heads and the cast iron intake wasn't shaved either. All original bolts were replaced with new Grade 5 bolts and added hardened washers, all from the local Tractor Supply Company.
Great place for all kinds of hardware btw. Grade 5, 8, stainless, metric, standard, whatever you need. And they sell it by weight so it's easy to get as many as you need of whatever it is.

Anyway, torqued everything down in three steps and VOILA! Done deal and no leaks. BTW this valley pan gasket had been through 2 manifold swaps before I finally settled on this combo. Speaks well for it's design methinks.<br>Hope this helps you or someone else.
You said two gaskets but i have 4. Felpro being gasket experts, make me wonder why some guys use no gaskets, some guys use two, and some use all four? Really confusing. Just trying to put it back together and enjoy a ride. No racing or hard use.
 
You said two gaskets but i have 4. Felpro being gasket experts, make me wonder why some guys use no gaskets, some guys use two, and some use all four? Really confusing. Just trying to put it back together and enjoy a ride. No racing or hard use.
The fellow you're asking hasn't been on in a couple years.
But to boil it down, the experts that originally designed and built your engine to use a valley pan only.
fel pro decided to add extra gaskets in case something was milled or modified out of original dimensions.
Long story short, just use the pan with some appropriate sealer as mentioned in this thread.
 
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