{ENGINE} intake manifold re-torque...

[Ifixyawata]

SO, I understand you're supposed to re-torque the intake after you have it on the car and the car has been run up to operating temp. What I did was heat it up, take the upper off, re torque the lower, but none of the bolts seemed loose. SHould I have heated it up, let it cool and they retorque? Or was I right to do it when the engine was warm? SEems like I did it wrong because heat expands it, cooling it should contract it, loosening the bolts. Advice?

[Ifixyawata]

Well, fuck it, now I broke the driver's side door handle. Only opens from the inside now.

COCKSUCKERS!

[Grand Marquis GT]

you are supposed to be fixing shit, not breaking it!

I dont see how the engine temp would have anything to do with it, I would torque em down and go.

[Mercracer]

Let it cool off first before trying to retorque. This only applies if you actually use a torque wrench. Calibrated wrist method does not apply.

http://www.holley.com/TechDocs/Instructions/Holley/Sheets/300-72S.pdf

[Ifixyawata]

Well, it's all back together and running. Now the cooling system is fux0red. Filled it up with coolant, ran it till the t-stat opened, started sucking down water like a $2 whore. Started warming up and then I get this banging noise coming from inside the radiator and the bottom hose is pulsating along with it. Drained the radiator (goodbye $16) to find nothing really wrong. Might I have a chunk of ice somewhere in the cooling system?

[Grand Marquis GT]

Hows the oil look?

[Mercracer]

Probably just air in the system. Assuming you bolted your thermostat in with the bottom (spring side) facing the engine. Just remove one of your heater hoses from the intake and fill the system (radiator) until the air is pushed out and water flows smoothly.
Then top off the radiator. The sudden drop of the water level in the radiator definitely means air was in the system.

[Ifixyawata]

I think it was air too. After I refilled it I had no problems. Though the coolant doesn't seem to be circulating very fast I have heat and the engine doesn't appear to be overheating.

I did, however, manage to get a flat tire and bend the corner of the doorskin over backing it out of the garage. All is well, though. There's some rattling noise coming from the passenger's side exhaust pipe near the cat that sounds like a knock or a lifter when the engine is under heavy load, but I'mma change the oil and fugheddabout it.

Thanks all.

[Lincolnmania]

i never retorque intake gaskets........i usually add a few ft lbs when i'm putting them down the first time.......no time to remove the upper and retorque.......that is nuts lol..........do you think they remove the upper and retorque at the factory? i think not lol
scott

[Mercracer]

i never retorque intake gaskets........i usually add a few ft lbs when i'm putting them down the first time.......no time to remove the upper and retorque.......that is nuts lol..........do you think they remove the upper and retorque at the factory? i think not lol
scott

You have to be careful with adding lbs to the torque of intake bolts. On any Windsor SB motor, you can actually unload head bolts which will cause head gasket failure.
This is one reason that Ford eliminated 2 bolts on 351W intakes over the years.

[Ifixyawata]

Very good points, Scott and Mercracer. Every time I re-torqued I didn't notice ANY loose bolts, so nuts to that. I'm just hoping and praying this car makes it through the winter.

[Lincolnmania]

i only add 2-3 ft lbs..........i'm doing better than most techs i see working, i watched a guy put heads and intake on an engine with an impact gun, some guys just dont care
scott

[Ifixyawata]

Yikes... impact.

I think the difference was made this time because I RTVed the gaskets better (especially where the pitting on the intake was) and I used guide studs.

[Mercracer]

i only add 2-3 ft lbs..........i'm doing better than most techs i see working, i watched a guy put heads and intake on an engine with an impact gun, some guys just dont care
scott

Some guys should not be allowed to touch tools............ever!

[Paul_]

impact tools, holy shit

that guy better stay the fuck away from my car,lol