Intake Manifold Question (pics)

2094 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by t_l75, Jan 24, 2011

t_l75

Discussion Starter · Jan 23, 2011

I am just about to complete the top end of my freshly rebuilt engione, so i can fire it up and make sure everything is working as it should befire i drop the body on. I just had a question on the intake manifold. I was planning on trying to salvage this one, for now until later down the road when im actually driving the car where i can replace it. I wanted to replace it with a edelbriock perfromer intake, but i was wondering if i shouldnt just put the new edelbrock intake on now. Here is my problem: There is a LOT of calcium build up (at least i think its calcium, correct me if im wrong) in each of the corners of the intake. And there is also a lot of carbomn buildup in the very middle valleys. I have tried top clean it up as much as i could but theres still a lot more once you start getting inside of the intake. So what do you guys think? should i keep it for now? or just pitch it and get the new one?
Theres no brand on the manifold but i looked up the patent # and its owned by edelbrock.

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72LS1Vette

· #2 · Jan 23, 2011

I would toss that manifold and put on a new one. The corrosion is caused by the reaction of dissimilar metals - iron heads and aluminum manifold. You can buy radiator caps that have a "sacrificial anode" attached that will cut down the corrosive effects of the iron/aluminum interaction. The anode will get eaten away rather than the intake manifold.

:cheers:

Rick B.

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shipy59

· #3 · Jan 23, 2011

Is money an issue? if not go new if it is i would reuse with aviation goo (permatex) on gasket and use glycol coolant 50/50 (GM ls alloy block coolant, orange?):thumbsup:
I would use good coolant in a new motor anyway(30 years wrenching tells me that)

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zwede

· #4 · Jan 23, 2011

Doesn't look that bad to me. You can clean it up by taping a sheet of 220 wet sand paper on a piece of flat glass and sand the mating surfaces.

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t_l75

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 23, 2011

Money is not a real issue, the issue is just that I want to gt the car running first, and I still need a lot of stuff for that to happen. I would only want to replace it if I absolutely had to, like if it would effectthe way the engine ran. My plan was to try to get the car running with what it has on it, then a few months down the road replace the intake and the carb when I have more money. (being a junior in highschool and working 15 hours a week on minimum wage just doesn't cut it sometimes.) so basically what I started this thread for was just to see if you guys thought it would absolutely need to be replaced.

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010752

· #6 · Jan 23, 2011

I've used worse many times. Clean up as mentioned and use a bit of sealant around the water ports and let cure before filling with coolant.

This is caused by not changing the coolant, letting it become acidic and promoting corrosion.

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grumpyvette

· #7 · Jan 23, 2011

these bits of info may help

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=74&hilit=anodes

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=700&p=973&hilit=+manifold+coolant#p973

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TotalC1971

· #8 · Jan 23, 2011

The 2101 (the intake you have now) IS an Edelbrock Performer!!

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t_l75

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 23, 2011

Wow, the 2101 is the performer?!? Well thanks TotalC1971!! I was trying to find information on my manifold but I couldn't find anything more than the patent # for edelbrock. Well I guess I'll do what most of you suggested, I'll keep it for now and clean it up and use a good sealant. Thank you all for your help!

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Slow & Leaky

· #10 · Jan 23, 2011

Degrease that manifold and soak it for a couple hours in a strong solution of CLR or some other rust & scale removing concentrate sold at department stores. You may even have some under the sink with the rest of the nasty cleaners. Longer overnight soaks are possible, but start early with a brushing and rinsing at a couple hours to judge progress and minimize excess soak. Metal brighteners are just acid, and that's also what those cleaners are.

Petroleum acts as a masking agent for the acid to dissolve the deposits, that's why you have to degrease it first.

Products like etching wheel cleaner are a combo of degreaser and acid and would work very well, but it's hard to soak the cooling passage in wheel cleaner.

Once you've got that dissolved out, then you'll know how useable it really is. It's not really scaring me thus far, when you hold a gasket up the sealing surfaces aren't really buried in corrosion. And for water ports, a quick silicone wipe on the intake before installation is totally acceptable.

good luck!

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zwede

· #11 · Jan 23, 2011

Once you have it "functionally cleaned", you can clean up the visible surfaces by scrubbing with a "scotch brite pad" (brown 3M scuffpad, available at any parts store) soaked in WD40.

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iburke

· #12 · Jan 24, 2011

I use a scotchbrite wheel in a drill + WD40 will make it shine like new. Then use a small amount of RTV around the water ports...

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willg1966

· #13 · Jan 24, 2011

Rolo disc scotch bright

Do not use rolo disc on matting surfaces every time I bring something in with disc marks on it the Machinist cusses me out, it removes lots of metal. Now if you have had the heads surfaced then they have migrated down. The engine shop I use always checks the surface and mills the manifold if it does not sit flat or not down on the valley. Yes I know the boys at the dealership use the rolos to clean, but I don't like them all that much.

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t_l75

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 24, 2011

Well thanks to all of you for all your help! i will post some pictures of the finished product once its done! thanks again!

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