60v6's intake flaw

[ssdurango]

After all the leaky intake manifolds, law suits, improved gaskets, "improved" heads, improved coolants, ect, ect, - A search on google reveals that (after 20 years!) leaking intake manifolds remains an extremly common failure. A search of our forum dosn't reveal much at all on the subject. Maybe I haven't found the thread yet. Or maybe nobody wants to talk about. Has this problem been swept under the rug or has someone truly fixed the problem?

[robertisaar]

felpro full metal gaskets "problem savers"

/thread

[SappySE107]

Its only an issue with 3100s and 3400s. Maybe 3500s but those haven't had the same issues, likely from better installations from the factory. Its all about the right parts and the right install procedure.

[ssdurango]

Do they make metal gaskets for a '94 iron head 3.4?

[robertisaar]

weren't necessary....

3.4 gaskets rarely went, at least compared to the 3x00...

[SappySE107]

Only the thicker gaskets have had a problem, because they are more sensitive to torque spec and they were plastic from the factory. A 3.4 should have a thin blue composite (i think) gasket.

[geoffinbc]

Yea iron head motor should not have an issue. I have never had one go, I have only had a problem with old silicone on the end seals began to seep so I changed the gaskets when I fixed that problem.

[ssdurango]

I found the leak - it was coming from the head gasket. The gasket material bewteen the fire ring and inside edge of the gasket is eroded away at #4 and #6 cylinders. #2 is on the way out too, all in the same place. These are new felpro gaskets, installed in april with ARP headstuds.

I looks to me like the compression presure has blown out the softer material leaving the steel mesh behind. I'll upload some picture soon...

Has anyone seen a 60v6 fail like this?

I'm running a 3.4 iron head, Supercharged - on propane. 300hp.

[pocket-rocket]

I'm running a 3.4 iron head, Supercharged - on propane. 300hp.

That would have to have a LOT of cylinder pressure to get that kind of hp. That's probably how it happened. You use standard head gaskets? I wonder how MLS would stand up to that.

[ssdurango]

Crap, I ment to post this to my other thread.

Pocketrocket:Maybe, but other people can make more hp and not blow head gaskets, maybe It's detonation blowing out the fire ring. But I don't hear any pinging.

[robertisaar]

maybe It's detonation blowing out the fire ring.

that can and WILL do it. the pressure spike from detonation will turn headgaskets into nothing very quickly...

[ssdurango]

I started a new thread in Pushrod Performance "My blown head gasket pictures"

Thanks for reading