P.I. Intake Swap

[Antcjr]

Has anyone SUCCESSFULLY performed this intake swap? This is the second time I've had to do it. It'll last for about two weeks and then leak all over the ground.
I don't really want to put the old intake on due to my supercharger.

 

[Ferocious]

Why is it leaking? Did you buy a used manifold or a new one? Did you use NPI or PI gaskets? Did you seal the coolant ports?

 

[MustangChris]

many of us have done this swap successfully. where is the leaking coming from?

 

[Antcjr]

Why is it leaking? Did you buy a used manifold or a new one? Did you use NPI or PI gaskets? Did you seal the coolant ports?

I got the intake used. I used PI gaskets and yes i did seal the coolant ports.

many of us have done this swap successfully. where is the leaking coming from?

It leaks in the very back on the driver side.Where the coolant passage is RTVed on the driver side.

 

[96gtsleeper]

the intake is cracked bro.
just did one this last week on my friends 99 gt at work same issues and problems

 

[96gtsleeper]

by the way nice gt man. loving the color

 

[Antcjr]

the intake is cracked bro.
just did one this last week on my friends 99 gt at work same issues and problems

by the way nice gt man. loving the color

Thank you sir. I was sorta thinking it was the intake as well.

But does my rtv job look fine? and did your friends leak right away or take a little?

 

[FrankenStang]

RTV looks ok, but i always use black...its better resistant to oils and stuff, which coolant has lube init which can cause the red to fail....i had red fail on me in a year of use and then used black and it lasted 3 years through nitrous,over heating, and all....all way untill i tore down the car....and are you making shur to torque the bolts down in propper sequence? i know you start in the middle and work you way out,that can help it seat propperly..

 

[LI98GT]

I used the NPI gasket when I did the swap many years ago just so I would ensure I wouldn't have any water leaks. That looks fine though and much more I believe have used the PI gaskets. Does sound like it could be damaged - I would carefully inspect that puppy, but as you may know already somtimes the cracks are hard to see when there is no pressure being applied.

 

[joekd]

Non-pi gaskets are the way to go, not a single leak with mine and I did mine back in 09

 

[FrankenStang]

NPI gaskets are NOt the way togo...if you feel better with 8 places where a vaccum leak can occur because of the ports not linging up correctly as aposed to 2 coolant ports that can go bad...and down the line in the future id rather be able to see a coolant leak on a failed seal in the manifold instead of chasing down a vaccum leak...dont get me wrong, it can be done with npi gaskets but there is alot more that can go wrong..

 

[FrankenStang]

alos whats making you guys think his mani is cracked??? when i did the swap i also applied rtv on the head above the port not just init...too much is ok..

P.S....my buddy swicthed back to an npi manifold after he did his supercharger install, he tried explaining to me about it being able to boost up faster...but im no boost guy so it was giberish to me..

 

[BigBore96]

Your buddy was probably thinking that because the npi does not flow as well the boost will come on quicker due to the restrictions. Which, honestly... in that case is stupid. The npi intake should be damned!

 

[96gtsleeper]

well his is already a pi motor. But when it happened it did it instantly and on the driver and fast leak. Replaced the gasket the first time and still continued removed the intake again and inspected it again with a uv light sure as heek, it was on the inside of the intake port were the water just sits.

Thank you sir. I was sorta thinking it was the intake as well.

But does my rtv job look fine? and did your friends leak right away or take a little?

 

[03DSGGT]

I did the intake/cam swap on my buddies 96. I used PI gaskets too. When I sealed the corner of the water jacket in the head, I built it up so it was above the gasket surface and let it dry. Then I took a razor blade and shaved it flush with the gasket surface. Then When I put the intake on, I put a dab of fresh sealant on the dry stuff and put the intake on while it was wet. My theory was that If I just globbed it in the water jacket and put the intake on, the sealer could push down into the coolant passage and fall away from the gasket surface causing leaks. By letting the first round of sealer dry and cutting it flush, it almost makes it like its part of the head, then the small dab that you put on right before putting the intake on will seal between the dry sealer and gasket....hope this didnt confuse you too much lol

 

[FrankenStang]

if you have the cash they do make a kit for the swap that comes with gaskets that fix that problem, but i cant remember who makes it...

 

[vermilion]

did you let the RTV dry for 24 hours? this means no coolant or starting up right away.

 

[Twista]

Yes i have successfully done this swap. Well kind of ....

Anyway make sure your not using a dorman pi intake manifold. Those use orings to seal.

Make sure you using a ford style pi intake

 

[witek28]

I did PI intake with PI gaskets+RTV swap and had coolant leak.I did PI intake swap again with NPI gaskets + RTV. Now there is no leak for over 1 year. I have Vortech 10psi. With NPI gaskets swap http://web.archive.org/web/200705010...ntakeswap.html . You can try to buy HPS PI to NPI adapter if you don't want to use RTV

 

[Antcjr]

An update on this.. I removed the intake again and found a hairline crack at one of the coolant ports.