Intake Manifold Gaskets

[Triton]

I am installing the intake gaskets on my 289 but this doesn't look right, it's a felpro gasket for a 289 - 302 but thats not much material around the water jackets and looks prone to leak. What gaskets should I have bought?
Thanks

 

[lethal289]

i used the felpro performance gaskets. They worked fine and are holding up well. This is the best pic i could find.

 

[SAC69]

I'm using Fel-Pro but it's their Print-O-Seal (?) type which has a small bead around the ports. Even then, I wiped a thin coating of blue RTV around the water ports.

 

[Starfury]

I agree. Fel Pro Performance 1250's are the way to go, and are required if you have an aluminum intake.

I also put a thin smear of sealant around the cooling ports to prevent leaks.

 

[Triton]

I think thats what i will get this gasket just doesn't look like it will seal. Thanks

 

[Larry G]

I don't think that is the best gasket set out there but the area (cut out) you're pointed at is to channel coolant away from intake runner and the engine valley in case of a leak.

 

[Arto65FB]

Also, notice that you have big water hole gasket. I couldn't tell what heads you have. But they seem like small water hole heads like I have in my 66 Feb heads. I had big hole gaskets in it and it run fine about 20 years. Then I removed heads and had to install new gaskets of course. I checked the gaskets and they seem about the same. It leaked from the ends of the gaskets because the heads are contoured more than later heads so there is not ample sealing surface. Previous builder must have carefully port mathced the gasket according water "runners" instead of intake runners as I did.

If you look at Lethal's pic, you can see that the water holes have removable extra material to work with either large and small water hole.

 

[68EFIvert]

I use Felpro 1250S# intake gaskets. They are the same as the 1250's but have a steel core so the will not blow out as easily.

 

[Triton]

Arto65FB, I have 66 heads and I can see what your talking about, I think I will go with the print-o-seal gasket. I new something was different I just didn't have newer heads to compare!