2806178 Intake Manifold Replacement - What Date Code do I need?

[Michael_]

So we just replaced the Intake Manifold Gasket on my stock 69 Charger R/T 440 only to find out the manifold is warped 30 miles later. (This is how long it lasted, now its leaking again...)

I have a 2806178 with a Date Code which i ASSUME Reads 6-17-68. (The car is one of the very first 69 chargers built in late 68)

I was looking online and found a bunch of used manifolds (unfortunately nothing rebuilt or nos) for sale:

FOR SALE - 69 440 intake (Would blend in nice with the rest of my survivor engine)

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 7-8-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED - SHIPS FREE TO LOWER 48 - Blue Star Performance

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 7-8-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED

bluestarperformance.com

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 9-28-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED - SHIPS FREE TO LOWER 48 - Blue Star Performance

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 9-28-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED

bluestarperformance.com

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 8-7-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED - SHIPS FREE TO LOWER 48 - Blue Star Performance

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 8-7-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED

bluestarperformance.com

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 7-1-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED - SHIPS FREE TO LOWER 48 - Blue Star Performance

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 7-1-68 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED

bluestarperformance.com

Intake Manifold - Casting# 2806178 - Date 2-7-69 - A - B - C - Body - 440 HP - 4 BBL - 1967-69 - USED - SHIPS FREE TO LOWER 48 - Blue Star Performance (Appears to be in nice shape but early 69 casting date, so after my car has been built)

So my car is a very original survivor. Do i have to get a special casting date (range) or would the early 69 casting manifold be fine?
I personally dont care except i do not want to hurt the value (which is ovbiously tied to the originality) of the car.

So what do i need to buy?

Edit: I do not want to fix the old manifold right now. I just want to replace it.

 

[R/T Boy 67]

The 7-1 -68 is the closest to the original manifold, so use thar one. Any manifold with a casting date two weeks to a month before the engine build date would be perfect. I had an engine with a block casting date one week before the engine build date.

 

[R413]

Your car was built on 68, so don't put on a 69 dated part.

I would get the 7/1/68 intake.

Can you share your fender tag SPD code?

 

[Michael_]

Here are a couple pictures of the Intake Manifold Part Number & Date Code.
I'm sure with the Part number aswell as 17 and 68 part of the Date Code. Again i'm not 100% sure if the Month is 6.

Album — Postimages

postimg.cc

Also here is a picture of the fender tag:

https://i.postimg.cc/hjyW8yts/IMG-0198.jpg

The 7-1 -68 is the closest to the original manifold, so use thar one.

True. But that one is a bit rougher looking than others so i'm not extremely excited to pull the trigger.

 

[69Coronetrt]

The SPD or VIN do not matter. They are administrative in function and unrelated to actual assembly.

What matters is the engine assembly date (EAD). That is stamped on the pad on the Drivers side.

What is that date?

You would want a manifold date before the EAD that seems 'reasonable' to the EAD. A manifold date two days before the EAD would not seem reasonable. A date two weeks before the EAD would seem reasonable. A date six weeks before the EAD is plausible.

For what its worth....an 801 SPD coupled with a 96**** VON tells us this car was likely a promo car.

Please notice your car falls in between these two other 965*** cars.

The 801 SPD is entirely irrelevant to production as that SPD is used for early in the model year special VON cars. It means absolutely nothing when it comes to actually building the car.

You car could have actually been built in late July or much later in August.

It also makes the EAD the most important date in finding a date coded manifold.

Do you have the broadcast sheet?

Nice find. Take care of it.

 

[R413]

Let's not give up so fast on the leaking intake. Did you use any sealer on it? Did you use paper gaskets? It's worth a try. If nothing has been milled there is room for paper gaskets on top of the valley pan.

More Information for FEL-PRO MS90175

Shipping on an intake will be expensive.

 

[66 Sat]

How have you determined that the intake manifold is warped? Cast iron manifolds don't warp easily to the best of my knowledge. It's more likely been like that since it was cast or was installed poorly.

Regardless, why don't you just remove it, and get it machined flat, or determine the amount of warp and use some fiber gaskets that will take up the tolerance if it's only minor?

 

[R/T Boy 67]

I'm guilty of not looking at the adds, before I made my comment. I am Canadian, so I apologize.

 

[69Coronetrt]

I'm guilty of not looking at the adds, before I made my comment. I am Canadian, so I apologize.

No apoplogy needed.

Your record speaks for itself.

You're one of 'the good guys' here.

 

[GTX JOHN]

If you put a straight edge on the manifold and it is indeed warped (Not Likely),
it is a very simple job to machine the manifold.

Probably make up the small amt take off with a pair of the .015 gaskets
that are used between the tin gasket.

IMO you would save a lot of time and trouble that way.

 

[R/T Boy 67]

No apoplogy needed.

Your record speaks for itself.

You're one of 'the good guys' here.

Thank you.

 

[Michael_]

Thanks for all the information, appreciate it!

What matters is the engine assembly date (EAD). That is stamped on the pad on the Drivers side.

What is that date?

I have no idea. The car is currently in storage but i will take a look when i have a chance.

Did you use any sealer on it?

Yes of course.

Did you use paper gaskets?

No.

How have you determined that the intake manifold is warped? Cast iron manifolds don't warp easily to the best of my knowledge. It's more likely been like that since it was cast or was installed poorly.

Regardless, why don't you just remove it, and get it machined flat, or determine the amount of warp and use some fiber gaskets that will take up the tolerance if it's only minor?

Actually i did this together with a retired opel mechanic who also used to work on the diplomats which had chevrolet smallblock v8s back in the days.
This was definitely not the first time this guy changed an intake manifold gasket and he's sure he did not do anything wrong. I'm tempted to believe him. It also lasted 30 miles.
If you spray along the left and right side of the intake you instantly get bubbles on both sides.
I'm also questioning the "warped intake manifold" theory a bit but he is pretty sure that's what it is and i mean what else could it be assuming the installation was done correctly? BOTH (also original) cylinder head mating surfaces being warped? That sounds even more unrealistic and i REALLY hope its not that.

Of course we only know for sure once we remove the intake manifold again and check it with a straight edge.
But at this time i need a replacement part because i have no place to store a non running car atm.

So since there currently isn't an intake with the right date code available that's in really nice shape i'm tempted to buy the best one i can find, ignoring the date code just so i have a replacement manifold and then if turns out mine is really warped get it fixed or wait until the right one comes up for sale.

Regardless, why don't you just remove it, and get it machined flat

How much can you take off before you also have to resurface the cylinder heads?

 

[1967coronet]

Like posted cast intakes can warp but it would take alot of heat or over or under tourqing .
Michael if it were mine and a numbers car I would find out how far its out.
A steel machine ruler and a set of feeler gauges will give you a close idea.
If its close try one more time with a felpro set of pan and paper gaskets , some Indian head or simular sealer on the port areas, pipe dope on bolt threads and tighten to 40/45 ft lbs following the correct pattern.
One of the easy V8 intakes to swap or R&I its worth the gasket set and a couple hrs.
Good luck , hope it seals up.

 

[oldkimmer]

Is your pcv system working properly? Kim

 

[R413]

You could have this intake off, paper gaskets installed and back on in one hour.

Using paper gaskets and sealer will help take up any deviation in the parts.
Sounds like a good move in your situation and location on this planet.

 

[WileE]

I got to agree with everyone here ^^^ advising to merely correct the condition with your existing manifold. A possible surface cleanup along with a gasket may be a possible simple solution.

 

[Michael_]

You could have this intake off, paper gaskets installed and back on in one hour.

Using paper gaskets and sealer will help take up any deviation in the parts.
Sounds like a good move in your situation and location on this planet.

I got to agree with everyone here ^^^ advising to merely correct the condition with your existing manifold. A possible surface cleanup along with a gasket may be a possible simple solution.

Obviously this would be the right thing to do in general. The problem is i need to have this done in 1-2 days i cannot have the car in a non running state for longer than that.
Hence why i want to buy a spare manifold. I want to have it in case i need it and i also wouldn't mind having one on the shelf in general.

Anyways i just noticed something.

I used this Valley Pan Gasket:

More Information for FEL-PRO MS96000

But on Rockauto and in the Instructions of the matching (also Fel Pro) Paper Gaskets it says:

This set contains 4 fiber gaskets. They must be used with a valley pan gasket.

http://www.rockauto.com/info/6/68(4-2).pdf

https://www.rockauto.com/de/moreinfo.ph ... 24&jsn=665

So i did NOT use Paper Gaskets because i was adviced here on FBBO and also Youtube Videos that those would NOT be necessary.
But the instructions seem to say otherwise?
I have also read that the original valley pan gaskets have been thicker and heavier than the current aftermarket ones.
Could it be that the sealant we applied gave up after 30 miles resulting in the intake leaking again because the aftermarket fel-pro valley pan gasket is to thin? (Without the additional paper gaskets)

Or are here people that have successfully installed this gasket without additionally using paper gaskets?

More Information for FEL-PRO MS96000

Edit:

Nevermind i just checked the instructions for the fel-pro valley pan gasket and those do not even mention the paper gaskets:

http://www.rockauto.com/info/6/507%282-1%29.pdf

So i guess that notice in the paper gaskets instructions only means that the paper gaskets are no substitute for the valley pan gasket itself.

 

[RemCharger]

The pan steel is not too thin. It is developed with crush beads to take up irregularities. How was it tightened? With a wrench? This is where you need a breaker bar or torque wrench for leverage. Go back and forth, side to side in the factory method. I probably do 3-4 passes, slowly increasing torque. It tightens down in a Vee. Creating a great seal. Use a sealant. I've never had an issue with an ultra black, or right stuff black.
The bubbles when you sprayed just sounds like it was boiling from the exhaust heat. A vacuum leak works in reverse.
If you could get a wood shop to plane you a 2"x2" x 24"piece of good hardwood, and some 180 grit emery cloth you're good to go. Lightly run the flanges and you'll see what the surface looks like in 2 seconds. I do a lot of Hemi Ram 5.7 ex manifolds like this instead of running to a machine shop.

In summary; think it just wasn't tightened down enough or squarely.

 

[66 Sat]

The more I read the more convinced I am that this is an installation problem.

And nobody needs a spare OEM Cast Iron Intake Manifold "on the shelf". You're just throwing your money away.

If time is really of the essence then buy an Edelbrock Performer intake and whack it on there while you work out if your original one is flat or not. It's much lighter to ship, lighter to handle for installation (and subsequent removal), and you can sell it quite easily I'm sure.

Your "survivor" car won't know the difference for a few weeks.

 

[66 Sat]

The bubbles when you sprayed just sounds like it was boiling from the exhaust heat. A vacuum leak works in reverse.

Michael, you bought a vacuum gauge recently, right?
Have you hooked it up yet - that should clearly show if your intake isn't sealing.

When I recently had a minor internal oil leak on my intake, where one plug would always foul, the vacuum reading looked good except the needle had a tiny flutter of maybe 1Hg. Since fixing it the needle is now rock steady.

Hook up your vacuum gauge and it should tell a story.