Edelbrock #2105 Intake won't fit, why?

[LGreen72F]

Hello all, I am having a tough time swapping a new intake manifold, and have no idea why it isn't working out right. Maybe I could get some insight or reasoning? I have a 1972 F-250 with a bone stock 360 FE, 2 barrel. I decided to switch over to a 4 barrel, and researched day and night. After picking the new things out, I had gone with an edelbrock 2105 performer 390 aluminum intake, apparently the only edelbrock intake that will fit the engine. After dismantling the old intake manifold and removing it, I cleaned the heads well and read all edelbrock instructions, etc. When placing the intake on the heads with NO GASKET, the back lines up perfectly flush with the heads, and the front is very slighty (1-2mm) too low, but the bolts still fit perfectly. When applying fel-pro gaskets, the front fits very close, maybe slighty (1-2mm) high and the back sits very high, almost half a centimeter from flush with the heads. At this point, some bolts will go in alright, but some will not even come close. I've tried everything, and still will not fit. Even exchanged the manifold for another of the same type, incase of incorrect milling or other problems, but it turned out exactly the same.

[DuckRyder]

You are not trying to use end seals are you?

[LGreen72F]

No, using a thick bead of silicone and tested it with nothing at all too.

[tnlprt]

ALL FE intakes will interchange except for the Hi Riser,Tunnel port and cammer

Have you insured that the intake gaskets are installed and locked onto the head gasket tabs

[Busboy]

You are not trying to use end seals are you?

How dare someone use end seals that both Ford and Edelbrock spent a lot of time and money on making sure they work right. This trick of the week crap gets old.

[DuckRyder]

You are not trying to use end seals are you?

How dare someone use end seals that both Ford and Edelbrock spent a lot of time and money on making sure they work right. This trick of the week crap gets old.

Edelbrock says not to use them. The Edelbrock intake is designed with decreased clearance on the end walls and traditional end seals will hold it off the heads.

This is at least the second reply that you have made that is not the way we talk to people around here and adds nothing useful to the thread. I’d suggest you rethink that strategy.

[HIO Silver]

Test fit with intake gaskets in place????

[Busboy]

You are not trying to use end seals are you?

How dare someone use end seals that both Ford and Edelbrock spent a lot of time and money on making sure they work right. This trick of the week crap gets old.

Edelbrock says not to use them. The Edelbrock intake is designed with decreased clearance on the end walls and traditional end seals will hold it off the heads.

This is at least the second reply that you have made that is not the way we talk to people around here and adds nothing useful to the thread. I’d suggest you rethink that strategy.

I'd suggest that you're not my mother. Deal with the fact that what you read in Hot Rod magazine isn't accurate.

[Jacksdad]

I'd suggest that you're not my mother.

DuckRyder's a moderator. Just about the same thing here.

.

[71cc]

Back to the OP problem.. I tore down an engine that had been rebuilt, it was missing dowels on deck. Without those it is possible to move head around somewhat. It sounds like the space from front to rear is tapered, meaning heads are not squared up. If you flipped the intake around backwards and still fits the same, the problem is with engine.

[tnlprt]

How dare someone use end seals that both Ford and Edelbrock spent a lot of time and money on making sure they work right. This trick of the week crap gets old.

Edelbrock says not to use them. The Edelbrock intake is designed with decreased clearance on the end walls and traditional end seals will hold it off the heads.

This is at least the second reply that you have made that is not the way we talk to people around here and adds nothing useful to the thread. I’d suggest you rethink that strategy.

I'd suggest that you're not my mother. Deal with the fact that what you read in Hot Rod magazine isn't accurate.

Maybe you should listen to the voice of experience here

He has given you some good advise

We ran 427 side oiler's in the 70's and 80's NEVER did we use the end seals

We raced 3 nights a week and had 6 different engines and only 2 side winder intakes

They got swapped when needed

when we went to tunnel port heads we still did not use the end seals

I currently have 2 FE engines just out of the machine shop

1 with the FE power net adapter and 1 with a 427 victor

NEITHER engine has end seals installed

[MadJoe]

Back to the OP problem.. I tore down an engine that had been rebuilt, it was missing dowels on deck. Without those it is possible to move head around somewhat. It sounds like the space from front to rear is tapered, meaning heads are not squared up. If you flipped the intake around backwards and still fits the same, the problem is with engine.

Considering all the drama over end seals, it's plausible this very good piece of advice went overlooked.

As for end seals, I say use what works for you, but also don't ignore the fact that a lot of people with a lot of experience say they shouldn't be used. I'd think that by now if the advice were bs it'd have died by now. These aren't exactly exotic engines, a lot of people build them, and a lot of people have reported problems when they've used them.

-Joe

[DuckRyder]

A lot of things can happen is ~ 45 years...

Definitely time to start looking close at evidence of previous work and comparing between the existing manifold and the new one...

.5 CM is a good bit, enough that it should be fairly obvious...?

[Ranchero50]

Only end caps I ever had luck with were on the late model 5.0's with the index holes to hole the rubber seals in place. Still took a dob of silicone at the corners.

I'd spend some more time looking at the intake fit. Something obvious isn't as obvious as it should be. Little mirror maybe?

[MadJoe]

After looking at the Edelbrock website, this intake specifically states "will not fit heavy-duty 361 c.i.d. and 391 c.i.d. Ford truck V8's". When I had my intake manifold cleaned, the guy corrected me as I showed him the 360 in my truck, saying "361 actually". Is there a way to tell the difference (is there even any difference?)? I thought the 360/361 were just different ways of describing the same engine because people started differentiating truck 390's as 391's. Can anyone clear this up? And could this have anything to do with the LGreen72F's problem?

-Joe