Intake gaskets on 90 TBI... Suggestions needed!!!

[99redburb]

I am going to be replacing the intake gasket on my sons 90 tbi 350.

When the gasket goes on, what do you guys use to keep it in place? We just did this job and that's when this reared it ugly head. So this says something got messed up.

I have a feeling the gasket shifted or is otherwise leaking.

This is the issues...

1- slow to start
2- when it starts, races at about 1300 rpm or so.
3- coolant gurgling
4- cylinder 5 and 7 no firing, mostly 7.
5- attempt to drive, it stalls...runs like crap.
6- smells like antifreeze out tailpipe.

Neighbor came down, looked at it, says head gasket. Was not a issue until this was all fixed.

The main question though, is.. What did you guy who have done this used to hold the gasket in place? Do you have to seal these gaskets with sealant or anything, or just put them on?

Thanks

Shawn

 

[99redburb]

Ok, here's a update....

I changed the intake gasket again, as well as the TBI gasket, after discovering there is a difference in the gasket between the 90 and 92. The truck is a 90, but the tbi setup came off a 92. I thought it may have made a difference. Started it up and it idled normally for about 45 seconds, then took off again in high rpm, around 1700 rpm or so, then came down to around 1300, where its staying.

Just for curiosity, I unplugged the tps sensor, no change, but the engine continued to run, and accelerated fine with no hesitation with the tps unplugged. I wasn't expecting it to do that, but perhaps that's how its set up. I keep thinking about the IAC valve...seems to be hissing rather loudly from the tbi unit, and if i spray carb cleaner in the small port for the IAC on the top of the tbi unit, it just about kills the engine. I have also sprayed around the intake area and all vac lines, and theres no changes.

One thing, the coolant gurgling and the smell of antifreeze out the pipe are now gone, but the rest of the symptoms in post 1 still remain.

I am totally stumped...Anyone have any ideas at all?

Shawn

 

[towman]

to hold the gasket in place you can take longer bolts and cut the heads off them and use them as studs, works well, sounds like you have a vacuum leak or the timing is off, check all your grounds at the thormostat housing also, if broken they can cause trouble

 

[89-Z71]

Maybe that works for the Vortek intake, but the TBI bolts are angled in so I don't think that will work. When I put RTV on the front and back china wall (instead of the rubber gaskets), I put an extra dab in the corners to hold the intake gaskets in place. How did you set the timing? Did you disconnect the brown (?) wire and hook it back up afterward?