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1982 Bronco XLT

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Gary Lewis

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

Administrator

Is the intake aluminum? Is it used? I've seen lots of aluminum intakes that have corrosion around the water passages and it might leak there.

Otherwise, it acts as if you have a mismatch in the intake and the head. I doubt a crack in either would allow the amount of coolant you seem to be seeing to get into the cylinders.

If it is all back together I'd be tempted to pressurize the cooling system with 10 psi of air and listen with a hose to my ear to various places. The carb. Each spark plug hole. The exhaust. Try to find any air leak.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

mat in tn

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

can we get a little "build" back history? i just picked up on this and will go back and read the thread if needed. was the block machined? and if so, was it decked?
afr heads are not likely to be the issue and neither is the weiand intake. gaskets however are. I too am concerned about the water pump and timing cover part of the build but that has nothing to do with this internal leak issue.

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

The intake is aluminum.. it is used. I've had it on an engine that was used to be in the bronco too.. it locked up over winter. I always thought it was the cowl seal got water in the carb... but maybe not. It was new on that engine though.

Engine was not decked but like I said checked it with a straight edge and the deck seemed good. The old heads and gaskets didn't have any indication of leaks/over heating.

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

mat in tn

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

ok that is either a clue or distraction. did you disassemble the locked-up engine? if so, what did you find?
rusted stuck cylinders are the question. oily bearings don't seize.
if not then we are still at step one. 5.0 or 5.8? if we are working on the assumption that the intake is not fitting or seated fully, and the gaskets are what is causing this then we should think it through. the water jacket to the cooling system is at the very front and the crossover at the very rear (not all aluminum intakes have the rear crossover and just block the water with the gaskets). as the water leaks it will go to one of three places or all three. First out beneath the front bolts or rear bolts (most common) which is why so many bolts are rust seized. that and being exposed at the bottom. Second into the lifter valley and then into the oil pan. Third would be into the nearest cylinder.
drain the oil and look for water! question which cylinder (s) had water. cyl 1 and 8 the most likely to show up first.

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

It was rusted cylinders, whole thing kinda was, thats why I thought it may have been water coming in off the hood as the cowl seal was nonexistent at the time

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

mat in tn

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

certainly, a clue. was the air cleaner missing? otherwise it should have been able to shed water. the cowl seal is perishable for sure and replacements are available and some of us have successfully used garage door sweep. but the air cleaner housing should have protected it. however if the intake itself was able to pond water on the top of the engine it could certainly make its way past poor fitting gaskets

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

It did not have a cleaner on it. I didn't know about the cowl seal when I was younger and didn't think about it. I have replaced it with the garage door seal you talked about. I also parked it on a slight hill, so it had all the rain all winter go down the hood into the carb too.

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

mat in tn

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

that just made me cringe!
a few years ago, we got a 94 4wd parts truck. we each pulled a couple pieces needed right away and moved on. the truck sat. i mentioned needing a hood so my friend pulled the hood and brought it to me. the next time i went to get a part, there is the truck, hoodless, air intake tubes missing, throttle body missing, and not a single thing to keep water out of the engine! duct tape people! well that engine got bored on the rebuild. I'm happy to say it's being delivered today for break in on the run stand before we schedule the install. many mods in this one so I'm excited. at least the owner of the truck is also the owner of the engine.haha

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Cylinders #5,8 and 3,2

Why would the coolant not be in 1 or 4 since they are next to the coolant ports but 2 and 3 in the middle do have coolant. There wasn't really a trace of coolant either like on #5 where I found droplets..

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

Gsmblue

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

Those gaskets look pretty damp in places.

How flat are the intake surfaces?

1985.5 F-150 XL Explorer standard cab 5.0 EFI AOD 4x4
Daily Driver. We call her Eunice the Ute.

1982 Bronco XLT Lariat 351W AOD 4x4
Code name Esperanza, or Espy to her friends. Please see my Project thread for the blow by blow.

1984 F-350 XL Centurion crew cab 460 T19 4x4
"Eylza Dual-little"

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

I've come up with something, idk if its logical or not. I'm not sure why it is wet in the middle and has coolant in the middle when the outsides(on the passenger) show no signs like #5 which has droplets.. I wonder that if in that winter where I didn't know about the seal if that water got in there and maybe cracked the intake where it goes into the coolant passage? Just wondering since it is a dual plane and I know they feed random cylinders off of both sides, just seems weird to me that the middle two are full of coolant and the outsides on that side is fine, where the coolant should be I would think. There is also a good amount of coolant in the oil.

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

Gary Lewis

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

Administrator

It would have to be a pretty big crack, but that would certainly do it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

I just can't think of why else. #1 and #4 gaskets aren't dry dry but #2 and #3 are pretty wet around the port on the gasket. #6 and #7 are dry and #5 and #8 are wet too.. is it a crazy thought or could it do it another way??

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

mat in tn

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

having coolant in the central ports per head is a real mystery. however, you do have a plausible theory. do you think it is likely that it froze? one clue certainly would be that the lower plenum plane is the one flooding and is that the one feeding the cylinders in question? one thing also. flex! is it opening up being torqued down but not at rest on the bench. id rather have it break then crack. i can at least know and move on.

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Well got a new intake and it's on. I'll also say I didn't put rtv around the coolant ports cause I figured aluminum head and intake would be okay, but I coated them this time. No more chances. New intake and RTV around the ports.

It is very weird the middles had coolant and the outside didn't. I think it would be possible since it sat over winter with the air cleaner off it and up hill so all the water from the hood could go in the carb.. who knows.

Letting the RTV set up before I do anything else for now. Hopefully I can drive it next week.

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

mat in tn

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

I often use just the thinnest coat of rtv at the coolant ports. May ny be needed but it works for me. Let set overnight , re-torque and fill. Fingers crossed that you found the needed fix

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

I thought I should be good with nice straight aluminum surfaces but I had that leak. Could've been that crack letting it happen but there was a decent amount in the crank case too so both sides got a thin layer of RTV just in case. Just went back out to go a final retorque and I'll check again tomorrow whenever I put the carb on.

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

Gary Lewis

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

Administrator

Yes, I always use a thin smear of RTV around the coolant ports. And I lower the intake on studs so it goes on straight and won't slide around.

Good luck! Hope it works perfectly!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Weberman

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

I actually made some studs last time I did an intake, but this time I just bought studs for the intake and thats what I used to bolt it down with so all good there. Between the gasket shellac in the middle and rtv on the ends and the studs I hope I'm good.

1982 Bronco - 5.8L/C6 - 1406 Edelbrock, Weiand Stealth Intake, Comp XE266, AFR Enforcers
2004 F350 Crew Cab - 6.0L/ZF6 - Bulletproofed, tuned SCT X4

Gsmblue

Re: 1982 Bronco XLT

Fingers crossed this is the fix.

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