Problems with intake manifold gasket

[blackbyrd]

Hey this might be a stupid question.
I have a magnus intake manifold gasket(the plastic spacer kind), I'm installing. On the throttle body side of the head where there is no backing to support the gasket at the very end/middle of it, the gasket is bowing. I took the manifold off, its not bowing because of the bolt holes.Then I took the gasket off it was still bowed on the gasket (just on the very end of it). So I bent it back straight, looked good. Bolted it back up, and it bowed again. I dont know if this is just because there's no backing/support there.
Will it leak any air?
Is this common?
Did I get an F'ed up gasket?
Thanks!

 

[Dream On]

Are you tightening the bolts in the correct sequence? I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I'm sure there is one.

 

[blackbyrd]

I'm not sure of any stated sequence. I tightened them from middle to out, as it made some sense in my head.

 

[blackbyrd]

Okay, so I checked out my haynes just for fun, and it told me tightened the bolts/nuts in stages working from the center out. Which is what I did. So I took it all off again, fixed the gasket, re-installed it. Just using an openend (as theres no way to get at the bolts with a torque wrench), I hand tightened it to probably 15-20ft-lbs(book says 15 i believe). It happens before I've even finished "torquing" them though. And yeah it still happened.
I tried taking some pictures but the closer I got my POS camera wouldn't focus. But hopefully someone can understand my delima more and help me out.
The circled area, is the gasket, the arrow pointing to where it's bowing. You can see there's no backing on that end of the head to support the gasket..
Still wondering if this is average w/ this kind of gasket and the area around my head/runners is sealed up..
Oh and the middle/peak of the gap looks to be about a mm.
Thanks everyone!!

 

[SBstar]

is it causing a leak? If not I don't see a real problem with it. I can't really tell how bad it is by your pics. When I get back to my car I'll take a look at mine and see if its doing that since I have the same gasket, but I know mine isn't leaking there.

 

[blackbyrd]

Thanks! I dont know if it's leaking. I still have the engine on a stand, It's a brand new longblock. And i've replaced every gasket hose everything so I can start it up with no leaks!
Let me know what yours looks like.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Does it lay flat if you just press it up against the head? Could be that you might need to file on of the holes out a little but to allow it to lay flat.

 

[blackbyrd]

Yes, It bows the plastic after tightening it any bit, and the plastic remains that shape.
I've taken it off, and fixed it to be straight and put it on the head with just the bolts in. No bowing/it lies flat. Although i didn't tightened the bolts to specs. The whole gasket has a slight bow to it, but i'm sure with any gasket that size, once it's put on its flat.
I figured this gasket was computer milled to be perfect..
If i pry on the back of the head(where there is nothing there against the intake mani), it will close the mm gap..
Thanks for the replys!

Also there is no bow there with just the bolts in, there is no stress putting it on or anything there. So I don't believe its just the bolt holes..

 

[SBstar]

well I will let you know mine wasn't perfect. I had to file out the two far side holes in order for it to even go over the bolts. So I would be cautious in saying they make these things perfect.

 

[blackbyrd]

haha, great. A multi thousand dollar computer/machine can't even do it's job right. My first thought was the bolt holes, but I didn't have any problem putting it on them, and it wasn't bowed just sitting there.
Let me know what yours looks like when you get a chance?
Thanks

 

[SBstar]

It won't be until wednesday I hope thats ok, I have college all day tomorrow and my car is at my mom's instead of at my place (I have no garage yet). I'm also waiting on seals for my TB before i get back, but I'll let you know and I'll try to snap some pics of it while I"m there.

 

[ROOKIE1]

To understand better . Are you worried about the excess gasket material that overlaps the manifold ? I do not remember any bow in mine . Mine also laid flat to head . I am not worried about it . I think you are over "anal"yzing it .

 

[blackbyrd]

haha no i'm not worried about a gap over the edge of the manifold, i'm worried about the mm gap inbetween the manifold and gasket.(bowing)
and I over "anal"yze everthing

 

[SBstar]

Well I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this. I finally got some pictures for you and guess what. Mine is bowed as well! I dont think its causing a leak since that wasn't an area I could hear any leaking from but I need to do another test again soon so I'll let you know if its leaking. Here's a pic but its not the best angle, you can slightly see how its bowed

 

[realruffryder]

do you have to put a gasket on both sides of the spacer?

 

[SBstar]

do you have to put a gasket on both sides of the spacer?

No the spacer is the gasket. They call them Heat Barrier Gaskets, here's what Magnus has to say about them.
"Magnus' heat barrier gasket replaces the stock gasket and forms a heat barrier between the intake manifold and the cylinder head. This dramatically reduced intake temperatures."

 

[greengoblin]

My Gasket did the same thing. I pulled mine back off and could see that it did indeed seal correctly . If you look at gasket you should see indentions in the shape off the intake ports. I still went ahead with a very sharp razor and cut the corner of the gasket out where the gap/buckle was. Now it lays flat. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

 

[perley03]

Why don't you guys put the intake on, tighten to proper specs, then build a leak tester and test it to see if it does indeed leak?? That would be my first thought on it anyway......

 

[blackbyrd]

Because I was in the middle of building my engine. I will shortly though!
Thanks for the input everyone.