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4.3L Intake Manifold

Georgia Rooster

Georgia Rooster

Member
Bought a boat with non running engine. I'm replacing the long block and was going to reuse the intake manifold. It's a four barrel Quadrajet. After removing manifold I noticed an area that is rusty. Area is directly under the thermostat housing. This leads me to think it is cracked and leaking water. I can't visually see any cracks. It may only leak when hot under pressure. My question is if it's cracked can it be repaired?
 
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Your looking at it with it upside down and checking the water passage that connects the cylinder heads. If you tap with a hammer it should sound like a solid ring not a dull thud. They can rot out from raw water cooling or crack from improper winterization.
 
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what you are looking for is a crack, or rust trail on the section that connects the 2 water ports, that is on the right hand side of this manifold...

4.3 intake 2.jpg
 
Question, if hammer tapping, can determine a less than solid intake manifold, can that same test be used for exhaust manifolds ? Don't mean to ask so many questions. I've brazed, I've nickel welded and have pinned blocks. I've oven heated 1932 Ford blocks to find ends of cracks, back in the day I stick welded with nickle, with holes drilled at each end of cracks..
Then found out in about 1994 that I could weld those old castings with flux core wire.
 
Note to Rooster. There is also a 4.3 V8 in cars. I have one here out of a police car. It is tune port injected, roller cam, distributor behind water pump. Ran nice when I removed it. Same size block as 5.0 and 5.7. You can effectively weld cast with double shielded mig. I prefer high nickle rod, reverse polarity, however, for strength and durability. Often weld while the casting is sitting in a bed of coals. The air around the casting is very low on oxygen, improving welding quality.
 

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