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  • Nakusp
    Newbie
    • Mar 25 2011
    • 6

    Manifold Problem

    Hi, I stared my '59 T-Bird today and while it turned over there was a very loud bang like a canon firing and when I popped the hood to take a look there was a good size hole in the manifold between cylinder 6 and 7 right below the carb.

    How do I tell if this is the only damage and not anything else inside the motor like a bent rod or blown piston or anything on the valve train.

    Also anyone running a aftermarket manifold that are great? I am in the market for a new one as of today
  • jopizz
    Super-Experienced


    • Nov 23 2009
    • 8317

    #2
    The first thing to do is take off the valve cover and check the push rods and valve springs. If they look good you can take out the spark plugs and look down the holes with a flashlight to see the pistons. I've never seen a backfire bad enough to blow the manifold but I guess it's possible. There may have been carbon built up that obstructed the passages. As far as replacement manifolds the new ones I've seen don't have the oil fill tube so you would have to get valve covers with a fill hole.
    John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

    Thunderbird Registry #36223
    jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

    https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

    Comment

    • simplyconnected
      Administrator
      • May 26 2009
      • 8779

      #3
      I agree with Jopizz. When you remove your intake manifold, the damage will become more visible.

      The only cause for a hole (I've ever seen) was due to a hard mechanical failure. Be careful not to turn the starter until you see all the damage. - Dave
      Member, Sons of the American Revolution

      CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

      "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
      --Lee Iacocca

      From: Royal Oak, Michigan

      Comment

      • redstangbob
        Experienced
        • Feb 18 2011
        • 220

        #4
        How about a picture, this I gotta' see........

        Comment

        • DKheld
          Super-Experienced
          • Aug 27 2008
          • 1583

          #5
          Originally posted by redstangbob
          How about a picture, this I gotta' see........
          I second that request - WOW - hate to hear it and hope you are able to fix it easily.

          Next question is - what caused it? I'd kind of like to avoid that situation. Were you using starting fluid? Maybe fuel with a verrrrrry high ethanol content? Exhaust completely blocked?

          Eric
          registry 5347

          Comment

          • Nakusp
            Newbie
            • Mar 25 2011
            • 6

            #6
            Here is pic of the hole, hopefully it works. I am going to try to make time to remove it tonight and look for more damage. I hope this is all there is wrong with it.

            Comment

            • REM
              Apprentice
              • Mar 28 2011
              • 55

              #7
              I think you will be ok with another manifold.
              It looks like the casting was very thin there.

              Comment

              • simplyconnected
                Administrator
                • May 26 2009
                • 8779

                #8
                I agree. It looks like other areas of your manifold are rusting through as well. See if you can find the metal piece that came out. If you don't see it right away, pull your intake manifold off and look down the intake ports in the heads with a light and a magnet.

                Glad it wasn't more serious.

                BTW, does anyone have a spare 4-bbl carb spacer for sale? I need one for a B7A-9425 B manifold (which is a std 4"x4"). - Dave
                Member, Sons of the American Revolution

                CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

                "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
                --Lee Iacocca

                From: Royal Oak, Michigan

                Comment

                • Nakusp
                  Newbie
                  • Mar 25 2011
                  • 6

                  #9
                  I got the manifold off tonight and it all looks pretty good underneath. No bent push rods, all valve springs are there and appear to be in good shape. I am also able to turn the engine over with a wrench on the front crank bolt without it binding up on me. The oil looks very clean and no signs of any metal shrapnel floating around anywhere. I pulled the #1 plug and the piston is there from what I can see through the tiny hole. Anything else I should be looking for?

                  One thing I noticed that I was curious about is that there wasn't any water in the manifold itself. Obviously I drained the coolant when I removed the t-stat but shouldn't there have been some water remaining in it? There wasn't one drop of water in left in it. The car is sitting on level ground and I only rolled it a few feet in the driveway from where the proble happend.
                  Last edited by Nakusp; August 9, 2011, 12:07 AM.

                  Comment

                  • simplyconnected
                    Administrator
                    • May 26 2009
                    • 8779

                    #10
                    My concern (as stated) is that missing cast piece. If it got sucked in to an intake chamber, use a strong light and a flexible magnet to find it. You sure don't want it going past an intake valve (those are the big ones).

                    Your intake manifold is dry.
                    Member, Sons of the American Revolution

                    CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

                    "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
                    --Lee Iacocca

                    From: Royal Oak, Michigan

                    Comment

                    • byersmtrco
                      Super-Experienced
                      • Sep 28 2004
                      • 1839

                      #11
                      It looks paper thin. Rust & corrosion.
                      Get an Edelbrock. When I was going to do that, it seems they
                      made one with the oil fill tube provision.
                      Probl any early FE 4 Bbl Int/manif would work though

                      Comment

                      • FINSRIN
                        Experienced
                        • Aug 7 2010
                        • 176

                        #12
                        I have two early FE aluminum manifolds spotless clean I got at swap meets over the years. They have rear top mount for road draft tube. With five classic type cars am doing sorting down sizing of parts. Also have iron manifold off of 61 Mercury 390 that needs to be cleaned up. It has rear edge of manifold mount for draft tube. Anyone want all three for $400 plus UPS shipping ?

                        Bill

                        Comment

                        • Nakusp
                          Newbie
                          • Mar 25 2011
                          • 6

                          #13
                          I picked up a used manifold off a 352 yesterday. Cleaned it up nicely with lots or wire wheeling and fresh coat of paint. Will install this weekend hopefully and cross my fingers that it nothing else going on.

                          Comment

                          • YellowRose
                            Super-Experienced


                            • Jan 21 2008
                            • 17191

                            #14
                            Manifold Problem

                            Hi Wayne, I am glad to hear that you were able to get another 352 manifold. Before you put it on, I hope you were able to find the piece that was blasted out of the old one. As Dave said, it would be good to know where that went..... and find it.

                            Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
                            The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
                            Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

                            https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
                            Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
                            https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

                            Comment

                            • simplyconnected
                              Administrator
                              • May 26 2009
                              • 8779

                              #15
                              Oh, he'll find it, Ray...
                              Member, Sons of the American Revolution

                              CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

                              "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
                              --Lee Iacocca

                              From: Royal Oak, Michigan

                              Comment

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