They are called a V-band clamp and I used them on rigs in the Army. And yes I've welded them to the pipe. They make a better seal and IMO are easier to work with than u-bolt clamps or band clamps.

Here are some less expensive ones on Ebay.

3 Inch V Band Clamp CNC Stainless Steel Flanges, 3in SS Vband, V-Band Flange Kit | eBay

These are the ones that I'm using.

3" inch Stainless Steel #304 V band Vban Clamp w/2 Flange Turbo Exhaust SS304 | eBay

 

OK second attempt at this was a FAIL also.... DANG NAB IT

I'd started out getting everything cleaned up and ran a tap thru the heads to clean up the bolt holes.



I'd been sick so hadn't been up on my leg much which means that for the first few hours I'll have to take a break now and then and take my socket off. So I relax and smoke a cigar too.



I used Hi Tack on both sides of the intake gaskets.



But I still ended up with some type of leak on the passenger side now instead of the drivers.


It's been suggested that I try to put a small bead of Right Stuff or other type of gasket maker around the intake and water ports before installing the intake the next time. I'm going into town in the morning to pickup another gasket set and other items. Will it be safe to try this to help seal things up?



I'm at wits end here and ready to got to a different intake other than this 6Pack as I'm tired of messing around with it. But I'd really rather get it to work and get this engine running correctly and move on with this build.

HELP

 

I do tend to put a thin bead of RTV around coolant ports, but, I've never had to do so around intake ports.... Not sure what is up with that. Is the manifold warped??

Might be tempted to bump what you are torquing the bolts to..... the spec seems awfully low to me. Chevy intakes get torqued to 30 ft/lbs.......

 

I'd add some RTV around the intake and water ports on the heads. In addition, I also use a bead of RTV on the end rails of the block to allow the intake to properly seal, as I've had issues with the gasket supplied end rails holding up the intake too high.

As for the intake bolt torque, I tend to stay right around the spec. Going too high creates the possibility for things to crack (intake or block).

 

OK here is the next thing. The flat Fel Pro intake gasket is only 0.060 thick.




The new gaskets I from Fel Pro I picked up today are 0,075 thick with the raised side towards the intake.





F&B suggested I do a dry installation of the intake and use a feeler gauge around it to see if I have a warpage or not. They also suggest not to use the rubber gaskets on the china wall but instead to use Right Stuff. So I've got my work cut out for me over the next few days.

I'd also noticed my serpentine belt jumping a little bit and it still has a small chirp to it now and then so I've ordered a new belt, idler pulley and tensioner to see if that helps any.

 

Yes, if you used those factory style end seals on the china wall of the block, that will tend to set the intake up too high, causing a sealing issue. A bead of RTV instead of those factory style end seals will rectify that issue.

As for your belt jumping, hopefully the idler pulley and tensioner will address the issue. Also, check your harmonic balancer to ensure that the rubber hasn't deteriorated. If so, that allows the balancer to spin on the hub.

 

The first time I installed the intake I used the rubber gaskets on the china walls but the second time I I installed it I only used RVT on them.
The harmonic balancer is a brand new unit so I hope that isn't the issue.

 

Those rubber gaskets on the china wall caused my intake not to seal once and coolant poured into the oil. I have NEVER used those rubber gaskets on the china wall ever again, just a bead of RTV... Works great!

 

What a mess to clean up.



But I scrapped it clean.



Then cleaned up the intake manifold also.



I took the throttle bodies off to make it easier to work with and set it on the engine to check for warpage.



0.005 feeler gauge all around the intake. It would slide in under the intake but I felt resistance.






Then moved up to a 0.10 feeler gauge to see what happened.



It wouldn't slide under the intake.

 

Hmmmm.... Still, I think I might go higher on the bolt torque for those. I think going to 20, or even 30, is not going to put a strain on anything.... the bolts are designed for more than that in any event.