valley pan, 455 olds?

[deerchooper]

is it really needed? i just got a used 455 olds dual quad intake. i can not get the bolts in with it on, i took it off and the intake bolted down.

i never worked on a olds motor or any other motor other than a chevy, i just dont understand the point of it.

if its needed please tell me so, i just cant figure out how to install it without opening up the intake holes to make it work.

i also had the valley pan locating bosses lined up to there holes.

 

[zzrodder]

The valley pan keeps oil off the bottom side of the intake manifold. On stock engines with the exhaust heat crossover passage in them, when you don't have that pan, you get a big nasty build up of carbonated oil crud on the underside from oil getting baked on there - chunks can fall off and cause trouble, also it heats up the intake quite a bit.
On your dual quad intake, you can block off the exhaust crossover passages by putting a metal piece over the hole in the gaskets like guys commonly do on SB Chevys. That'll keep the manifold heat down though it will make it a bit cold blooded till it warms up.
Your dual quad manifold may have been shaved down a bit for an engine that had been decked or had the heads shaved.

 

[Screamin' Metal]

yes, ZZ is right, if its been decked, it'll sit lower and interference will occur. Iy you want top run it, you'll probably have to have your decks on your heads cut some, then run a thicker gasket on theintake to head surface.
I usually do the aluminum foil balls in the exhaust riser thing....pack them in there really tight OR do the blockoff plate, as per ZZ.
Whenever you deck your heads, you'll be raiing your compression just a touch, also, your bringing your intake faces closer together so your intake will sit a little higher......

 

[deerchooper]

thanks guys. i did install the heat riser blocks while i was there. the funny thing is the eldebrock gaskets doesnt have a hole for the heat risers. but i magin over time it would have burned out anyhow.

 

[Cutls67]

I am new here and just saw this post. you can use the Edelbrock intake gaskets and either buy a splash tray that sits in the bottom of the galley or you can make one out of the old turkey tray. Just buy some threaded rod, nuts and washers to space it of the bottom. This also helps the warm oil from splashing up o the bottom of the intake.

 

[zzrodder]

Now that I think about it, if the manifold bolts went in without the pan, but you couldn't thread them in with it in place, that would mean the heads on your engine had been shaved down, wouldn't it ? [S
That would effectively lower the holes closer to the deck, giving you the trouble you described...
At any rate, Ctls67 has a good idea to trim the pan (aka: turkey baster) down and fit it into the valley, though it would need to sit tightly, you wouldn't want it rattling around. Also since it wouldnt be sealed to the bottom of the manifold any more, it would need a couple drain holes.

Some time ago, I did some work on a Ford 460, (they use a similar pan) and I left it out. About a year later I pulled the manifold off and there was 1/2" thick of black coal-like buildup on the bottom side of the manifold !! . That crap eats bearings when it gets loose.

 

[Cutls67]

what you do is cit the pan and bend it down then trim it to fit around the push rods and with the threaded rods there should be 2 holes drilled and tapped in the lifter valley. You put the threaded rods down into those holes and then use the nuts and washers to space away from bottom. Using thread locker will keep everything in place. This will keep all the oil down in the motor and not on the underside of your manifold. And I doubt your heads were shaved any, Sometimes it is difficult to line the bolts holes up. If it were shaved down the manifold would sit pretty high. and the ports would not line up evenly.

 

[26Troadster]

i have had a bunch of olds motors as well as amc and buick, they all used the valley pan. if the pan lines up with the bolt holes on the head without the intake then it should go on it, you mite have to have a friend to hold dowm on the intake to get it to compress the gasket so you can start the bolts. i had one that was in the car that i stood on top of while a buddy started the bolts, then i had one on a stand that i used some pry bars (napa pb18) used the pointed end to go down in the bolt holes to pull it down to start the bolts. if at all possible use the pan gasket. i hope you get it figured out.