Hi I have a 94 Z28 just so you know and I have the Intake Manifold leak... The leak is coming from the front and is getting over everything...
Can anyone please tell me what materials and items i would need to fix this problem, also i would like to make it never leak again.

Thanks for the help

 

Its been a few years since I went thru that, but all you should need is some intake manifold gaskets and high temp rtv. Weird though it's leaking from the front, because usually its from the back as mine was, right where theres a pipe crossing close to where the manifold meets the block. Anyway that should be all you need for parts, but if your not real familiar with the lt1 I'd pick up a book for torque order on the manifold bolts and prolly be a good idea to label wiring then too. Also its up to you, but the junk gaskets that you get for where the manifold and block meet I tossed right out. I never use those on any gm v8 cuz they like to roll off there. I always just go with a good bead of the high temp rtv and give it a while to set before firing the motor back up. Good luck!

 

Clean the block surfaces and the manifold surfaces and then clean them again and again. Once they are clean take a small centering punch and a hammer and commence smacking repeatedly until there are thousands of little dimples all over both ends of the block and both ends of the intake (this gives the rtv something to bite) Then lay a nice bead of import rated rtv (permatex ultra gray) on the block ends, let it set about 10 minutes then put the manifold on. Let it set 24 hours before putting the car back in service and I guarantee your leak will be fixed for a long time. I read this procedure in a trade magazine a few years ago and I used it on 3 different LT1's and it worked all 3 times. Hope this helps.

P.S. I know, it is hard to bring yourself to put "import" parts on a LT1, but the ultra gray dries harder than the others and has been found to work well on this application.

 

Well I found out that the front and the back are leaking along with the water pump gasket and its gotten all over my opti and pulley.
I checked where the leak was really coming from and it seems that the rtv that was on there blew out and the intake wasnt set properly on the block.

 

I also hear that since the rtv is for import/ricers, it adds 40hp and the included stickers add another 20hp. j/k. L-Eater's idea about using a punch sounds like a good idea. I did heads & cam when I fixed mine so I used a small handheld sandblaster on the ends for the same reason. The import rtv is probably a good idea too cuz I'm guessing it's designed for boosted/turbo motors.
That sucks the water pump has a leak, is the opti still ok? I'd start crying if that POS had to be replaced.

 

Something I did is took a digital camera of eash side of the intake manifold so I would know where everything went back when I was putting it back together. That was 2 years ago, now I can put it back together with my eyes closed it seems like. For the water pump gaskets leaking, you'll have to buy a timing cover set to get those gaskets, at least I did. They told me that they were not sold seperatly. Other than that, just cover the opti with lots of rags(THIS IS A MUST), take out the 6 bolts, and slap it back on with new gaskets and thats done. Good luck with it.

 

I was talking o a guy on another fourm and he builds LT1's and he told me that LT1's were notorious to have the water pump drive seal to go on them and that i should get it replaced... Yes theres oil on my opti but its not crapping the opti out yet (knock on wood) and theres oil getting onto the pulley sway barand everything else, but whats really funny is the intake leak isnt as bad as the probably water pump seal leak

 

Another trick I have learned in my few years of f'ing with LT1's is to take a grease fitting (like for a tie rod) and knock out the little ball in the middle. Then take your new water pump, turn it upside down and screw the grease fitting into the weep hole. Once the pump is installed you can slip a piece of vacuum hose onto the fitting and route it somewhere away from the opticrap that way the next time the pump fails it won't take out the dist.

 

Is there a trick to installing that waterpump seal?? I have screwed two up trying and on my 96 finally had enough and put an electric WP on it. Is there a tool or a trick to not cause it to go inside out when you push it on?