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Baffle gaps at cylinder barrel bases

sbalmos

sbalmos

Well Known Member
I'm working on a new set of baffles while I'm fitting my SJ plenum. Not sure why I didn't notice these before, but the baffles have quite large gaps at the very base of the cylinder barrels behind #3 & 4, especially behind #3 next to the dipstick tube. Do you all just glop another huge blob of red Permatex gasket to seal that up, like everything else on the engine?
 
This is typical. Some appropriate bending goes a long way to close the gaps. I go a step further and add aluminum "speed tape" to close them off as much as possible, then add a bit of RTV to finish any remaining holes.
 
It was the case for my Vans M1B. I bent them a bit then filled the gaps. Mine were huge. I used color matched RTV, not the red.
 
Yup, some bending helped, I noticed that. I always worry about speed tape or thermal tape, whether it could tolerate the heat being in direct contact with the cylinders. I know the barrel is not nearly as hot as the head, but still...

I'm not picky enough to color-match my gasket goop. :D The engine's already Citabria canary yellow. :eek: A bit more color clashing, red on yellow, isn't going to matter at that point.
 
For the big gap behind the dip stick, on a couple of builds, I used some of the same baffle seal material that comes with the baffle kit and riveted it to the baffle same as at the top of the baffles. Works great.
 
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