318 Leaking Water: Gasket Problem Or Head Problem?

On the heads there is a upside down U-shaped port that sits above the intake and appears to go into the heads, when we installed the Edelbrock Performer their gaskets did not cover this up, but we thought nothing of it. After starting the car there appears to be a fair amount of water leaking from this area, if this is supposed to be this way, what gaskets do I need to remedy the problem and if it's not supposed to flow water is it time for a different set of heads? -BD

P.S. The motor is a 78.

I think you are speaking of the exhaust heat crossover port that is in each head. It is used to heat up the manifold when the engine is cold buy pushing hot exhaust gas through this passage, through a passage in the intake manifold, back into the exhaust. If the head is cracked you could be leaking water from this area. What was the method used to install the intake? Which gaskets did you use?

there is NO water in that area going from the head to the intake. that horseshoe opening doesnt need to be sealed. the heat crossover is a rectangular port right under that horseshoe. the only way this can be happening (iyam) is if the head was cracked and seeping water into the horseshoe area

Can you tell exactly where it is leaking at? The heads have water ports at all 4 corners of the intake surfaces but the intake manifold only has water passages at the front(in to the stat)so the back ones are just blocked by the intake gasket but may be leaking.

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What was the method used to install the intake? Which gaskets did you use?

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We used Edelbrock gaskets bought from Summit Racing, one side had Edelbrock on it, the other did not, we faced the Edelbrock side toward the intake and put it in place with a lot of RTV sealant, we did not use a gasket front and back just a 1/4 inch line of RTV. -BD