Help with 318 inlet gaskets please

[w200/m880]

Heres pic of old gasket metal and new [mr gasket] composition gasket
also pic of lifter valley
new gasket doesnt have cut out for exaust crossover also whats that horse shoe bit that was full of carbon,should that be ignored when putting gaskets on,hepl gratefully received.

 

[clinto]

High performance applications (think musclecar, not offroad) typically block off the heat crossover to keep from warming the intake and thus warming the air going into the engine. This is a performance increase for power but does result in more difficult starting in colder climates and also renders factory mechanical chokes (that use a heat well in the intake) useless.

It's a toss up, but I'd keep it if you are going to keep using the stock carb. They do make (Fel-Pro) stock style steel shim gaskets and also composite material gaskets that have the opening for the crossover.

The horseshoe in the head is part of the crossover I believe.

 

[w200/m880]

Thanks for that,just need to find out if horse shoe bits need to breathe now.

 

[dtracy22]

Horseshoe thing is just part of the casting. I believe it was used for sand removal and has no function. I personally haven't had any luck with those type of gaskets from Mr. Gasket. I would just get the metal shim type made by Felpro.

 

[w200/m880]

funny thing is ive just done that and they should have two open port gaskets and one closed,ive got two closed one open,so even more time wasted waiting for parts shop to send right ones.