Friends, I am doing the preliminary research for installing the Howell EFI (st. legal version) in my J10. The truck is very stock, including the annoying old and beateb up BBD2 carb. The odometer reads ~91000 miles but the vehicle the signs of someone working it over. It has what sounds like a smallish exhaust leak that closes as the engine heats. I suspect the manifold. It is my understanding that these manifolds are put on the head without a gasket, do people retrofit a gasket or maintain the no gasket fit? The motor has had some weird work done on it, notably all the smaller bolts holding the original plastic valve cover( replaced the useless thing) were poorly helicoiled? Numerous bolts appear to have been either over torqued or inadequately torqued so I am thinking a first step might be seeing if I can work the manifold bolts loose and retorque them? I know the bolts require care to move. I gather that even a small exhaust leak can confuse the EFI. Appreciate any thoughts or suggestions from you all.
Marc