Newish to Pontiac. Older heads with newer intake crossover port fix?

I am new to pontiac- Got a 1981 T/A with a 1974 LeMans 400, its not a terd but seriously neglected, after an obvious resto. I am bringing it back, again. Its gutted, but i now have it running(good I might add) but it has a 400 with 6x heads and what I believe to be a newer edelbrock intake and my crossover ports are exposed and leaking, and by the looks of it it has been run like that for a bit.---My question is do I have to get a new intake or can I weld them up? Any help appreciated- I am a Chevy guy and always appreciated Pontiac power, now I have one. It is a new animal!!!@  

What is the part number on the intake.
Also are you sure it has the right intake gaskets installed?  
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Thanx for the reply- I dont know the p/n on the intake but its a torkerII pontiac intake. Where can I find the p/n on the intake for I have looked? Even if the gasket covered the port there is no kind of plate to secure it. This was all in play when I got this car.  

I think I thunk it out. They have the wrong gaskets -requires a 7280 set with non egr blocks- Correct? I have seen these gaskets sets online with inserts for egr or non egr. By the way its 5056 intake. Any input much appreciated.  

Edelbrock makes a set to do exactly what you need. They are a little hookie but seem to work OK. They include two different cross over fillers one set blocks them off completely and the other just the EGR passage to closed. Several guys just have the EGR passage welded up. That's what I will have done the next time I have to remove my 6Xs.  

Right. I now have them and I want to install them. I have it apart, but i notice the water neck from behind the water pump is a problem, and it looks like to me that's a permanent water pump base and to remove it i have to take off harmonic balance due to the fact this base seems to be connected to all that. I have no such experience with Pontiac and no benched motor to see this from a different vantage point. This doesn't seem to be necessary to just change the intake, I am now scratchin my head!!  

The timing cover doesn't have to come off to change the intake, or are you saying there is a problem with the timing cover where the pass-thru seal sits? There is just a rubber seal between the intake and the timing cover with a thru bolt to pull the intake tight against the cover. when tightening the intake bolts, just lightly snug the intake bolts and then fully tighten the thru bolt at the front cover, this pulls the manifold ahead and then the intake bolts can be torqued. If you tighten the inake and try to tighten the thru bolt later, you will break the bolt or the front cover and have a coolant leak. Any other questions, just ask.
Steve  
Trying to help... 'cause we don't all have to learn the hard way!

Thanks, do i have to part the water pump to see this thru bolt? Glad to know that i dont have to take timing cover from block.  

I see the thru bolt, Funny cuz there wasn't one there. I now see the light. And didn't want to learn the hard way, like I seem to do, alot. Thanx Steve. I am Steve too.  

Steve, you're welcome!
Steve  
Trying to help... 'cause we don't all have to learn the hard way!

New topic, Cant keep the stock rocker arm nuts to keep from loosening up on 6x heads. It had these locking nuts on it that didnt seat all the way down so i put the stockies on and a couple keep loosening back up. I have not thread locked them, yet. It would seem whoever built this motor had similar problems, but the car was half-assed and put off to the side until, now. Far as I know a few people encounter this problem. And thanx Barney  

Use the lock nuts instead of the torque down nuts the lock nut will adjust differently you will have to set the valve to zero lash and then a 1/4 turn for preload.
You will rotate the engine until the valve that you are adjusting is fully closed then turn the nut til all of the slack is out of the push rod in a up and down motion and then another 1/4 turn repeat the process until you have all the valve adjusted.  
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Gotcha, Except these locking nuts are , well I don't think automotive. I have researched a set 921g p/n from Mr gasket with the set screw, and I am gonna use these. The ones that were on had threads to the bottom but the stockies had thread only 2/3 to the bottom, thus making the locking nuts bottom out when the pushrod was at zero lash (loose), making them chatter. And of course I find out only after new intake gasket, and header gaskets replaced, and now down to the meat and potatoes.

Are these the locking nuts that you referring to (921g)?

TY  

Well you need to know what size diameter studs are in the heads 7/16 or the bottle neck studs which will require a 3/8 nut.  
professional hi-performance engine builder

Horsepower sells engines and torque wins races