Does anyone know if it is possible to perform a cooling system pressure check w/out the intake manifold on the engine? Is there a way to block off the water jackets, and if so, is it possible to block off the top radiator hose and the hose that connects the intake to the water pump, and still force water into the engine through the bottom hose? Does this make any since? I want to do this so I can see down in the engine while the pressure test is in progress. Is this possible? Thanks.

One thing I've done when looking for cracks or leaking head gaskets is to fill the engine with coolant through the ports in the heads until the water is right at the bottom of the ports and put pressure on the cylinders to watch for bubbles. (This was with the water pump still installed and all other coolant hose connections capped and plugged, mind you.) You can put pressure on the cylinders one at a time the same way you would if you were changing valve stem seals with heads on the block.

It's not exactly the same thing you're talking about, but I have found leaking head gaskets that way when I found reason to suspect leakage after I had already removed the intake.

The only other thing I can think of is to make a plate that would bolt to the heads where the intake bolts up and use a gasket between the metal plate and heads. Again, you need to leave the water pump in place and plug all other hose connections and ports.

Smitty,
All you need is two small plates to bolt over the cooling passages on the heads. You can easily make them yourself. One of them will need to have a fitting of some type so you can pump air pressure into it. When you bolt them onto the head, put a piece of old inner tube or similar btween the plate and the head to seal it. The two halves of the block are seperated, so you can only do one side at a time, of course if yo leave the water pump on, you can do the entire engine, but you will need two more plates for the other head also. Our pressure test setup uses a tire valve in the plate so you can put pressure in with a regular tire "chuck" Dont get carried away with the pressure or you will destroy the radiator. 20lbs is probably all you need.
Hope this helps,

anyone know of any EASY way to make plates that fit over the water ports? Would wood work? or would it have to be metal of some kind? thanks.

you could probably do it with 3/4" oak. You'll still need some kind of rubber seal. Best way is to pull the water pump, use blockoff plate there too. you might have trouble getting fittings to hold screwed into wood, try 3/8" pipe.

you know, you can a get regular pressure tester that screws on in place of the radiator cap, pump it up by hand, wait, see if it loses pressure. you could still do this with the blockoff plates if you leave the water pump on, you'll need four plates.