Replacing Intake Manafold gaskets

[techgeek27]

I am in the process of replacing my intake manifold gaskets.

Any pointers.

This is what i thought it was

This is a 1997 Skylark 3.1, by the way.

This is a 1995 Skylark 3.1, by the way.

Pictures so far

http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g105/techgeek27/car%20fix/

A little slide show

http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g105/techgeek27/car%20fix/?action=view&current=2352e2c4.pbw

[techgeek27]

I do have one question... I have a lot of grease and what not everywhere..

Should i clean this?

How is the best way to clean this, if so?

Should the areas where the gaskets need to be prepped other than removing any left over gaskets chunks, with like rubbing alcohol or something like that?

Also i have not gotten to the value cover yet but when i do I think i am going to find that the stuff in there is pretty well covered in gunk should i clean that and with what?

[IsaacHayes]

For the oil, wipe everything down with a rag with care not to get dirt into the motor. After you have re-assembled the motor, you can get some engine degreaser, spray it on it, let it sit then spray it off and it will be clean. You should of done this before taking the motor apart, but I did the same thing and cleaned it after and it was fine.

Clean all sealing surfaces clean with carb or brake cleaner. Don't use abrasives unless it is mild enough to not scratch the aluminum. The valve covers you can spray out with a garden hose and detergent soap to get most of the crap out, then brake cleaner for the rest.

Clean the lower intake bolts up really good, and use blue medium thread locker and torq in the right sequence to the right torq.

The oil everywhere is from that little round thing in your pictures, its the oil pump drive shaft. Take the bracket off and use some channel locks to pull it up. It may be stuck so take your time. Then go to the dealer and get the oil pump drive shaft o-ring for it. The dealer has an updated o-ring that resists oil. They may also give you a gasket for the top of it too for extra sealing, or they may not. Pull it up and out, replace the o-ring and push it back down. If it doesn't go, rotate it and try again. It should go down with hand force only. This will stop the oil leak.

Also I think 1997 still had that threaded coolant hard line fitting in the lower intake. Those usually break apart so you'll have to get a new one. They sell those in the "HELP!" section at most stores for about $7. They are almost always leak even when a couple years old when re-used.

Oh and you can disconnect the fuel lines from the firewall and leave the fuel rail on the lower intake, that way no need to replace the injector o-rings or worry about leaks there. Replace the o-rings on the fuel line rail disconnects though or at least oil them before replacing and check for leaks.

DO NOT mix up the push rods. Keep them in order. The exhaust ones are longer and you will ruin your motor if you mix them up.

The hard metal line with a T by the water pump will need a new o-ring or it will leak. If you are in a hurry you can smear some RTV around the flange and sit it back down and it will do the trick.

Where you took off the EGR on the upper manifold, clean out the passage going inside the manifold. It likes to clog up with carbon then you get a check engine light for the EGR. Brake cleaer and a stiff wire will get in there.

FelPro makes a problem solver ALL METAL lower intake gasket which is a good idea if you never want to do this again.

I think that covers most of it!!

[techgeek27]

Freaking awsome post

... You rock, thank you..

Questions

1. The oil everywhere is from that little round thing in your pictures.
   Can let me know what picture that was, and the general area of the picture...? So that i can be sure what you are talking about...
   
   
2. Also I think 1997 still had that threaded coolant hard line fitting in the lower intake.
   Is that what went into the hole in the picture on the lower left:?
   

   http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g105/techgeek27/car%20fix/P1010175.jpg

   
   

Oh and the tip about disconnecting the fuel lines at the firewall... priceless

[IsaacHayes]

1) This round thing http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...x/P1010165.jpg
You'll have some oil leaking from the lower intake gasket too, but the oil drive shaft will have leaked a lot too and its a good time to replace the oring.

2) Uhm, no. That picture shows the upper intake/plenum and the throttle body... Yes yours is threaded, and you can see it in the bottom of this picture. It's the metal fitting that screws into the lower intake manifold by the thermostat housing and the black metal hard line is pressed into it.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g105/techgeek27/car%20fix/P1010167.jpg

[techgeek27]

Fantastic I should be working on it tonight and will be posting more pics and i am sure more questions

I kinda wanted to document this for 2 reasons.. 1 for myself so that i know where stuff goes again.. and for others.

So far i have about 3 hours into this..

[techgeek27]

Ok, i give how do you remove the fuel lines? I am still go look online but I do not want to force anything... Got the front value cover off... wopptdy do...

... i neeed more time Captain ...

[IsaacHayes]

you need little plastic things that slip in there to pop them out. Go to an auto store and ask for fuel line quick disconnect tools.

[techgeek27]

I thinks shes dead

I got the valve cover off and ewwwwwww... yeah there is defently some major contamination going on... But the dipstick never showed this...

any who..

I took it to a machanic friend and he said it's dead don't even bother....

I feel as if i should listen to him.. but at the same time i feel like i shouldn't...

what do think based off of these pictures..

[bszopi]

Well, to start off, what was the reason for replacing the gaskets in the first place? Was the engine making any unusual sounds prior to you tearing it down?

IMO, the valve cover has some bad gunk on it, but that could just be due to moisture getting into the system. The heads don't appear to have any of the so called "mayonaisse" in them, just the normal high mileage gunk build-up. So I would say that you are fine.

Do both sides of the engine look the same/similar?

[IsaacHayes]

If the engine runs fine then go for it. Gaskets for this job are not that much compared to putting a whole new motor. At least you can try.


Those look like non-roller rockers???? If that's true it's had a 94-95 junkyard motor put in there before.

[bszopi]

Those look like non-roller rockers???? If that's true it's had a 94-95 junkyard motor put in there before.

I didn't even catch that. I mean, I noticed they were the stamped rockers, but never went back up to see the model year under discussion. It could be that just the heads had been replaced at one time or another. But yeah, those are definately NOT original, as I have never heard of the stamped rockers being used past 96.

[techgeek27]

OMG



You are right here I have been telling everyone it is a 97... it is a 95... i just went checked the reg on it....

I guess i better take the gaskets back.... LOL..

my gawd do i feel like a complete moron...

You guys really know these engines...

ahhhh ef

here is the choices on napa... just to get a feeling of what i need


Manifold Gasket Set (Intake) FPG MS90562 $52.69
w/ Roller Rocker Arms 2nd Design w/ Push Rod Guides on Intake Gasket w/ Intake Manifold Upper Set

Manifold Gasket Set (Intake) FPG MS95536 $42.49
w/ Ball & Pivot Rocker Arms 1st Design w/o Push Rod Guides on Intake Gasket w/ Intake Manifold Upper Set

Manifold Gasket Set (Intake) FPG MS98004T $98.89
Complete Set w/ Valve Cover Gaskets & Upper Set w/ PermaDryPlus Intake Manifold Gasket w/ Intake Manifold Upper Set

[techgeek27]

In your response earlier.. I started to replace the gaskets because it seemed to be the issue i have been reading about.. disappearing coolant.. no real leaks.. seemed like there might have been air in the coolant causing the temp to jump up and down and go up hi then down low.. then it started to be real yuck.. where it would not want to even drive down the road speratically.. like when you run out of gas feeling.. like your engine wants to jump off it mounts and go die along side the road...

[IsaacHayes]

Eh,.... so the bearings may be shot now? Is it making any noise? Or would it run fine, then not, then run fine again?

MS95536 will work but its plastic and will eventually crack/warp and leak again.
The MS98004T is the problem solver all metal set. Other stores have the gaskets cheaper too BTW. I got my metal gaskets on ebay for even less too.

Your problem could be something else, but no doubt you have mayonnaise effect of the coolant leaking into the oil. After replacing the gasket and if the motor still runs bad but isn't a mechanical problem we can go through fixing that. It may be something like a bad CPS or something. If the motor is indeed bad then you could get a replacement and re-use the gaskets since they won't have much miles on them. The lower can be re-used since it doesn't melt/crush like paper. Especially if you get the metal one.