95 Firebird Intake manifold gasket.

[sxracerb25]

Hey guys, I'm swapping out the intake manifold gasket on my Firebird because it seemed to be burning coolant. Compression was good all about 165-180 so I'm fairly positive it's the intake. I've got it all torn apart with the upper and lower intakes off, but I was curious. There seems to be only 2 coolant runners are the front of the lower intake. It looks as though there are 4 more behind it but they are either really plugged up insanely bad or just end at the intake. I was trying to figure out of coolant actually flows through the intake at those 4 spots or if they're just solid. There is a bunch of stuff stuck in there so its hard to tell if it goes through or not. I was also wondering, I'd really rather not pull the pushrods and it doesn't seem like the gasket even separates anything there. Is there a reason you can't just cut a slit in the gasket and wrap it around the rods? Does oil flow there or anything? Thanks guys. Sorry for the noobish questions but it's my first time tearing into this motor and I'm used to inlines and imports.

[neo71665]

Yes the passages dead end. No you don't want to cut the gasket cause it weakens it and you will be doing it all over again the correct way.

I have a intact thats pretty clean I can take pics of if you need them. Its off a 95 camaro that I pulled to put in my s-series.

[sxracerb25]

Yea I'll pull the push rods. At that point I'm thinking I may as well do the head gaskets but I'm worried the header bolts may be rusty and I don't want to break Any and have to deal with that. Do the headers normally come off pretty easy or are they a pain?

[robertisaar]

just in case: use a 50/50 mixture of acetone and ATF. it's about the greatest rust penetrating fluid i know of.

[86FieroSEv6]

The heads can come off with the exhaust manifolds on them. They are just heavier on your back lifting them out. There have been times when I just let the machine shop do the manifold extraction to save me time as they usually have a sonic heater handy.

[sxracerb25]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm not sure if I'd be able to lift the header off with the head, but I might try it first. Any other advice would be appreciated. Anyone done this on a F-body with the motor in the car? It's been such a pain lol No idea how I'll get it put all back together.

[neo71665]

I lucked out when I pulled the engine out of the 95 for my truck. I soaked all the bolts down and only wound up breaking one on the pass side head that something bolted to. Sorry been too long and since I didn't care what it was I didn't remember. Never pulled the heads off in the car but I did get the engine with trans still bolted to it out the top and was told that couldn't be done.

[Ed_Mc.]

If you should decide not to pull the heads, this inexpensive tool will allow you to remove/reinstall the pushrods without affecting valve lash:

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-3149-lisle-48500.aspx

This'll allow you to replace the intake manifold gaskets without splitting them to fit around the pushrods.

HTH.........ed

[Syclone1452]

I have that tool. It worked great on my wife's Silhouette, but didn't work on my son's girlfriend's '95 Camaro. The handle on the tool hits the underside of the dash... remember the engine is under the dash in the F-body

[60dgrzbelow0]

For the sake of cleanliness... inside and out... May I suggest that you submerge the Upper and Lower IMs in the largest Coleman Cooler you can find and cover them for a few hours in a 50/50 mix of water and "Purple Power" (available from AutoZone) to dissolve any built up dirt and carbon inside and out... it is also wise to clean out the gas channel that services the EGR with a dense/stiff bristle brush to dislodge the disgusting Black Mung that is certainly hiding inside and obstructing good functionality. Don't leave them in the solution for longer that 2-3 hours and once done...hosing them off thoroughly inside and out; first with water and then with a some high pressure air in the same manner, will prep them for a clean installation and mating up with the gasket sets. Here is what the cleaning solution looks like after doing this very important... but otherwise PITA job:

[tkoforpresident]

mmm bob, looks like coolaid.