edals
Well-Known Member
Hi Guys.
Here is a How To on changing the Inlet Gasket on a VR Commodore.
I am no qualified mechanic, so what you do is at your own risk, I take no responsibly in anything you attempt. This is a very time consuming Job, Took me me about 6 hours, Of course having a few drinks on the side
Ok, So the parts you will Require.
New Inlet Gaskets, You can purchase These from holden OEM, They lasted a good 16 yrs so why not go OEM.
Gasket Silicon for the Inlet bolts.
About 3 Tins Of Carb Cleaner, YES IT WILL BE FILTHY!
Torque wrench for the inlet bolts, Even though i had to use a spanner got most as the injectors got in the way. But use it on ones you can use it with and get a idea on how tight to do them.
Razor Blade for removing old Gaskets.
Wire brush to clean Gasket Bolts.
Socket Set Both Metric and imperial.
Spanners Both Metric and imperial.
Screw drivers Both + & -
Coolant
2 x New Hose Connectors for inlet manifold. They will break for sure if they are old.
Holden Usually stock these as they fail all the time.
REPAIR MANUAL! A must Spend the $50. it will still be cheaper as most mechanics want $400 labour to do this job.
Ok Here we Go.
Disconnect Battery.
Removed Air intake Pipe.
Disconnect Vacuum Hoses & 2 Sensor Plugs from throttle Body. Removed Cruise control support Bar, Remove 2 x Nuts that hold the Throttle body. Then Simply Remove.
Remove Belt.
Disconnect Alternator Power Cables x 2. MAKE SURE THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED!
Removed the 2 bolts holding the alternator, Then Simply Lift it up.
Disconnect Both fuel Lines at both sides of the fuel Rail, The Fuel line will have a bit of pressure so take it slow and wear some safety goggles. Now you can just move the lines to the Side.
Disconnect the fuel injector cables, Use a flat head screw driver to remove the Metal clips. Now remove the Cables, Move the left side injector plugs around to the right and sit the cable to the front of the car, You don't want cables in the way.
Remove the left set of spark plug leads, and move them over the the right side with the others.
Remove Bottom Radiator hose, drain out all your oily coolant.
Remove Both Coolant Sensor cables from the front, Just where you removed the alternator.
Disconnect Both Radiator hoses front and back that go into the inlet manifold.
Remove Top rad hose and thermostat housing.
Disconnect Sensor cable located near the rear coolant hose.
Time to remove the Inlet manifold. Be sure everything is disconnected from it, Check many times as there are hidden hoses and sensors.
Remove All 10 Bolts from the inlet manifold.
Now simply rocket a little to break the seal. Then left upwards, may take a little bit of wiggling to get it up & out.
By this time it should look a little like this.
Take a Old towel, and rest it in the centre, This way when scraping off any crap it wont go all in your engine.
Use a razor blade and clean off any crap from both manifold and block.
Take your carby cleaner, and clean the inlet manifold, so looks nice and clean like this.
Spray some carb cleaner onto a rag and clean the rest off the crap off the block.
Now, Rub a very light amount of oil onto the new gaskets, so they can move a little when you seat the manifold back on, otherwise you may warp the new gaskets. Seat the new Gaskets, So they look like this, take Note from how the old gaskets came off.
Now replace both heater hose connectors on the manifold.
Now seat the manifold back onto the block.
Apply some gasket silicon to the bolt threads.
Install the bolts starting from the middle, and work your way out in a diagonal pattern. Tight between 8-12nm of torque, This is from a ellerys Manual.
Once all torqued. Simply Reverse the order you removed everything.
Don't forget to connect all hoses, Sensors.
I forgot one vacuum hose to the throttle body and it ran like a heap of crap and caused engine lights and stalled. So if this happens check over everything again. And my thermo
Flush the old coolant with the garden hose. Now fill it up with 5 litters of Coolant concentrate, then the rest with water. You can use de-mineral water if you wish.
Check over your work again. Jump in the car, and listen to your commie run fantastic again.
Hope this help guys, This is asked a lot and hope this will help you understand the work involved. But its very rewarding at the end. Let me know if i missed anything and ill correct it. But i think i got most of it covered.
Cheers.
Here is a How To on changing the Inlet Gasket on a VR Commodore.
I am no qualified mechanic, so what you do is at your own risk, I take no responsibly in anything you attempt. This is a very time consuming Job, Took me me about 6 hours, Of course having a few drinks on the side
Ok, So the parts you will Require.
New Inlet Gaskets, You can purchase These from holden OEM, They lasted a good 16 yrs so why not go OEM.
Gasket Silicon for the Inlet bolts.
About 3 Tins Of Carb Cleaner, YES IT WILL BE FILTHY!
Torque wrench for the inlet bolts, Even though i had to use a spanner got most as the injectors got in the way. But use it on ones you can use it with and get a idea on how tight to do them.
Razor Blade for removing old Gaskets.
Wire brush to clean Gasket Bolts.
Socket Set Both Metric and imperial.
Spanners Both Metric and imperial.
Screw drivers Both + & -
Coolant
2 x New Hose Connectors for inlet manifold. They will break for sure if they are old.
Holden Usually stock these as they fail all the time.
REPAIR MANUAL! A must Spend the $50. it will still be cheaper as most mechanics want $400 labour to do this job.
Ok Here we Go.
Disconnect Battery.
Removed Air intake Pipe.
Disconnect Vacuum Hoses & 2 Sensor Plugs from throttle Body. Removed Cruise control support Bar, Remove 2 x Nuts that hold the Throttle body. Then Simply Remove.
Remove Belt.
Disconnect Alternator Power Cables x 2. MAKE SURE THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED!
Removed the 2 bolts holding the alternator, Then Simply Lift it up.
Disconnect Both fuel Lines at both sides of the fuel Rail, The Fuel line will have a bit of pressure so take it slow and wear some safety goggles. Now you can just move the lines to the Side.
Disconnect the fuel injector cables, Use a flat head screw driver to remove the Metal clips. Now remove the Cables, Move the left side injector plugs around to the right and sit the cable to the front of the car, You don't want cables in the way.
Remove the left set of spark plug leads, and move them over the the right side with the others.
Remove Bottom Radiator hose, drain out all your oily coolant.
Remove Both Coolant Sensor cables from the front, Just where you removed the alternator.
Disconnect Both Radiator hoses front and back that go into the inlet manifold.
Remove Top rad hose and thermostat housing.
Disconnect Sensor cable located near the rear coolant hose.
Time to remove the Inlet manifold. Be sure everything is disconnected from it, Check many times as there are hidden hoses and sensors.
Remove All 10 Bolts from the inlet manifold.
Now simply rocket a little to break the seal. Then left upwards, may take a little bit of wiggling to get it up & out.
By this time it should look a little like this.
Take a Old towel, and rest it in the centre, This way when scraping off any crap it wont go all in your engine.
Use a razor blade and clean off any crap from both manifold and block.
Take your carby cleaner, and clean the inlet manifold, so looks nice and clean like this.
Spray some carb cleaner onto a rag and clean the rest off the crap off the block.
Now, Rub a very light amount of oil onto the new gaskets, so they can move a little when you seat the manifold back on, otherwise you may warp the new gaskets. Seat the new Gaskets, So they look like this, take Note from how the old gaskets came off.
Now replace both heater hose connectors on the manifold.
Now seat the manifold back onto the block.
Apply some gasket silicon to the bolt threads.
Install the bolts starting from the middle, and work your way out in a diagonal pattern. Tight between 8-12nm of torque, This is from a ellerys Manual.
Once all torqued. Simply Reverse the order you removed everything.
Don't forget to connect all hoses, Sensors.
I forgot one vacuum hose to the throttle body and it ran like a heap of crap and caused engine lights and stalled. So if this happens check over everything again. And my thermo
Flush the old coolant with the garden hose. Now fill it up with 5 litters of Coolant concentrate, then the rest with water. You can use de-mineral water if you wish.
Check over your work again. Jump in the car, and listen to your commie run fantastic again.
Hope this help guys, This is asked a lot and hope this will help you understand the work involved. But its very rewarding at the end. Let me know if i missed anything and ill correct it. But i think i got most of it covered.
Cheers.
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