1999 VT intake manifold gasket - I'm lost!

[javt99]

I'm trying to decide whether to attempt this fix myself, or bite the bullet pay a mechanic to do it.

I've got an Ellery's manual which lists heaps of things which need to be removed to be able to get to the intake manifold. The problem is I don't know what many of these things are by name, but I'm sure I could easily remove them if I knew exactly where/what they were.

Does anyone know where I can view a picture that labels a lot of parts around the engine, or more specifically, around the intake manifold? This would be a huge help since the repair manual I bought fails to do so...


The manual says to drain coolant before doing this. Can I just remove the lower radiator hose, or do I have to drain the engine block as well?

[Fr3ak+--]

you just have to remove the bottom hose from the block

i had this done recently.. i was in the same boat as you so i just got the mechanic to do it

[accentstencil]

If you are not confident you can do it, it might pay to have it done especially if you don't have the correct tools. Do you know for sure that the gasket needs replacing?
Removing the bottom radiator hose will drain sufficient coolant to do the job.
My Gregory's doesn't have a single photo that covers all the items you need to remove, so if you need to know what a particular thing is, just ask and we should be able to help with that.

[javt99]

Well I recently had a service and the intake manifold gasket was one of the things that needed replacing.

What would you consider the correct tools for this job? I have heaps of spanners and just bought a good socket set which I'm keen to put to use. I don't have a torque wrench though, and I'm wondering if I should invest in one. I just replaced the tappet cover gaskets and tightened the nuts using my sixth sense...

One of the things I'm clueless about is the MAT sensor....? Also, what is the difference between fuel rails and fuel lines?

Thanks heaps guys.

[accentstencil]

The tools you have should be adequate but I would get a torque wrench, especially for the intake manifold.
The fuel rails are the metal pipes that the injectors are connected to and then you have the rubber hoses which run from the fuel rail and attach to the fuel lines at the firewall,
It sound like you will be competent enough to do the job.
No sure about the MAT sensor, unless it is also known by another name.

[vxcalais_01]

Its easy, takes about a day to do for 1st time. I was quoted $140 by a mechanic so i will never do it myself again thats for sure. Fuel rails etc don't need to be removed, nor the fuel hoses, you can just keep them to the side. I ended up getting 2 manuals, Ellories, good for somethings, crap for gaskets. The Gregories is certainly the best for these with real pictures. Haynes is good but only has sketch for the intake gasket.

Torque wrench is important for the torquing of lower manifold to block. Take off bottom hose, and water that comes out will be enough to have it below of when you take off the manifold it will go everywhere and down into heads and sump. Hard part is cleaning everything for the new gasket. Try to get a Fel-pro gasket or similar, ACL one is same as GM. Use some Hylomar spray(good stuff) or Permatex Blue Maxx and let it sit for a couple hours to set. Run it on water for a week, no coolant as coolant loves to eat the new gasket and so on, and will happily travel across and through scratches and imperfections on mating surfaces. Change your oil if anything fell down the heads or block.

Also pop in 3-6 Holden Radaitor pellets or some Bars Stop leak(same as pellets but not as strong) to help seal things up, and incase you get some leaks and weeping again. Even try it now before changing the gasket if the symptoms are correct.

[vxcalais_01]

By the way, what are your symptoms ? Oil in the radiator ? Thats what i had.

[chromic]

Its easy, takes about a day to do for 1st time. I was quoted $140 by a mechanic so i will never do it myself again thats for sure. Fuel rails etc don't need to be removed, nor the fuel hoses, you can just keep them to the side. I ended up getting 2 manuals, Ellories, good for somethings, crap for gaskets. The Gregories is certainly the best for these with real pictures. Haynes is good but only has sketch for the intake gasket.

Torque wrench is important for the torquing of lower manifold to block. Take off bottom hose, and water that comes out will be enough to have it below of when you take off the manifold it will go everywhere and down into heads and sump. Hard part is cleaning everything for the new gasket. Try to get a Fel-pro gasket or similar, ACL one is same as GM. Use some Hylomar spray(good stuff) or Permatex Blue Maxx and let it sit for a couple hours to set. Run it on water for a week, no coolant as coolant loves to eat the new gasket and so on, and will happily travel across and through scratches and imperfections on mating surfaces. Change your oil if anything fell down the heads or block.

Also pop in 3-6 Holden Radaitor pellets or some Bars Stop leak(same as pellets but not as strong) to help seal things up, and incase you get some leaks and weeping again. Even try it now before changing the gasket if the symptoms are correct.

I used Permatex Blue when I did the inlet manifold gaskets on the V8. What is the Hylomar spray? Is it any good?