VS V6 Inlet Manifold Gasket Queries

[Harvs82]

Hi Guys,

Finally ready to do the intake manifold gasket on the old VS, I've got the nice new aluminium AC DELCO gaskets from MACE Engineering, so hopefully it will be smooth sailing. A few questions before I tackle this next weekend hopefully...

1. For those of you that have done this before, how long does it take (I'm quite competent with the spanners), and is there any curing time required?

2. What sealant / goo should I get to stick the two end plastic pieces in (at each side of the valley), and do the manifold bolts themselves need to be sealed or loctited in?

I've got the old faithful Gregory's manual on hand, but there is anything else that I need to know, or anything else that will likely require replacing at the same time?

Cheers

 

[Immortality]

Any sensor safe gasket goo will do the job.

I would suggest at least 4 hours if your not familiar with the job. You need to remove a fair bit to get it off as one of the steel coolant pipes needs to be removed. Best to get some new O rings for those too as the original one will be cactus once you remove the pipe.

And yes, the bolts have a thread locker on them because they are only tensioned to 14Nm and will come loose if something isn't used to retain them (I made this mistake one day when in a hurry). Just clean the threads and use the same sealant as you used on the gaskets. curing time varies between sealants but it should be good to go in a couple of hours.

I think there is possibly a how-to, check the relevant section.

 

[Harvs82]

Cheers mate,

Yeah I actually bought the two heater hose pipes complete with new O rings, so will just replace the whole assembly completely.

Any sensor safe gasket goo will do the job.

I would suggest at least 4 hours if your not familiar with the job. You need to remove a fair bit to get it off as one of the steel coolant pipes needs to be removed. Best to get some new O rings for those too as the original one will be cactus once you remove the pipe.

And yes, the bolts have a thread locker on them because they are only tensioned to 14Nm and will come loose if something isn't used to retain them (I made this mistake one day when in a hurry). Just clean the threads and use the same sealant as you used on the gaskets. curing time varies between sealants but it should be good to go in a couple of hours.

I think there is possibly a how-to, check the relevant section.

 

[VS_Pete]

https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...d-gasket-replacement-6hr-includes-pics.187621

 

[Hertz Donut]

This was the very first mechanical work I ever did and it took me about 10 hours, because I wasn't sure how much pressure I could exert on some parts to get them free (throttle cable or cruise control cable was the biggest worry, can't remember which) and I had to trouble-shoot how to get the fuel line disconnected (made a tool out of a caulking tube nozzle). If I had to do it again I'd say 6 hours or so would be doable.

I also spent a bit of time cleaning all the crap off the inside and outside of the manifold and throttle body, might as well give it a good clean while it's apart.

 

[VS_Pete]

This was the very first mechanical work I ever did and it took me about 10 hours, because I wasn't sure how much pressure I could exert on some parts to get them free (throttle cable or cruise control cable was the biggest worry, can't remember which) and I had to trouble-shoot how to get the fuel line disconnected (made a tool out of a caulking tube nozzle). If I had to do it again I'd say 6 hours or so would be doable.

I also spent a bit of time cleaning all the crap off the inside and outside of the manifold and throttle body, might as well give it a good clean while it's apart.

Did you use this guide?

 

[Immortality]

One bit of advice I would give is to clean the engine with degreaser before attempting this, in particular cleaning all the crap from around the injectors and the edges of the manifold so no crap falls into the engine valley when you lift of the manifold.

I also highly recommend using a little vaso on the injector O rings when fitting the fuel rail back in, greatly reduces the chance of pinching/damaging an O ring.

 

[Hertz Donut]

Did you use this guide?

Nope, I've got a Haynes manual, so I was pretty much on my own for about half the time.

 

[VS_Pete]

Nope, I've got a Haynes manual, so I was pretty much on my own for about half the time.

Love your work mate:beer chug:

 

[Harvs82]

Thanks fellas.... just about got everything ready to roll now, just have to pick up the appropriate gasket sealant goo and then all set.

Thankfully not too many oil leaks on this engine, at 185000km now for a 96 model it's aged well, the rocker cover gaskets have already been done, which just leaves the obligatory rear main seal, which without that leak it wouldn't be a true commodore