Hey all-

I posted this in the TPI section because I have a TPI car - I typically hate same posts in different sections but this is quickly going to get urgent for me - have a long trip next weekend and and already a very busy week to deal with. Finding time to do a repair is going to be hard.......

Got to work this am with steam from under the hood. Have a coolant leak - coolant is pooling on top where the lower intake plenum meets the head.

First - causes - what could it be - please say intake gasket leak, not head leak. By the way, engine oil is normal - no sign of water there.

Second - any estimates on time for repair? I have to travel next weekend, so it would probably be an after-work evening job this week.

My specific questions for the repair are does the entire intake have to come apart or can it come off the heads as a unit ? Any special tools I need? And parts - just a lower intake gasket set? I'm assuming the lower intake has water ways in it......

Really appreciate any help or advice on this problem. I'm a relatively competant mechanic with descent tooling at home, but nothing special tool wise here. I feel like I can doo the job, but would like to know what I'd be getting into. Thanks all,
Kevin

 

Ok - I got time to do a search - sounds likt TPIs are intake gasket leakers.

I need advice on dealing with the distributor removal/installation so I don't mess up the timing - haven't done that on this car yet.

Also, still would like an estimate on time for repair - can I do this in an evening, even if it is a late one?

Oh, also - should I use gasket sealer in addition to just the gaskets??

Kevin

 

Mark the cap, rotor, and housing to line up with any part of your engine (or put a mark on the firewall), and you can just pull out the distributor. You may need a long flathead (about as long as the dist shaft) to realign the oil pump gear if the dist doesn't go back in the right way.

I've never worked with a TPI, so I don't know what else needs to be done to remove the intake, but that will cover dizzy removal and installation.

I would check the t-stat housing and upper hose, as well, just in case.