Well, to stop my engine smoke, I've narrowed it down to my manifold gasket and it's time to finally get it taken care of. Ok, I've begun this helacious task, but I have a few questions:

1. The manual says nothing about removing the fuel rails and the injectors, but I dont see how you can remove the manifold without doing so. What do I do?
2. If I do have to remove the fuel rails...etc, how do I relive the pressure in the system. I have already taken off the runners, TB, and the plenum.
3. Also, whats the easiest way to go about taking out the distributer and will it be a PITA to put back in?

This is the biggest job, mechanically, that I have ever undertaken on a car so any help would be great.

Also, any hints, do's and don'ts and your personal experience would be worth its weight in gold at this point. Fill me in.

 

You don't need to remove the fuel rails or injectors, just disconnect them at the front of the manifold and they'll all pull out with it.

You definitely need to disconnect the fuel rails(even if you don't take them out of the manifold). You can pull the fuel pump fuse and run the car dry, or just wrap something around the fuel lines where you disconnect them so it soaks up the fuel that leaks. You can purge the schraeder valve on the fuel rail beforehand, so fuel doesn't spray out under pressure when you disconnect the lines.

The distributor is easy. Just mark exactly on the firewall where the rotor and ignition module connectors go, and as long as the engine isn't rotated with it out, you won't have any trouble with the timing. Block off the hole with a rag while you work.

Use black or orange rtv on the front and back of the intake from gasket to gasket, but not around the water jackets. Clean everything with something volatile that won't leave a residue, you need that rtv to bond well. And make sure to get all of the old gasket off beforehand. Use a non hardening thread sealer on the intake bolts, not silicone.

Now would be a good time to replace the thermostat, oil sender or any coolant switches/sensors in the intake if need be. Drain the intake before you remove it so you don't need to change your oil as well. If your intake bolts are in bad shape, replace them. Don't buy cheap stainless steel bolts, get real ones with hex heads or ones that use a hex socket.

Soak the bolts in penetrating oil beforehand so your job is easier. Make sure you torque them correctly and in the correct sequence when reinstalling.

 

rezinn - Thanks for the help, this job doesn;t seem near that hard now. One question though...how do I drain the intake?

 

Also, what is that sensor that comes up through the back end of the plenum?

 

Drain the intake? Do you mean drain the coolant? All you have to do is open the radiator petcóck and catch the coolant as it drains.

The sensor under the plenum is the MAT sensor. As long as you're removing the plenum, it might be a good idea to spend a few minutes with the EGR valve. Remove the valve, clean the carbon from the valve pintle and passages in the intake, and install it.

 

Vader - Actually, the EGR valve is the main reason I'm doing all this work. The EGR system has been giving me problems ans so was the intake manifold gasket. I just figured while I was taking everthing off I would just kill two birds with one stone.

Also, I aleady drained all the coolant from the radiator, but there is still coolant in the block all the up to where the therostat was. I'm trying to get that out cause I just got an oil change 300 miles ago.

 

You might try removing the TB heater hose, but draining the radiator should have allowed most of the coolant in the heads to drain back. Are you sure the petcóck didn't get plugged with debris while it was draining?

Roger the EGR valve. If you have to replace it, don't EVEN mess with an aftermarket valve. Calibration of the valve flow at a specific vacuum differential is critical to proper operation and no error codes.

 

When I remove the intake I typically pump the coolant out through the water outlet. You can siphon it out with a length of hose if you don't have anything to pump it with. That should get most of it.

 

Good deal..thanks. Tonights the night. I've got all the surrounding parts taken off so after work I'm going to pull the manifold. I was going to do it this morning, but I trashed two T45 torx tools trying to get the bolts off. i've got to go to Home Depot and get some quality ones. The two I trashed were those POS Great Neck ones from Auto Zone. I think I'm going to get Hex manifold bolts to replace those torx ones.

 

Ok, this is getting rediculous. So far, I've broken two torx sockets on the manifold bolts. I went and bought the best one I could fine for $6 and it;s starting to bend and the bolt is not budging. Should I try an air wrench? Will that be more effect tahn me trying to turn it by hand?

 

In this situation, I resorted to chopping the bolt heads off. I tried grinding them flat to use some channel locks, and I also tried soaking them in penetrating oil for countless hours.

I'd definitely try an air wrench, it may help to get it loose. If you could heat the manifold up around the bolt, that would be beneficial as well.

If that fails, before you hack the bolt heads off(which will definitely work), there is one last thing I'd try. This will cause you to completely strip the torx bolts if they're too frozen to come out, though. Find torx bits for an impact gun and use those. They are extremely tough, I haven't ever broken one. I actually got mine from *gasp* pep boys, of all places. I managed to hammer one torx socket into a bolt and that got one out. I had to chisel a couple other heads off, though.

 

Darn it, thats what I was afraid of. I'm going to try the air wrench and if thet doesn;t work, I may just put everything back together and let someone else do it another day. I'm just not sure I feel like screwing with all that other crap. Oh well, we'll see what happends once I get the air wrench out....thanks for the help.

 

Soak the offending bolts with copious amounts of penetrating oil. Allow some time for the fluid to work - maybe up to a couple hours.

Get a quality Torx driver - either Apex or Proto. Most of the "Chinesium" bits just aren't up to the task, and can ruin your fastener (and your whole day). If it's a true Torx (trademarked by Camcar/Textron) fastener, it was MADE with an Apex punch in the die, so they will likely fit the best.

Get a small jar of antiseize compound to coat all the fasteners when you reassemble (except those entering water jackets). It will help prevent this bolt seizure from happening next time.

A little heating of the area around the bolt can also help relieve some of the fusing and release the bolt. I'd be very careful with any kind of impact tool on these fasteners.

 

Well, I'm going the torx route one last time. I soaked the bolts with penetrating oil and I'm going to let them sit overnight. Tommorow I'm going to go to Sears and get a torx bit....Craftsman will replace the torx bit once I break it..lol.
Wish me luck....

 

If you haven't disconnected the fuel lines at the front of the block yet then be sure to remove/loosen your gas cap first. It will help relieve the pressure and any fuel spillage will be minimal. With the car sitting as long as it has your fuel pressure should have completely bled off by now.

 

Yeah, I already took the gas cap off and when I did loosen the fuel lines, I didn;t get the first drop of gas...of course, the car had been sitting for more than a week when I did that. The only bolts that I can;t loosen are the front bolts on the right and left bank. At least they'll be easy to get too if I strip them out

Crap...well, there went the $6 torx bit I bought, it just shattered.

 

I had to remove all but 2 of mine by using an air hammer with a chisel attachment.
A reg hammer should work though.

With a chisel, hit the bolt head straight down making a deep groove in one side of it. Once the groove is established, lean the chisel over to one side and force the bolt to turn.

Pick a spot on the bolt head that will allow it to be hit with chisel at an angle.