hey guys the previous owner of my car replaced the intake runner gaskets on my 89 iroc. However, he put one on backwards causing a small vacuum leak. It has a pesky startup and idle and wont pass emissions because of it. I need it repalced asap. My question is can sumone give me step by step instructions on what to remove and how to do it to fix it. I know u gotta take the tb off but i dont really know what else. Im a very big newbie working on the car myself so please be as detailed as possible. PS. Completely off the topic im trying to get my naggin headliner tacted up. Its only falling on the one side of the car(drivers side). I been using upholstery tacts but they keep falling out. Anyone know a cheap solution with replacing it. Thanks!

 

It's one of the easier things to do to your car. First remove the plenum by pulling the bolts out on either side. Rock it back and forth until it slides loose. Undo all the vacuum lines and wires, and pull it off. There is an IAT sensor on the very bottom of the plenum, so remember to unplug it and then plug it back in when you're done. It's not fun to pull it all back apart to plug one wire in. Same thing on the bottom of the runners. There's a bunch of bolts on the outside bottom, as well as one on the inside on either side. If it's just the runner gaskets that are bad, don't bother pulling the manifold or the fuel rails or anything else off.

While you have it all off, take some carb cleaner and small wire brushes and clean all the carbon buildup off the TB and plenum/runners. Not really needed, but if the buildup is bad enough it can hurt performance. Especially the stuff on and around the throttle blades.

Install is pretty much reverse of what you just did. Make sure you don't cross thread any bolts, and don't tighten the crap out of them. Keep in mind that it's only aluminum and it strips out alot easier than iron or steel. They are also just paper gaskets sealing out air, they don't need to be super tight.

You sound like you're pretty fresh still, so remember to just take your time with it.

Good luck