well snow is in the forecast! that means i'm taking insurance off this weekend.

getting sfcs welded on tomorrow. gonna ask the shop to loosen my nuts while they're at it.... (haha, very funny, i mean lugnuts)...

now, here's my question... i plan on pulling my engine apart, at least the top part. i want to polish and clean everything and get it into showroom condition....

is it safe for me to just take parts apart? i want to get the runners off and throttle body off... also i want to take my thermostat off because the gasket is leaking, i'm going to double it up because i'm tired of the stupid leaks staining my engine block and making it look dirty! back on track, can i damage anything just taking things apart? will anything leak or anything... u know?

 

haynes manual. less than 30 bux at crappy tire. read it. read it again. *then* start ripping stuff apart. your car will thank you.

 

yah i got one of those manuals in my car. one day i left it in the trunk with a bottle of windex on top.

well, when i opened the truck the windex wasn't there anymore and the manual was all wet, I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAPPENED.

now the manual is a little screwed up, but i can still read it.

 

Take pics -- lotsa pics of your TPI before you take it apart. Different angles, etc.

You'll thank yourself when it comes time to put it back together.

RP.

 

Doubling up on the stat housing gasket won't help...I think it might even make it worse. Just replace it with a new gasket and torque it to spec.

 

Oddly enough, GM's thermostat gaskets are really good and cheap, a rarity when visiting GM...

Don't double up the gasket's, that won't work.

The GM gasket has an extra small soft rubber/plastic/wax ring that will seal itself perfectly when torqued down.

When taking things apart... label them with location etc... wires too, keep a detailed guide for yourself to help ease putting it backtogether.

 

Yes, Slade has the right idea, the GM gaskets have a silicone trace molded in the gasket, so no messy silicone and no leaks.

I pulled the TPI apart without thinking.. and I figured it out at the end.. basically, the short bolts go where the runner flange is thinner.. Throttle Body bolts are their own length, so you can confuse them with any others...

Buy ALL your gaskets from the dealership, they are great quality. I also replaced the MAT sensor when the plenum was off, as long as remove the EGR and gi ve it a good cleaning... little things you should do, cause once its together, you won't be able to do it. When I got the gaskets (Runner gaskets, TB gaskets, thermostat gasket, EGR gasket, and a MAT sensor) it cost me around 90bux.

Also, considering you have Multec injectors in there, if you have the money, get a set of Accel injectors in there.

 

You know about tightening things gradually or in sequence where necessary - right? - ie - like with the stat housing - don't just reef down one side and then the other or you'll duff the flange.

You should probably get a torque wrench if you don't already have one just so you don't mess stuff up.