I plan on changing my intake gaskets on my 2.8 V6. Fel-Pro gaskets have a "Do not cut" warning stamped on their intake gaskets. I don't see where the problem would occur if they were cut to slip around the pushrods . There is no sealing surface in that area, and as long as the gaskets are aligned with the ports in the cylinder heads why is this a problem as long as they don't slip when positioning them during installation?

I can't see the justifacation in removing the whole rocker arm/pushrod assy just to install a set of gaskets.

Or is there something that I'm missing here?

From where I'm sitting, there's no legitimate reason for removing the entire valve train.

 

It's not that big a deal, gives you an excuse to throw some 1.6 rockers on. just make sure you read up on how to adjust them. DO NOT CUT, it says that for a reason, what reason, I don't know.

 

I can't phantom why they couldn't be cut. Logic dictates that since there's no sealing surface in the "cut" area, why couldn't they be cut?

I've read in this boards archives where some people "reseal" the cut portion with RTV sealant , but in reality that is an exersise in futility. The cut part of the gasket serves no sealing purpose, it's basically in suspension along the cylinder head. I see no legitimate reason why the gasket couldn't be cut and slipped around the pushrod clusters. If anyone out there can find a sound reason why the gaskets shouldn't be cut I'd like to know. All I see here is apprehension out of fear of the unknown .

 

That may be true (aprehension), but, the metal would be rather difficult to bend in such a fashion (I thought of doing the same thing the last time). I experimented with it, it could be done, I just don't ignore warnings for some reason (fear of the unknown, yes). But, why not do it the right way (if you can call it "right") and give yourself a performance gift too? Just a thought.

 

I don't know why Fel-Pro puts that on their gasket. I've seen people cut the gaskets.


Infact in my Factory Repair Manual, under intake manifold installation, it says "Install new intake gaskets on cylinder heads. Hold in place by extending ridge rtv bead up to 6mm onto the gasket ends. The new intake gasket will have to be cut, where indicated, to install behind pushrods. Cut only those areas that are necessary."

 

probably to keep the gaskets in their correct shape.. however, the gaskets I just pulled off the motor I'm working on now said "Cut here" where the felpros say "Do not cut" ... I'm cutting the felpros... the 3.4's valves are set rather nicely, I'd rather not muck with them.

 

When I cut them it was a disaster. I had coolant in my oil. I wouldn't cut it again. It took me forever to get all of the water out.

 

Messing with the valve train is exactly my point. Why disturb the rocker arm adjustments if there's really no need to? If there were noisy lifters I can see the justifacation.

I do however see another alternative. Each rocker stud has an integral nut where its tightened to the cylinder head. Just for the hell of it, I loosened up one of the rocker studs and it came out quite easy. By doing this, one can remove the rocker/stud assy without disturbing the rocker arm adjustments. The adjustment nut won't turn since it's a locking nut and it can be put together as an assembly without any readjustment of the valves. The only problem with doing this is an 18mm box wrench will have to be modified to manuver around the pushrods. Basically making said 18mm wrench into a flare-nut wrench. It has to be a 12pt to get enough manuverability on the nut.
What do you guys think about this idea?

 

I wouldnt do that. Them studs have to be torqued to 45lbs. You will have no way with a wrench to tell how tight they are.

I just learned this one the hard way

 

Well I just loosened up two of those studs and they are in no way torqued to 45 lbs. I was able to loosen one of them up with an open-end wrench, if it was torqued to that value the wrench would have sprung. Granted it was tight but nothing that radical.

Thanks to this well engineered motor design [sarcasm], one has to tear apart components that shouldn't even have be touched to change two lousy gaskets.

The "think tank" that designed this motor must have been on one hell of an acid trip when they were engineering it.

 

its that, or i think they were tanked..... :lala:


i vaugly recall my dad b!tching about somthing like this on the fiero... i know they're similar designs.... probly same problem.

 

LOL.

Just telling you, I swapped studs, they came loose cause I did them hand tight. I put them back in 2nd time to 50-55lbs.

I agree, stupid to have to undo stuff like this.

Another tip. When tightening the intake down, it says torque them to like 20lbs, go back around a SECOND time, and re-torque. By the time you do the last bolt, the first one is finger loose again.