i know where it is and i see where i need to get my wrenches, but i cant get em in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!i can barely access it..........i just went out and bought a 180* stat and new gasket......i wanna put it in, but i cant get to the darn thing...what do i do?

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Slayer of the following:
2000 saturn
198? Ford Crown Vic, (no i don't know why he bothered)
1990 Buick LeSabre 3.8
1986 Camaro 2.8
Newer Ford Explorer
Food that makes me sick: RICE
1991 Camaro RS 3.1 V6 5-speed
1991 Z28 Rims with Firestone Firehawks
dual snorkel intake w/ slashed boxes, 2 K&N's
my motto: I CAN'T DRIVE 55

 

Sockets with flex ends.
I beieve it's a 13mm.
IT IS NOT TO DIFFICULT.
You just do not have the right tool in hand

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

thanx karl, buddy

 

Know what tools are good for this?
Sears $20 Box end metric set up. About 6-8" long.
That'll do ya real good.
Why do ya need to touch the thermo?
Just cause?

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

Pull that top intake off...

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1989 Firebird
-New Drivetrain Soon-

"I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT have run at all"
#3 Forever

My Site:
Click Here to see my car!

 

You just need a good swivel, an extension, and a short socket the size of the bold. Careful Karl, mine was a 10mm.

 

Weird, my bolts were 13mm also... hehe, way to go GM... always keeping us guessing. Oh- Overclk, you have the 3.1, right? Maybe it's a 2.8/3.1 difference...



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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

Hi Billy,
Not doing this often, I can only go by my 2 examples.
My 1985 S-10 & 85 Firebird, both examples were 13mm.
I was able to access without intake removal, too.
How I did it.
I played Mechanic.
Getting to charge for 1 1/2 hours and doing it in 15min.
I just looked and worked with selection of hand tools I had.
I really only used wrenches. The Sears examples are kinda short, but, long enough for good torque for removal.
Only other tip, I forgot this.
Take the bolts to a wire wheel brush and clean threads. Add oil FILM to threads, for re-install. I used RTV black for both sides of the Fel Pro gasket, letting it get tacky for a few moments. I cleaned alot of debris outta that area. Flaky white stuff from lack of fluid changing. A little hand sand paper action helped, clean up so did light scrapping with screwdriver. NOT ANY METAL REMOVAL, just that flaky white stuff.
They went to 10mm later on?
Man, if they went to 10mm., it should be way easier! Smaller sized head to access that area.
Always hold your finger on top to the wrench as you twist, to secure the wrench down on those bolts. Don't wanna round off those bolt heads. Your finger will tell ya when the wrench may start to slip.

I've read that many of these bolts changed design (torx compared to bolts). Again, not being a mechanic, but being cheap (my labor is cheaper and better that what I pay for), I DO NOT know every variance between the model years or engine changes.
BUT, even on the 3.4 I swapped in, I DEFINETLY RECALL it being 13mm bolts, also.
I tried to use that 3.4 thermo stat in my 2.8 set up. Wouldn't seat correctly. Back went in the original one. The "original" one was brand new as of several weeks prior.

On many cars I've owned, when "Bubba" was the prior mechainc, I saw many "magical, mystical" corrections!
I still shake my head in complete wonderment about the "Mechanical" work done on my Wife's 1968 Camaro.
Talk about "magical, mystical" changes!
The prior guy was a complete A$$HOLE IDIOT. And dangerous, too! You should have seen the way he installed a simple manual master brake cylinder. It took me three days to undo his damage. Two days to figure out the problem. He put the pedal rod in the wrong position on the brake pedal. Don't ask me why he decided or needed to move that rod for changing the master cylinder.

Anyway... the sears wrenches package have a 10mm wrench in there, so our buddy is covered on your call, if there was a bolt size change.
It's a 10mm if the bolt is the size of your pinky nail, 13mm, if it looks larger.

I WOULD SUGGEST YOU REMOVE THE TOP RADIATOR HOSE FROM THE T-STAT HOUSING for easier access! Tap lightly so not to crack the housing while removing. Then work it by hand.
NO REAL NEED to jam a screwdriver in there to separate off the intake. Don't be surprised if the housing is history. Aluminum can corrode and become wasted.
If in doubt, bring the housing to a radiator shop for thier opinion. Always wise to seek higher source of knowledge, then finding out while going down the road, feeling bad and.......bummer.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

well, i was able to get the passenger side bolt off........mine are 13mm, go figure.....

i still can not access the friggin driver side bolt......i was able to get my wrench on it, then the wrench got stuck on it until i fanangled it off.......when i got the wrench on , there was no play for me to loosen the bolt........should i try to take the top of the intake off???? would i need to buy a new gasket for it?

 

Try another wrench.
Try a socket down to it with a swivel
Try using a 1/4" drive socket set with a LONG extension to a 13MM
Keep reaching in to the tool box.
IF YOU CAN LINE UP YOU EYE WITH BOLT FROM THE TOP, get the correct tool for that situation.
Just don't tell us you need your car to drive to the tool store!
Can you fit a socket on that one bolt?
Then get an extension to access it.
Removing the top entails more work for this "easy" (it is) task. Keep trying.
OH, you can remove the throttle body slip that aside for access, I'll bet!
Keep at it!!

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

the main problem is that i can not access that second bolt.....it is impossible with out taking the intake off......cuz when i look strate down i can not see it

 

You CAN, but you need a good swivel, and a short extension. I dunno guys, mine was 10MM, I remember because i had to go buy one LOL.

 

well, i would need a strong swivel with a small head, cuz its tite space........i saw one at walmart tonite......i mite pick it up

 

Buy different length wrenches, too.
Learn to work on bolts blind, by feel.
Let us know when you get the bolt off.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

VINDICATION!!!!!!!!! I DID IT!!!!!!!! i got a medium socket wrench outta the garage and fanangled it in there........13mm......little by little and she came off......now i just need my folks to come home so they can run out and buy me a new gasket......it requires 2 different ones and i only bought the circular one

 

Congrats! And hey- TWO gaskets? Woah. What do they look like? All my 2.8 uses is an oval-looking gasket. Is your 3.1 waterneck o-ring'd? I ask because I hate scraping off my old thermo gasket every time I go from 160 to 195... if I had an o-ring'd neck, life would be so much easier!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

Even though it doesnt matter now,you could have taken off your throttle body.Made it alot eaiser for me.

 

Good to hear!!
I knew you could figure it out.
BEFORE YOU REINSTALL The BOLTS, clean them.
Put some oil on the threads and insert the bolts into the INTAKE MANIFOLD WITHOUT THE THERO HOUSING! This will make reinstallation easier, you have chased clean the threads.
You only need use finger pressure to insert & remove the bolts.
IF THE BOLTS LOOK TO RUSTED, go get new one!
Cause if ya don't the bolts will possible break in the manifold. NO GOOD spot to be in.
Fun to learn, and a PAIN IN THE BUTT

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

well, actually one was a seal and the other a gasket, same stuff 2 me...........i put it on and took her for a ride......stays cooler longer, but still gets up there a little bit.......it was only $10 so no big deal

thanx for all your help!!!!!