Intake runner gasket

[Vereeken]

I have a leak on the intake runner gaskets -the paper ones, not the rubber ones that connect to the airbox (ofcourse cilinder 6)! Doh!

From reading the forum it seems do-able to change them with the engine in place.

Am I right? Or over-ambitious?

The risk seems when you brake one of the studs of the 12mm bolts. They seem to be mighty tight.

Michel

[db_cooper]

I'm assuming you have a 3.2..which has two paper gaskets and an insulator. CIS will have one. If the stud hex nuts are tight (very unusual) then use some penetrating lube and let them soak a while. PB Blaster here in the USA works well. The studs for all models should be 8mm thread.

Share some pictures of the project. Good luck.

[Vereeken]

It is an SC. But yes a paper gasket.

These nuts are TIGHT. I am soaking them in WD40. I know about PB blaster but in our third world country that is not available. Compared to WD 40 it is a indeed briliant.

I really need to get these replaced if I want to get my mixture set-up right. Just worried about breaking the studs....

michel

[Bob Kontak]

Here is a related post you can review.

Any tricks to getting to the inside nuts on the 5th and 6th intake runners?

Just a thought, is it possible to remove the auxiliary air regulator and/or intake runner #5 to get to #6 easier? Not saying do it, just check it out. The aux regulator is moderately difficult where the #6 runner is very difficult. Might ease some pain.

[Vereeken]

Bob,

Thanks.

Yes the AAR is easily removed. I did that on a previous occasion to check it out. Ofcourse turned out to be working just fine.

The problem is not getting it out. It is attaching the second hidden allen bolt again when putting it in

I am in the process of removing as much as I can. I see black deposits on the top of the intake runners of 4, 6 and 3. Clearly the gaskets had their best day.
If i seal them with a thick spray on oil it seals them for a minute or so and the car does it cold star-up routine as it supposed to do. So I guess the non sealing gaskets cause the mixture to be off in three cilinders.

Michel

[john walker's workshop]

if you have a 78-79 SC, it's fairly easy to remove the whole intake as a unit. 80-83, no so easy, and i recommend an engine out repair. too much O2 crap to deal with back there.

[Vereeken]

Thanks John. It is a 83 SC but Euro model so not 02 drap to deal with.

I have started. I am just worried about the studs that hold the intake runners. The bolts are on real tight and I do not want to shear them off or break the studs.

So far on the left bank (cilinder 1 bank):

- blower motor needs to go
- shrouding to blower motor and tubing also.
- WUR needs to go
- Vacuum line from airbox to brake booster needs to go.
- The injector lines should probably go but they are on so tight and niceley sealed that I will hold of on that for now.

This gives me clear access to 1 and 2 and the outside nut of 3. Once 1 and 2 are gone I believe I will have a clear shot at inside nut of number 3.

The question then is if i can lift the engine shrouding enough to drop the paper gaskets over the studs.

I am amazed at how much theses gaskets suck. Both in a figurative as well as explicit way. Someone had to be napping when they designed this.

Michel

[Vereeken]

More progress.

All intake runners on the left bank are now out with the procedure as described above.

A couple of modifications to the procedure:

So far on the left bank (cilinder 1 bank) 12 mm nuts (but I am sure they can be replaced with 13mm):

- blower motor needs to go
- shrouding to blower motor and tubing also.
- WUR needs to go
- Vacuum line from airbox to brake booster needs to go.
- The injector lines should go.
- The injectors themselves can stay but it is easier to remove the runner with the injector gone as it rubs against the wall when you pull it out.
- The sequence is runner 1 first this gives you access to number two, when two is gone you have a clear shot at three. I did not need any special tools just a normal 12mm wrench with an elevated 90degree angle.
- mind the spring between runner 2 and the accelerator pedal linkage
- The rubber boots to the airbox can be a pain. One died in the process at 6euro a piece no big deal.

Is this easier done with an engine drop? Yes easier on the back but not quicker if you factor in the time of the drop/re-install.

[Vereeken]

Do you install the intake runner gasket with the text facing up or down?

[Bob Kontak]

It does not matter what side. I would do them the same just for peace of mind but no big deal either way.

Get your dremel and wire brush the head mating surfaces. Use 120 grit sand paper on a wooden block and clean the bottom of the runner. I powder coated my runners and there was uneven distribution of the coating after they were finished. I had to sand that down flat.

The gaskets work fine if the mating surfaces are clean and flat and nut torque is evenly applied when installing.

[scotricker]

Q for John Walker:

First, thanks for all your input here all the time. I appreciate the value of your posts.
Earlier on, you mentioned that the intake can come out easily on 78-79 SCs. Did you mean the entire CIS, all of it? Then it would be easy to change the gaskets, and rubber boots etc. I have been putting all this off thinking i would have to wait until someday when the engine needs to come out.
If it's not a big deal on mine, maybe I'll tear into it.