Lower intake manifold gasket

[Vinnybin]

Replacing the Lower Intake Manifold gasket.

4.Disconnect accelerator pedal cable and automatic Cruise Control Cable from throttle body and cable bracket.
5.Disconnect vacuum booster hose from common chamber.
6.Disconnect connector from manifold absolute pressure sensor, idle air control valve, throttle position sensor, solenoid valve, electric vacuum sensing valve, and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve.
7.Disconnect vacuum hose on canister Vacuum Switching Valve (VSV) and positive crankcase ventilation hose, fuel rail assembly with pressure control valve bracket.
8.Remove ventilation hose from throttle valve and intake duct.
9. Remove the four throttle body fixing bolts.
10. Remove EGR valve assembly fixing bolt and nut on common chamber and remove EGR valve assembly.
11. Remove two bolts from the common chamber rear side and remove fuel hose bracket.

Ive got most all of that done except that something on the rear of the manifold is hanging on and I can't really lift it high enough to slip a new gasket in there. I think its the EGR fixing bold which I believe is the bolt that is under the EGR around the tube. Its such a small space, which tool should I use to get that bolt?
Also, It doesn't really say to remove the fuel rails but Im not seeing how these two chamber is coming out without removing the rail. Thanks.

[Vinnybin]

well I got it up high enough to get the gasket out and this is what I found. It appears the gasket blew, as I thought it did, into about ten pieces which Im not really sure where they are at the moment. Perhaps they went further into the engine. I guess I plan on removing the manifold completely now and trying to find all those pieces. Does anyone have any advise?

[eternal21]

The EGR is a pain to remove. Some say a 22mm stubby wrench will fit, but I couldn't find one when I needed it, so I got a wrench (22mm) and cut it so that the open end is only ~4" in size from tip to the end of the "handle", and that's what I use to get the EGR off. Works like a champ.

[Vinnybin]

Thanks eternal, I was just about to do exactly what you just said when this mystical wrench turned up, covered in dust and oil, that fit perfectly. Anyone know where in the manual it talked about getting fuel rail off?

[vp277]

I've replaced my lower intake gaskets just last week with the fuel rail still connected. My old gaskets were cracked but still in one piece. If yours fell apart it would be prudent to completely remove the intake manifold to make sure that pieces of old gaskets are all accounted for and not in the cylinders. Can't help you with the fuel rail , sorry.

[Vinnybin]

vp, my thoughts exactly. looks like I have about 50% of it or so but the rest is in there somewhere. Fuel rail seems to be the only thing in my way of taking the manifolds off and easter egg hunting.

[eternal21]

The rail has 2 hoses on either side of the back of it for supply/return. Those can be disconnected. Then there are 4 (IIRC) bolts that bolt into the top of the IM, either 10 or 12mm. The o-rings hold the fuel injectors, and subsequently the rail, firmly in place. When you pull on the rail, suction is created, so it makes it all the worse. A slow, even, steady pressure works best. Also, to minimize fuel spillage, I always open the gas release cap. Have some towels handy, as when you remove the lines, fuel is going to spill.

When you put the fuel rail back on, make sure you lube the injector o-rings (I used spray silicone), otherwise they'll rip. Ask me how I know *lol*. Autozone sells a gasket package that contains them all for ~$10.

[Vinnybin]

Thanks eternal, with your info I pulled off the fuel pretty easily(since you told me what to do) and got the manifold off. I think I may be the luckiest person in my garage right now because the gasket was shredded into a bunch of pieces and they were all accounted for and were not in the ??? pipes??? where I think I see valves.

[blacksambo]

Sears sells the 22mm stuby. Works nice. The problem you are rectifying occurs in a lot of VX's. My wife's had to be done but mine is still good. Remember, only 13lbs of torque going back on that gasket. It's a brittle material on the outer edges of the sandwhich.

[Vinnybin]

Well Ive pulled off the entire intake and am ready to replace the thermostat but...... one last stupid bolt i can't get. Can somebody help me out? Im sure if you've replaced the thermostat, you know which one Im talking about. Its almost directly under a metal water pipe.

Anyway, my update is that I've replaced the gasket in the common chamber to the lower intake manifold only because the gasket pack I got had that one in it too. My intake was so nasty that scrubbing wasn't working so I used engine degreaser and power washer and its shiny clean now. Immediately after I gave it a light coat of WD40 for rust protection. I took off my fuel rail and cleaned it all out and lubed the O rings to slide back in nicely. I talked to a shop and asked how I should clean out the injectors and he said that injectors rarely get clogged anymore but when they do fail, its because of the solenoid or electrical interruption so I just let them be.

[eternal21]

I would offer some advice on the thermostat, but I can't recall that one.

As far as the injector cleaning, they're done ultrasonically nowadays. Look up "ultrasonic fuel injector cleaning" to get a list of places. Or, you can check out these guys http://cleaninginjector.com/

[Vinnybin]

So Im putting together the vacuum hoses and what my labels say(where they came from) is different than what the sticker under the hood says they go. Im sure I wouldn't have mislabeled them but... should I put them back the way the sticker says? Also the little ones look like they are holding a seal but they also don't use any clamps to hold them tight. Should I replace with fresh ones?

[eternal21]

So Im putting together the vacuum hoses and what my labels say(where they came from) is different than what the sticker under the hood says they go. Im sure I wouldn't have mislabeled them but... should I put them back the way the sticker says? Also the little ones look like they are holding a seal but they also don't use any clamps to hold them tight. Should I replace with fresh ones?

Sorry, just saw this. If it wasn't fouling up the engine (CEL), I'd put them back the way you took them off.

The smaller ones should be fine. Good thing about them is that they are easy to reach, so if you want/need to replace them, it isn't difficult.

[Vinnybin]

Well I put them together as the diagram under the hood showed and man it runs great. I'm sure it's no big thing for allot of the guys on this forum but it was a pat on the back for me. So it ran so horrible throwing misfire codes, lean codes and one more indicating a throttle position sensor. Also the AC cut out all because of that manifold gasket. I would say if that gasket seems to have not failed, I would back those 8 nuts and bolts off to 13 lbs or just replace it anyway. Mine was in a bunch of pieces and probably why it was destroying my engine.

[Vinnybin]

Also I found a busted coolant hose going to the throttle body. I replaced it with one from auto zone and I found the clamps weren't going to fit back on since the hose was ever so slightly fatter. So I bought some bigger clips as well. Easy to get to? I must have gorilla hands then because this small hose on the back of the manifold was just impossible for me to get at. I just couldn't get my hand back there and ended up tearing it using needle nose. So I do have one fresh hose. Hah.