Lower intake manifold gasket replacement progress...

[35Remmy]

OK guys...I'm doing my lower intake manifold today, and I just took a break.

It IS an easy job...except for those DAMN valve covers. My God were they STUCK and hard to lift through all of the wires.

The passenger side valve cover was the worst. I had to get a screwdriver and pry it off. I said to myself oh, SURE, you'll never leak after I'm done!!!

The lower intake gasket was the FORD 1 piece metal design, which I THOUGHT was the upgraded gasket.

However, I can CLEARLY see where oil was getting past the rubber grommets on the gasket, staining the underside of the metal, ESPECIALLY on the driver's side, where I was getting oil on the plug threads.

My upper intake gaskets (O-rings more or less) were completely FLATTENED...I can't see how they could have been sealing properly.

In any case, I'm NOT looking forward to putting those valve covers back on...man, these are just as difficult as the VC's on my 2.9!!! Just a royal PITA!!!

 

[MadExplorer93]

How did you manage to get that PITA bolt out of the Block that holds the Coil Pack bracket as i can't get a good grab on it and i may have top remove my fender wall to get at it better, i have A/C so the dang box is in the way?

As for valve covers, put gasket down first then the cover, and make sure you line up gasket with bolt holes ETC.

Also you need to use some RTV where the gasket mates to the HEAD gasket and/or the intake gasket.

My valve cover came off fine and dandy, i say my valve cover as i only have driverside off so far.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good luck with that, take as much of the little parts off to be out of the way of the VC's. Do use a good RTV on the corners of the lower intake gasket points. I didn't pull my lower intake, I heard that the SOHC had less issues with that(than OHV), now I hear that there are troubles.

 

[wood1]

Take any pics?

 

[35Remmy]

When I get another digital camera (our broke, regretfully) I'm taking pictures of EVERYTHING because everyone else here has been such a big help. I feel bad!!!

Mad, theres a bracket that's attached to the plenum that holds the coil, and the coil is attached to this bracket by 4 screws...it's like the easiest thing I took off, really.

ALL of my gaskets were RTV-free...Fel-Pro directions specifically stated NOT to use any RTV on the intake gasket or valve cover gaskets...BUT, because they were 2 piece lower intake gaskets, Fel_Pro provides a small tube of black RTV to seal the rear and front of the block where the 1 piece gasket used to seal.

They say they ditched the 1 piece design because they found that the 1 piece gasket actually held or pushed the manifold up, resulting in leaks.

 

[35Remmy]

Oh, sorry guys...if you look at my "Did I break this injector" post I have the update on my completion of the project. It was, as Mad stated, easy (for the most part, except for those Satanic valve covers) but very time consuming.

I clean everything, too. Everything.