Started the Intake manifold fix yesterday.

Like most owners of GM V6's I am replacing the intake manifold gaskets. So far, so good. The haynes manual sure does make this difficult due all the flipping around to get to the next section. Does anyone have some step by step instructions? Anyhow, I spent about six hours yesterday pulling everything out except the fuel rail and power steering pump which are giving me some problems. I hope to have this thing finished today. Let me know if there are any tips to sliding the ps pump out of the way.


Thanks

Ok, I don't see a problem with the intake manifold gasket. It should be obvious right? The bolts were on tight enough. I don't see how the coolant was being burned in the combustion chamber like the dealer said unless the head gasket is faulty. I can't see how coolant could get into the combustion chamber through the lower manifold gasket unless it was in the oil. There is no coolant in the oil that I can see. I don't know if I should just button this up and drive it till it breaks or replace the head gaskets too. What do you all think?

If you already have it torn down that far and you haven't found evidence of water yet then I would go ahead and change the head gaskets.

I don't mean to insult you but you did both the lower and upper intake manifold gaskets right?

Yeah, I got the lower manifold off also. This stinks. The dealer had said it was the lower intake manifold gasket, or I would have done a compression test before I started. Removing the exhaust manifolds looks like it will be a PITA. I guess I will go and get started.


I think I will go back to only buying old mopars with a slant six after this. I love my old dart and it is cake to work on.

I got the rear head completed, but how do you remove the passenger engine strut bracket to remove the front exhaust manifold? The haynes manual I got stinks. It show all kinds of wrong pictures for the model montana that I have.

If it will make you feel better I just found that my 99 needs intake manifold gasket too!! I just did it on my 02 2 weeks ago. At least it will be warmer this time around. That is 2 for 2 in my case.
I am beginning to get pissed at GM for such a poor design.

2000MontanaLemon,
you wont visually see a problem with the intake gaskets, cause it's a combination of issues that cause them to leak. Hince the new design gaskets, new bolts, new type of sealer, revised torque specs...

If you still haven't gotten the bracket off yet: there is a bolt behind the ac comp, meaning you have to remove the comp to access it. But I wouldn't worry about that, cause i'd bet my dog, and lot that you don't need head gaskets.

I just wanted to follow up with my results. I finished the job and wanted to say that it is a PITA. If I knew then what I know now, I would have just paid someone else to do the job or traded the van in for a new Honda, Toyota, etc....

Anyway I now have new head gaskets, exhaust and intake gaskets, plugs and wires, fuel rail o-rings, O2 sensor, a bunch of cuts and scrapes, and a service engine light.

On a good note, the job can be done by your average man and wouldn't be hard to do the 2nd time around.

By the way the haynes manual I used for GM 1997-2002 minivans, was terrible. It is only good for older models. My minivan had many different locations for bolts and things. The manual often left me confused as to why my engine didn't look like what they were showing.


Good luck to anyone else that has to do this the 1st time.

How does the van run now that the job is done? Did you ever detect where the water was coming from?