Just replaced lower intake gaskets.

[LeSabre97mint]

I just replaced my lower intake gaskets on my 98 Windstar. I took pictures. Here is the link to the pictures: http://dansautopictures.shutterfly.com/

I had a post asking about aftermarket gaskets vers OEM. I went with OEM.

Dan

[LeSabre97mint]

Well...I refilled the rad changed the oil....had about 1/2 cup of anti-freeze drained out first.

I took the van out for a drive. You know..it runs much better not being feed anti-freeze into the combustion chamber.

I do have a SEL so I'll have to put the scanner on and find out what that's all about.

Has anyone looked at the pics?

Dan

[CnlK]

Excellent pics. How did the butterflys in the IMRC feel? Was the shaft sloppy or tight?

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by CnlK

Excellent pics. How did the butterflys in the IMRC feel? Was the shaft sloppy or tight?

Cnlk

Glad that you liked the pics.

I did check for side play in the shaft in the IMRC and they felt good.

I was glad to find a definite flaw in the gasket. It's good to know that the time spent under the hood wasn't in vain.

Dan

[lord Kelvin]

Nice Job (pictures too)!!! I didn't realize you could do this w/out removing the valve covers. That's not the case on the GM 3.1L I worked on.

You did a nice job cleaning things up too. You don't get that quality unless you do it yourself.

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by lord Kelvin

Nice Job (pictures too)!!! I didn't realize you could do this w/out removing the valve covers. That's not the case on the GM 3.1L I worked on.

You did a nice job cleaning things up too. You don't get that quality unless you do it yourself.

lord Kelvin

Thanks for the kind words. I hope someone finds the pics useful. I didn't realize that some engines intake manifold was under the valve covers.
Seeing the carbon buildup before the injectors in the intake and heads is a good reason to use somehing like Seafoam through a vaccume line.

Dan

[LeSabre97mint]

I forgot to mention that the OEM gaskets were around $60.00. About the same price for aftermarket.

Dan

[wiswind]

The pictures are great.....yes....this job is expensive to have done.....parts are cheap.....labor is major.
As lord Kelvn mentioned.....a shop does not have the time to spend cleaning thing up as nice as you do.
The repair will LAST as the gaskets have been improved to prevent the failure.

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by wiswind

The pictures are great.....yes....this job is expensive to have done.....parts are cheap.....labor is major.
As lord Kelvn mentioned.....a shop does not have the time to spend cleaning thing up as nice as you do.
The repair will LAST as the gaskets have been improved to prevent the failure.

Wiswind

Thank you for your kind words! I still feel it in my legs and back with all of that time spent bending over but am VERY glad that I took the time to do the repair before the cold set in. I also timed it out with an oil change.

Wiswind, feel free to take any picture of mine to add to your photo collection. I took them to help others. I hate hearing what people pay for vehical repairs!

I did notice that the new gaskets used the same material as the upper manifold. I don't know what the aftermarket gaskets use but seeing this I was so inpressed that I made the old and new gasket picture my Avitar.

Did your gaskets fail in the same spot as mine? How long did you run your van knowing that they were leaking?

I had an O2 sensor fail and when I pulled it I saw green on it so I had a feeling the gaskets were bad.

I'm hoping for increased MPG. With the bad gaskets I've only been able to get just about to 21 MPG. I would like 25 or better. I'm I dreaming?

I was also able to clean the fuel injectors when I had them out. It looks like one of them has been replaced. The engine runs smoother than it has ever before!

If anyone is thinking about doing this job them self feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to try to answer any questions. Like wiswind said "parts are cheep for this job......the labor is the expensive part." This repair isn't that hard....just time consuming.

I do have a CEL and have not had the time to find out what's causing it. I'm thinking that I may have missed a vacuum hose some where. I know I forgot the vacuum hose to the brake booster. I'll see if my wife will drive to church while I run the scanner. *****Update: I had code P0301 Missfire on #1. I'm shure it was from running the engine w/o the hose conndected to the brake booster.

Speaking of scanners, I'm borrowing a Snapon scanner. I really like it. I can read all trouble codes including ABS and Airbag. It might become mine if my friend who owns it will accept a trade of an extra metal lath that I have. That would be really cool! It also can read older OBD codes.


Dan

[wiswind]

My gaskets were not as bad as yours.....failed around cylinder #3 and maybe #4, but was a very slight seapage.
One of the upstream oxygen sensors had a green stain on it.....but was still working just fine.
I later replaced both upstream oxygen sensors (I recommend replacing them as a pair to maintain identical switching charactoristics between the 2 banks of cylinders)....however, it made no difference.

The good news is....years and miles later.....it is still doing well.....202K miles on it now...

[LeSabre97mint]

A few more thoughts....

I just want everyone to know that I wouldn't have known about the failure of the lower intake gaskets had it not been for this forum!

I know that I've saved thousands of $$ because of doing 95% of my own work on my vehicals. With the input from the members of this forum I have been able to repair items with greater confindence!
Dan

[northern piper]

fantastic write up Dan!

I have a 2000 but it looks very similar to what you've taken photos of. I don't know if you've discussed this elsewhere but what symptoms lead you to needing to do this repair?

Piper

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by northern piper

fantastic write up Dan!

I have a 2000 but it looks very similar to what you've taken photos of. I don't know if you've discussed this elsewhere but what symptoms lead you to needing to do this repair?

Piper

N piper

Thanks for the kind words!

Well the symptoms were: loosing coolant with no dripping, when I changed the rear O2 sensor I saw green on it (.....I wonder what's green....???), rough idle, lower MPGs, and the posts on this forum which pointed me to the weak points of the 3.8 96 and newer.

Are you loosing coolant?

Dan

[northern piper]

Well yes and no. In the spring this year the rad ran dry as my wife came home from work. Very fortunately "work" is about 5 minutes away. I refilled the rad etc and in searching out where the leak was I found that the bottom rad hose clamp had rusted badly and was allowing a fairly slow leak. Typically I check under the hood every week or so. Anyway, right now, (touch any wood available) things are fine. With these windstars of ours though I'm almost at the point of preventatively changing things.

I guess I'll wait and see if my lower gaskets go.

Piper

[wiswind]

I would not change them unless they are leaking, it is possible that they had improved the gaskets by your year (2000)....I don't know.

A green stain on one (OR BOTH) of the upstream oxygen sensors would point to lower intake manifold gaskets (head gasket is quite reliable on post 1995 3.8L).

Also, I have listed as likely causes of "unexplained coolant loss....no external leak visible) to be lower intake manifold gaskets and front cover (aka timing cover) gasket.

So, if you have no need to add coolant from time to time.....then you are OK.
When you need to add coolant from time to time....then you need to investigate where it is going.
If it is not leaking externally (which can be hard to find)...the you need to look for an internal leak......and one good way to do this is to send in a sample of your oil for testing....which will let you know if coolant is leaking internally......your motor will be toast LONG before the leak is serious enough to turn the oil milky.