LIM update and question

[heimdawg]

Sorry Merc. I should be updating.
I am now putting everything back together. I took the rail off and that helped a lot for getting the pump out of the way. I put in new lower o-rings on the injectors and they will be back in soon.
I just put the LIM back in with the new gasket. 10 lbs/ft and 18 for the verticle? Is the right? Seems kinda wimpy to me. If that is correct then I'm off to the put everything else back together. I'll have a full update when finished.

[merc81]

Originally Posted by heimdawg

Sorry Merc. I should be updating.
I am now putting everything back together. I took the rail off and that helped a lot for getting the pump out of the way. I put in new lower o-rings on the injectors and they will be back in soon.
I just put the LIM back in with the new gasket. 10 lbs/ft and 18 for the verticle? Is the right? Seems kinda wimpy to me. If that is correct then I'm off to the put everything else back together. I'll have a full update when finished.

Let me look it up for you. I snapped off the first one I did so its kinda critical to get it right.. I tried this without the crow's foot wrench and snapped the left front diagonal bolt off (ouch).

OK, here it is: **failure to tighten vertical bolts before the diagonal bolts may cause an oil leak**
tighten lower intake manifold bolts in sequence to 13N-m (115 lb in)

sequence: front right vertical, back right vertical, left front vertical, left back vertical, far right front diagonal, far right back diagonal, far left front diagonal, far left back diagonal.
Sneak up on the final torques, just like head bolts. . .in other words, do that pattern maybe 3 times, each one at a slightly higher setting on the torque wrench until you hit the 115 lb in mark.



John

[heimdawg]

Originally Posted by merc81

Let me look it up for you. I snapped off the first one I did so its kinda critical to get it right.. I tried this without the crow's foot wrench and snapped the left front diagonal bolt off (ouch).

OK, here it is: **failure to tighten vertical bolts before the diagonal bolts may cause an oil leak**
tighten lower intake manifold bolts in sequence to 13N-m (115 lb in)

sequence: front right vertical, back right vertical, left front vertical, left back vertical, far right front diagonal, far right back diagonal, far left front diagonal, far left back diagonal.
Sneak up on the final torques, just like head bolts. . .in other words, do that pattern maybe 3 times, each one at a slightly higher setting on the torque wrench until you hit the 115 lb in mark.



John

My wrench only does lbs/ft. So 115 lbs/inch would only be about 10 lbs/ft. Or am I missing something? Because 10 lbs/ft is a little more than hand tight. I guess I had the impression I'd be cranking away with all my might.

[merc81]

You have it. Its not real tight. The new bolts should have come with goo on the threads to seal tightly. That makes it a challenge to get the torque correct as well.

Like I said, I snapped off the far left diagonal on my first one and had to create clamp to hold the intake down at that point. You want to be careful.
John

[heimdawg]

Ok, thanks. It didn't seem tight so I wanted to double check. It's in so the reassembling will begin when I get home. I'll write a full report when I'm finished. Hopefuly with all good news. I've just been throwing time at the project as it comes available. I would say It's been a total of 8 actual hours (if you don't count double that for head scratching and waiting for Merc to reply )

[merc81]

Point taken.

Other folks can gain by your experiences so try to keep it all fresh in your mind when you complete the job

[Airjer_]

Sorry if I missed this in the original conversation but the vertical bolts should have loctite on them. GM has revised the torque a few times on these, and yes they are barely on there. Aftermarket Gaskets (we have been using the felpro metal/rubber kits) have there own idea on what there gasket should be torqued to as well. If the new bolts don't have loctite or you did not get new bolts just clean up the old ones with some brake cleaner and apply a little.

[merc81]

Yea, thanks for your comments Airjer_. It should be said again (I'm sure its elsewhere on these forums) that the orignal gasket is a plastic frame with rubber gaskets and is the reason you are doing this job--the plastic cracks, either because of the Dex-Cool or because the plastic was just crap to begin with. The replacement gasket is a metal frame with rubber gaskets--and the kit comes with pre-coated bolts to keep 'em sealed tight and locked in. And of the 4 diagonal bolts on the sides, two of 'em are nasty to reach without a crow's foot wrench.
And if you don't pay attention to that last comment, you could end up like me and stripping out the bolt on the left by the power steering pump
(if you do, I have a fix for you )

[heimdawg]

Oh oh. The long bolts are the side bolts? Hmmm.....sounds liked I screwed up already.

[merc81]

Originally Posted by heimdawg

Oh oh. The long bolts are the side bolts? Hmmm.....sounds liked I screwed up already.

No, that's not the case. What makes you think that?
The long bolts are the vertical ones.

[heimdawg]

Sorry, I panicked. I saw "vertical" and that translated to "diagnal" in my head. I already had the new gasket in so I held up an old long bolt to the side of the LIM and noticed it would be impossible for the long bolt to go in the side. Sorry for the confusion.
I've take some time off the project in hopes for some warmer weather.

[jrmy1krn]

Gm should make theyre own website detailing gasket replacement.
Half the posts in here are regarding gaskets in 3.1/3.4l GM cars

[merc81]

Originally Posted by jrmy1krn

Gm should make theyre own website detailing gasket replacement.
Half the posts in here are regarding gaskets in 3.1/3.4l GM cars

They made a shop manual detailing the procedure. All one needs to do is follow directions. The thing is, as with any procedure that's difficult to get right, a book doesn't help you understand at what point the bolt's going to snap off, or where to put the wrench to best get at a hidden bolt. Only experience will tell you that and that's why these forums are so helpful. We've all either done the job in question or are about to do the job. Talking with folks that have just been there, done that is always helpful.