R&R Lower Intake Manifold Gaskets on a 3400 SFI

R&R LIM Gaskets
Plus repair damaged upper intake manifold

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• gaskets
• lower
• impala
• chevrolet
• manifold
• intake
• 3400
• 3100
• GM
• coolant
• leak
• oil
• pontiac
• engine
• 3.1l
• 3.4l

[oldhamohio]

I noticed what looked like a broken mount (tab) hole on the manifold. Looks like you glued it back together then clamped it with a c-clamp till it dried the reinstalled the repaired manifold. If so, I've got to know what you used to glue to the tab back on - I'd have never thought of that repair (very clever)!

[90W7]

@oldhamohio Heh Thanks! I would have never done this working at the dealership but it was a friends vehicle and he didn't want to spend several hundred dollars on a new manifold. What i did was cleaned the pieces up with my wire wheel and used JB Weld to cement it back together. Worked like a charm! Very strong too, The manifold torqued down to specs nice and even and no more vacuum leak.

[90W7]

Rod*

[TheMoviedude2011]

I have a 96 grand am . How do I know if I have a lower intake coolant leak or if it is the head gasket ? I have coolant in my oil . I have been told they are known for lower intake manifold leaks . v6 3.1L

[90W7]

@TheMoviedude2011 if it's a head gasket you would most likley have bubbles in your coolant system. it's no doubt your lower intake manufold gasket, as your looking at the engine on your right side and under the silver fuel lines is probably where your leak is. what Mikeyssss said is spot on, the last person who worked on this car (before me) stripped out the rocker arm threads ( just one). get it fixed tho! my brother let his leak forever and I had to rebuild his engine (spun rid bearing)

[TheMoviedude2011]

@90W7 Thank you . My leak was exactly in that spot . Both lower intake gaskets fell apart on the end where the silver fuel lines are . They were made of black plastic . I replaced them with a felpro aluminum gasket with rubber around each hole . No more leaks . Awsome video .

[90W7]

@TheMoviedude2011 Right on! glad you got it fixed. I put up another video of a rebuild i did on a 3100 (My brothers Car)  I'm not done editing it but just a quick movie/slide show of the rebuild. The rebuild kit i bought came with the crappy plastic lower intake manifold gaskets so i ended up having to buy another complete kit for the metal ones which was lame but it gave me peace of mind heh.

[steven240sx]

I used a metal 5 gallon bucket opener to lift the rocker arms to get the pushrods out, then you don't have to loosen the rocker arms. Lisle also makes a pushrod remover tool for about 15 bucks on eBay.

[TheMoviedude2011]

@90W7 I used 20w-50 after I replaced the lower intake gaskets . It seams to help cusion the worn bearings a little . It should buy me some time until I replace my main bearings and rod bearings.

[TheMoviedude2011]

@Mikeyssss Thanks Mike. I did exactly that . I borrowed a torque wrench from Advance Auto on their tool loner program . I have ball and pivot rockers . I put each rod back in it's exact original location . I torqued them to specs . No problem since .

[oldhamohio]

@90W7 Thanks for the tip!! I replaced the lower manifold gasket on my daughters 97 Lumina 3.1 and its never leaked since - goin on 170K now.