When I used to work at the shop I replaced a upper and lower intake gasket on 3100, 3300, 3800s about once a week. My bonneville was leaking oil out of the sides (the valley between the block and lower intake) and I was getting coolant in my oil. After running some tests I confirmed I did not have a head gasket problem so I started tearing the intake off. Ive done LOTS of lower intakes on these engines but this was by far the worst Ive seen.

Here are some pictures - http://homepage.mac.com/spiralg5/

The only surface that was actually workable was between the lower intake and supercharger. Although wherever there was coolant ports there was corrosion. The surfaces between the lower intake and the heads were so bad I HAD to use a roloc to prep them, the scotch pad wouldnt even put a dent in the build up of crap. I estimate about 1/8 inch of crap was built up between the intake and heads. I also took the lower intake to the shop where I use to work to get it hot tanked so it would clean up nice, it did a pretty good job. Tomorrow Im going to do the same with the supercharger because the zzperformance coupler hasnt arrived yet, was suppose to be here friday =(
Im also going to paint the supercharger black just for the hell of it.

Just thought Id share my experiences, It took way longer than I wanted to spend but I rather get all the parts in good so leaks wont show up in the near future. Oh yes, and I used quality GM parts because I know from experience that the rubber strips from felpro have a problem of not making a good seal either.

Don't paint the */C!! It'* going to trap in much more heat then the way it is now.

i wouldnt paint it either. i like the pic slideshow

alot of the paint has chipped off and is pretty scuffed up though, looks pretty bad. If I painted it a shiny black the emissivity would be about the same as the tan dull surface. Heat absorbs to dull surfaces alot more than shiny surfaces.

thats true

Heat absorbs to black twice as bad as lighter colors.
My black Bonne is twice as hot in summer than the other.

Yes, but the supercharger is a dull tannish grey color, I painted it a shiny black color. the color and the surface is the two biggest factors that factor emmisivity. But most the heat is transfered to the supercharger via the bottom surfrace, the ambient temperature is less under the hood than the supercharger gets from the engine. Ill get the heat light and check the two different superchargers and see what produces more heat.

But none the less its going off the topic

hell, if its 90* outside and if you have a cover or paint over the supercharger and the hood is over it, what more can possibly happen? The hood is causeing mor eheat to build up under the hood so paint shouldnt hurt.

The color doesn't matter for heat, color depends on light heating it up. There'* no light hitting a supercharger. :?

you just said earlier........................................... .................................................. .....................................never mind