Changing Upper Intake w/pics.Updated Finished.Dialup Beware
 

I started on my upper intake today and decided to take pictures. Here they are.

First Starting. Engine Cover Removed.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_47_full.jpg

Fuel Rail and Injectors Removed.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_48_full.jpg

Upper Intake Removed.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_49_full.jpg

Close Up of Hidden Bolt and Oil Puddle.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_51_full.jpg

Upper Intake Manifold OLD AND NEW.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_50_full.jpg

Engine Below Lower Intake. Very Dirty.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_52_full.jpg

Lower Intake Removed and Dirty (top).
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_53_full.jpg

Lower Intake Cleaned (top). Cleaned with Engine Degreaser and Steal Wool.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_54_full.jpg

Lower Intake Cleaned (bottom). Cleaned with Engine Degreaser and Steal Wool.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_55_full.jpg

Engine Below Lower Intake. New Gaskets.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_56_full.jpg

This is all the farther I got today. The plastic elbow on the left of the engine that plugs in the lower manifold was broken so I had to go to the dealer to get a new one. Hopefully I will get it finished tomorrow. After inspecting the upper intake it doesn't look like the intake is bad at all. There doesn't seem to be any deterioration. It looks like the gaskets created all my problems. The part of the gasket that is closed to the EGR tube is very damaged and the orange silicon is even separated from the black plastic. Ends up all the internal seals were getting bad. It looks like the oil was leaking through the lower intake and up to the upper intake. It probably doesn't help that I just switched to Synthetic and also went to 5W-30 for the winter. Lets just say for as dirty as everything was internally I think I will be regaining some power and gas mileage for cleaning everything and regaining the pressure being lost.


Edited:Finished Today.
Got a little carried away and didn't get a picture of the lower intake installed.

Upper Intake Installed
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_60_full.jpg

Ready For Throttle Body.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_61_full.jpg

Throttle Body Nice And Clean.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_62_full.jpg

Everything Installed. Aint it Pretty :D
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_63_full.jpg

NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OLD GASKETS.
Like I said before I thought the gaskets were most my problems. Looks like I was right.

Upper Gasket.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_57_full.jpg

Upper Gasket Close Up of EGR Port.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_58_full.jpg

Upper Gasket Close Up of EGR Port in Peices. This just mostly fell apart when I started playing with it. The silicone was completely separated from the Plastic.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_59_full.jpg

Lower Gaskets. This would be a good reason why my Upper Intake Manifold was as oilly. Check out some of the bad spots. Red arrows are pointed towards most of them.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_64_full.jpg

Old Dex-Cool keep in mind I just did a complete collant flush and put new coolant in at the beginning of summer.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_65_full.jpg

Recipts From Upper Intake Replacement.

Fuel Injector O-Rings
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_67_full.jpg

Upper Intake and Lower Gaskets
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_68_full.jpg

Thermostat Gasket, Drain Cock For Radiator, Scraper to clean old gaskets, Chiltons Manual.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_69_full.jpg

Plastic Elbow Between Lower Intake and Belt Tensioner.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_70_full.jpg

Very nice pix! I'm glad you did this. Your upper intake did seem very dirty! Hopefully it'll run like a bat outta hell. This is the new, aftermarket intake right? You did this pre-maturely I assume?

Thanks again, i'm sure the L36 guys are gonna be happy.

Yea I did this pre-maturely.It started leaking a little maybe a quart every two weaks so I parked my car and ordered parts my car has not been drove since 12/12/ 03 god do I miss it. (I have been driving my wifes 02' Elantra) And yes it is the Dorman Upper with Fel-Pro lower Gaskets. When I get done I will scan in all my recipts and get a total on this project. How dirty everything was it sould run a lot better. I soaked my injectors for about 5 hours and replaced all the O-rings on them too. Also the back side of the TB was horrible I wish I took a picture of it before the cleaning it was totally black.

I was gonna suggest doing something with the injectors. Maybe now would be a good time to pull the valve covers, and check on that too? What did you need for tools, or does it just need a lot of sockets?

Mostly everything has been done with a 8mm and a 10mm socket. Except for the Belt Tensioner and two big bolts on the back and front side of the intake. Maybe a phillips and flat screwdriver also.

Wow, some good pics. Is this something an average mechanical person can do? I can change my plugs :D . Just wondering as to the complexity.

Step by step with a 10 dollar book and a torque wrench, no problem. I've said this before.....Jseabert had never even changed his oil. With only my book and a little advice, he did his while I was out of town. Apart and back together in one day.

2 weekends later, he went all the way down to the heads in 2 days to find the real problem (with my occasional assistance).

It has been easy so far. I think the hardest part will be reconnecting all the electronics and vacuum hoses. Shouldn't be to bad though. As for manuals for this I would have to recommend Chilton's manual is is A LOT better than the Haynes manual for this. It looks to be rewritten for all the new years instead of just adding a step or two and maybe a picture like the Haynes Manual did. I am sure a shop manual would be better but these were my two choices. The Autozone and Orellys let me open them to look at the books and the haynes had maybe a page and a half or two pages for all the years from 86 to 99 and Chilton's has about six pages with lots of diagrams. The bolt sequence is what I really bought it for but it looks to have lot of good info. Especially since my other book was older and stoped at 91's model. OK got to take the my son to daycare so I can get this finished. Hopefully by about 11am it will up and going again.

Those are very good detailed photos. I hope I don't have to use em in the future, but it will be valuable resource if bad things happen.

What he means is, when it was worthy enough of a problem for him to get in, he put his beer down...


Engines are only seeming easier and easier for me..... Just getting them out is the hard thing!

Great job on the work and photos! Now you have to clean the rest of your engine so it looks as good as the upper intake :D Glad you were able to fix it before you had major problems!

I have pretty much given up on cleaning the engine. I live down a dirt road and can never keep it clean. Plus I have the engine cover I am working on. Painting it all black with Chrome lettering. It looks good so far I just need to figure out how to spray paint the raised lettering.

What did you soak your injectors in?

I soaked the in injector cleaner that you put in the gas. I just poured a bottle in the bottom of a coffee can and laid them down in the bottom of it positioning them so the connectors didn't get soaked.

Great job and super pics, have you taken it out for a test yet?

Yea, It drives great. I don't think it add very much power but the response is a lot better. Now my M.A.P. Sensor is bad so I will need to replace it. The bottom broke off of if and I put some ATV sealant on it to seal it back together but there were a few wires that were broken inside. Error Code P0107. This is the first time my check engine light has came on since I have owned the car.

Go get a paint pen for models. I used one i had lying aroun (prob 10 years old too :? ) on my engine cover to repaint it, and it was superb.

I am using modeling clay right now. I covered all the letters and then used a razor blade to get down to the top of them, then used alcohol to clean them and painted the letters with Chrome Car Trim paint. I also painted the V6 on the top of the engine cover it came out really nice. I will post pics when it is finished.

good job on posting that its like a instruction manuel sort of?

At least you know you hooked everything up correctly and the check engine light works! I as also wondering if you noticed any coolant in your oil? If so, what did you do to get that out other than just flush and change the oil (I assume)? I have been told that once the coolant gets into the bottom end it is the end for the engine unless you catch it really early and completely deal with it.

Both of you could (have) been leaking oil at the PCV passage between the upper and lower intakes. Manifold vacuum would pull it to the inside, preventing you from ever leaking to a visible spot.

Sorry for the thread necromancy, but:

What did you use to get the fuel lines off of the fuel rail?

Blow the dust off.....it's been collecting for over 3 years. Please don't dig up old topics. Start a new one. Sometimes our advice and best practices will change over time as we learn new methods.

For your question, just squeeze the plastic tabs together with needlenose pliers, and pull the fuel line off. The plastic tabs you squeeze will stay on the fuel rail, and the black fuel lines will pull away. Same holds true for your fuel filter.

If you have further problems, please start a new topic of your own.