Coolant elbow blues .....proper replacement procedure?
 

I just finished the upper manifold replacement and lower intake gasket replacement. Fired it up and coolant is blowing around the plastic elbow from the lower intake.

I used a slight amount of oil on the new o'rings to allow the new elbow to slide in without tearing the o'rings, but should I have not used any oil?

Is there a proper technique for lowering the lower intake onto the gaskets while trying to guide the plastic elbow into the manifold with your third and fourth hands? Is this part of the operation really a two person job?

Rather than disassemble everything from the top, would it make more sense to remove the tensioner bracket and realign/reinsert the elbow that way?

If I have to tear it all apart again, do I have to get new gaskets for both the upper and lower manifolds or can either one or both be reused?

Thanks for the help.

The easiest way will bet to pull the tensioner bracket like you stated. Did you replace the O-rings or us the ones that were there? When I did mine on my new engine I just used the current one with out any oil and didn't have any problems. Also to answer you questions about the gaskets. They are all reusable, but you don't need to take it all apart again to get this fixed. If you can't get it to seal back up you might just buy an new elbow. I bought mine when I change intakes on my first engine from the local dealer. It was $7.25 Part Number 08846 / 24503423. http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...33_70_full.jpg

Thanks for getting back to me. I had used a new elbow, but I think I may have possibly damaged the o'ring somehow when I was trying to seat the lower manifold. I probably should have had the manifold tipped at more of an angle when I pushed it on the elbow or just removed the tensioner in the first place. Fortunately, the Felpro gasket set for the lower manifold comes with two o'rings for the elbow, so I'll use one of those.