Bugsi....thanks for the pep talk.


I'd like a litte more feedback on the LIM pitting if I could please. I'm wanting to maybe get that installed today. I ordered my new UIM kit last night. This morning I'm going to try to locate the coolant elbow and pickup new wire set.

Please see pics here:

http://www.stingrayboats.com/MySting...0/ppuser/11566

Alright, as nobody else has chimed in, I'll take a crack at this...

Now mind you, this is purely opinion and speculation on my part, as I've not actually done this...I'm thinking that if all pitting can be eliminated with no more than about 0.010" to 0.020" milled off the face of that one surface, you'd be OK. The issue I see with this is time and cost...for what it would cost and the time it would likely take a machine shop to set up for and do this, you could probably get a good replacement LIM from someone like Ed Morad (probably cheaper, actually).

If you have no time for a replacement or machining, then I would advise you to try to fill those pits with something, like perhaps a skimcoat with JB Weld or Marine Tex epoxy, followed with a sanding block.

Somewhere, buried amongst the many intake manifold failure threads on this board, there was someone who had pitting on one of the metal surfaces, either the LIM or the block where the LIM mates to it, and they filled it using JB Weld. As far as I know, it worked fine.

If it were mine, I'd either go with JB Weld, or put a replacement LIM on it. I believe the new factory LIM, if you were to get a new one, has a smaller diameter EGR stovepipe going to the UIM, which supposedly helps avoid a repeat-performance of the upper failure.

The going advice on that pretty much rests at "Even with the new smaller diameter stovepipe, we expect the UIM can still fail after some time period of exposure to the EGR heat." -We just don't know if the time required for a repeat failure exceeds the life expectancy of the other systems on the car. As far as I know, nobody with a reduced-diameter stovepipe has yet experienced a repeat UIM failure, but if I'm wrong on that, we'll probably hear from someone about it.

When my upper failed in December 2005, I had both the upper and lower manifolds replaced, along with new gaskets, of course.

Bugsi & Graz,

Thanks for chiming in. I worked all day on and off getting everything cleaned up. I think other than cleaning up the mating surface on the heads a little more, I'm ready to go. I guess I'll have to see what a new or used LIM will cost. I actually checked on a price to resurface the LIM at a local machine shop and it would cost $ 42 bucks. I don't see that as a bad price. How do they typically fix that.....do they build it up and grind it back down, or do they grind the existing surface down till the pitting is gone. How much do I have to play with before the LIIM gaskets would not work ? Sorry guys I'm new at this. I guess I'll weigh my options...new, used, or machine shop.

Thanks again fellas.

I doubt there'd be any buildup...just grind-down. I think the shop could take off 0.010" to 0.020" without you having a fitment problem; however, I'd frankly be shocked if they'd do it for $42 after seeing the LIM and figuring the big, funky angled rig they'd have to build to hold it.

No reason to buy a brand new LIM for $$$. You should be able to get a serviceable used part for $40 to $50 shipped to your door (assuming you are in the US, which I forgot to check )

that LIM is bad that the worst one i ever did see don't spend money on that go get one at the scrap yard but that LIM must have been leaking for some time

I found a LIM on Ed Morans Ebay site. 24.99 + shipping. but it'* for a 97 - 03. It looks like the one off of my 96. The add says something about 2 different stove pipe sizes, and they only have the smaller size. I believe that would still work.

BTW, the pitting on my current LIM, is that caused by the gaskets going bad and coolant leaking and damaging the surface? Or something else ?

buy the 97 to 03 its better and for the other question its a mixte of both i think

FireBuick,

Thanks for the shout back. Just curious...whats better about the 97 - 03 LIM ? This LIM will work with the APN kit that I bought right? I'm guessing that I wouldn't have to do the mod for the smaller stove pipe then. If I bought this LIM, then I could simply sleeve the UIM with the sleeve provided from the APN UIM kit. The LIM from ED Morans would have the smaller stove pipe (1/2") so that would give me the desired air gap. Is my thinking right here ?

Thanks again.

I put a Doorman UIM on mine. It came with both of the stovepipes. I dont know if the APN kit does though