Intake gasket leak

Sonoma GT · Post by **Sonoma GT** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:05 pm

I just found a coolant leak in my intake gasket. 2001 Crewcab,leaking bad on the front right side. I'm trying to decide if I want to tackle this myself this weekend. The shop that I use can't do it until midweek. They said about $530.00. If they could do it sooner I think I would let them but I would like to have the truck running sooner. I think I am capable of doing it but I don't know if the desire is there. Anyone who has done this?
Any tips or help would be appreciated. How bad was it?

Post by **HenryJ** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:43 pm

intake gasket leak

Intake gasket replacement

YellowCrewCabber · Post by **YellowCrewCabber** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:28 pm

I actually just did this myself a week ago. The dealers and shops around want up to $700 to do it. Screw that!! It's really not that complicated. Take pics if you have doubts putting everything back where it should be. It WILL be time consuming. Took me most of the day but I'm rusty. I think the hardest part I dealt with was the steering pump mount. I did not remove it but you will have to loosen ALL the bolts that involve the pump and mount. The A/C compressor was the easiest. It will set off to the side. Be sure to mark the distributor shaft and mark where the rotor is pointing. The spark plug wires coming off the distributor are numbered. (At least mine are) There are only 8 bolts that mount the intake itself. Specs say to torque those bolts to 11 foot pounds. I torqued mine in very small increments and tighten them to very SNUG. I didn't have a torque wrench. If you over tighten the bolts you'll damage the gaskets. And wouldn't you know it, today I had to replace the water pump because it was leaking.

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:38 pm

Just got a call from the mechanic changing my intake manifold gaskets, says my lower was eaten away due to the liquid leaking by. Said he added extra silicone to make up the excess. Will this work ??

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:45 pm

Probably. Not like you had another choice other than surfacing the heads and intake.

Are you making the change to green now?

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:46 pm

I never had the slightest evidence of coolant in my oil or out my exhaust. I can't imagine enough bypass coolant eroding that aluminum and not contaminating the oil or the exhaust ? All I could see was directly out the front bottom of the lower manifold and only a pint of coolant needed adding any time.

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:49 pm

I have been green the last two years and it was green when I bought it with 86000 miles on it. I'm running 134000 miles now. This leak only happened once in a while, usualy in temperatures below 50f and would stop after completely warmed up. Sometimes it would leak a little when started to just move a little in my drive. It was never a constant leak. Go Figure !

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:51 pm

Good move staying green. Hopefully you went to the good intake gaskets and there will be no more problems.
The coolant tends to sludge up when it meets the oil. The only indicator may be that the oil is opaque and more brown than usual.
The lifter galley is really good about holding a great deal of sludge.
Usually with the engine hot you can pull the oil fill cap and see condensation on the inside of the cap. This is a good indicator to watch for when you do an oil change. An engine without coolant leaks will not have this condensation usually.

Horsehammerr · Post by **Horsehammerr** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:01 pm

I bought the FELPRO Intake set with upper and lower seals. Reread my entry above, did an edit after your last.