Intake Manifold > 6 Ignorant Questions

[laser92awd]

I'm in the process of replacing my intake manifold. Sorry for my ignorance but I have a few questions that I just don't know the answer to:

1) Apparently RRE sent me a non-turbo extrude honed manifold which is missing a pressure port. Everybody is saying I need to drill and tap it. I want to use the fitting off my current manifold. You know how there are 2 fittings opposite the fuel rail? It is the larger one to the left (passenger side) that is missing. I assume I need to drill it out with a certain size drill bit and then run a certain kind of tap with threads that match my fitting. How do I do that? (Dumb I know)

2) Mike at RRE says while I'm at it I can put a couple more fittings in it for other things like my VPC pressure sensor to eliminate some of the T'd hoses I have. Where should I add 2 more fittings (does it matter) and where would I get fittings that matched my tap from question 1?

3) What kind of surface prep do I need to do on the cylinder head before I bolt on the new manifold? It looks like all the gasket stuck to the old manifold. The new manifold is clean.

4) I have an OEM intake manifold gasket - do I need to put any kind of sealant on it or do I just put it in there and bolt it all up? What about the throttle body and IC pipe elbow gaskets?

5) Should I use antisieze, locktight, or nothing on the manifold bolt threads?

6) My valve cover (PCV corner) has a slight oil leak. I cleaned it up looking for a crack but found none. I recently replaced the gasket so I new that was good. So I found the problem but don't know what to do: The bolt at that corner doesn't tighten - it threads down in and then just spins - it never tightens. So apparently somehow I have stripped out the threads. Remember the valve cover just has holes in it, I guess the threads are actually in the cylinder head. Is there any (easy) way to fix this? If I don't clamp it down I am going to eventually have a puddle of oil collected in my new manifold.

Thanks everybody!!

Jonathan Stanley
http://drive.to/92laser

 

[Newlogics]

Here's an ignorant answer to an ignorant question #6:

Ignorant spark-cover bolts don't go all the way through into the case, however, the material of the valve cover is so fragile, that torquing those bolts more than spec would crack the cover (usually inside the threaded hole. So what you end up with is a small crack probably on the bottom of the hole, which you can't really see, but that's enough for the oil to sip through.

Solution 1 - you can TRY some JB weld to plug up the hole completely and not use it. (You have to find cracked one first though)

Solution 2 - Get a new(used) valve cover. You can get one for really cheap on ebay, like $30.

For that special matter I always have a spare on e sitting in my garage. Again, they crack like ignorant bastards !

 

[laser92awd]

To clarify on #6 question (valve cover leaking):

It is the outside corner near the PCV valve that is leaking, not the spark plug area. It isn't a leak like as though it is cracked (in fact it isn't cracked), but rather it is seepage from that corner of the valve cover not being held down because the bolt isn't holding at all. I have examined the valve cover and it appears that the mounting holes are just that - holes - not threaded - and that the threads are actually in the top of the cylinder head?? At any rate, my problem is not with the threaded spark plug holes or in the spark plug area but on that outside corner. I hope this makes sense!

 

[AW4G63]

Maybe i can help ya out. Go get an thread set. Rethread the hole, I have never done it on a block before but it should work. The you would need a larger bolt with larger threads just for that hole. It should help unless anyone else has a better idea. I think you only tighten those to 4-6 lbs of torque.

 

[laser92awd]

I thought about that but was worried about what diameter to use and how deep to go - I'd rather have a slight leak than ruin something!

 

[Dyre]

sounds like you striped the threads on the head. The only real solution is to tap the threads with a bigger fitting. If you can't handle it alot of times you can find mechanics in the phone book that will come out and do it for you. They ussally do things like removed striped nuts/bolts, remove broken studs, and drill/tap stripped threads...

 

[sunflashx]

Buy longer bolts for the valve cover. 30mm long for the outside, 25mm for the inside. The stock bolts are shorter and the rest of the hole is most likely still has good threads.

 

[DSMu4ia]

1/8th and 3/8th NPT barbed fittings.

1/8th is standard, 3/8th is for the brake booster lines, and other big stuff.

Lowe's has these fittings for cheap.