3.4L GM lower manifold gasket replacement part 5: Installing gaskets, pushrods and lower manifold

[@mississippiqueen2u]

I'm a woman...and I find all of your videos amazing and very- very detailed and helpful. I did a "similar-ish" job on an old Ford ranger some time ago. This weekend....I will be doing a 2005 Chevy Impala (3.4). When I say "I"...I mean "Him" but I will heavily supervise.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Thanks for watching. Your comment left me smiling! Good luck with the repair.

[@mississippiqueen2u]

The Original Mechanic Thanks once again...the repair went well. We did a wonderful job. Again....when I said we...I mean He! I gave up after I unhooked the battery post. The bugs ate me up! The one thing I wish I had was a shop vac. It was so dirty and full of crap up under there. I had to watch each video 4 times...but I retained a lot of information that came in handy. I bought a fel pro set from my local auto store for about $80. This set was the bomb compared to what we pulled off. I was horrified. No wonder that parts failed. All in all....I saved well over $600. I encourage anyone attempting this job to watch your videos. Even as just a refresher. You went step by step. Plus you gave tips on how to stay organized. Taking off is easy....but you must put things back in its proper place and correctly.

[@Omar-pb8lf]

This is thw best video that i have found. thaks

[@5400bowen]

So many good things in your how tos. I have to take exception though, with using steel wool on the lifter valley end ridges. Any shreds that get past the range of your keano vacuum set up could get into internal engine parts. And please, I really like a lot of stuff you do, but pushrods should be cleaned, blown out with air, and oiled on reinstallation. I know things can go on and on, but new lifters, valve stem seals, and at that point, keepers are pretty logical. I particularly like the blow dryer...a few “professional” mechanics on utube break off the radiator drain, but just say “it was broken”. My Chevy dealership service manual is the first I’ve seen suggest one, in a list of heat application devices. I’ve been using them for years for a variety of things, but your hoses and plastic drain applications are great, and worked like a charm on my radiator drain plug. I do apologize for my first comment being a bit negative, but it will help others.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I appreciate the advice. The tone of your critique is very considerate and helpful. I had not thought about the risks of steel wool or the importance of cleaning and oiling the push rods. Good advice for anyone tackling this challenging job!

[@Dog0fWar11]

Oof, wish I saw this BEFORE using a wire brush on mine 😬 sooooo…. How do I clear out the debris/bristles? Would the shop vac/hose trick do okay? This is my first tear down on a v6, I’m replacing the water pump, timing set, and most gaskets and seals except head gaskets. Thankfully I have mine on a stand (also a first) so everything’s a LOT easier to access. Thanks for the advice, and for the series!

[@5400bowen]

Well, if you want to do the very best at removing that stuff, turn the engine with side you cleaned face downwards. Vacuum, gently brush, with a vacuum hose at the clean smallish soft brush. Any spaces you can’t see and or access is trickier. Either way do an intense inspection with a super bright light before, during, and after. If you suspect gunk or wire bristles may have gotten deep inside, a thorough flush with solvent and or oil may be the only way to be as sure as possible. And blow out/off any areas cleaned, including interior spaces after solvent, but don’ blow off any places you flushed with oil. I’ve even used WD 40 in large amounts for crankcases etc. If you can’t be sure about having gotten I t in the crankcase or under the valve covers, I literally will use several quarts of motor oil down through/around the lifters, and into the rocker arm boxes in a pinch. It depends on how much of what crud you got over what areas. The other thing is to change the oil and filter(even after all that) after running the engine for a few minutes to an hour or two after reassembly and initial startup. The amount of those depends on the degree of risk that you assess by how much and where you think the crud is. I used to work in a machine shop that did the machine work for the San Diego city bus system. I’ve seen a lot of tricks by mechanics and machinists when they want to save a potential disaster.

[@Dog0fWar11]

@@5400bowenand @@5400bowenI’ll try to figure out a way to blow it out as well but I don’t have a compressor so that’ll be interesting 🤔 I don’t think there’s very much, just a few bristles, though there was a bunch of crusty gunk around the coolant channels so I need to get that cleaned out. I got this motor out of a junkyard and ran a camera through the cylinders. Everything looked good but the gaskets were crumbling so I’m refreshing it and dropping it in my Grand Am

[@5400bowen]

@@Dog0fWar11 you can use a magnet pick up tool to fish around for pieces of the wire if they are steel.

[@openhousepro]

I followed all the instructions and my push rods seem to be making a lot of noise. Any advice?

[@ednja]

After you put the bead of RTV in the valley, do you allow it to dry first before setting the lower intake manifold in place or is it better to set it in place while the RTV is still wet?

[@ednja]

I just noticed there is instructions in my fel-pro gasket set. It says to install the manifold while the RTV is still wet.

[@kdeh21803]

Ok what I'm dealing with on the passenger front intake bolt and the driver's side rear intake bolt is that even with a "swivel" it makes the wrenches to "high" to fit that area.....BUT a flexible ratching box wrench works perfectly..... so may question is how to properly "torque" those 2 bolts......................

[@ednja]

I noticed in this video that you removed the coolant pipe that goes over top of the lower intake manifold. When you reassembled, you didn't include the installation of that pipe? I removed the pipe on my lower intake manifold to replace the o-ring. The problem is that there is no o-ring. I'm really wishing I didn't remove the pipe and think there's a potential for a coolant leak there now. Did you have any problem with leaking as a result of removing that pipe? Did you use any kind of sealant when you installed it back in place?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

With all the video to shoot I must have missed the pipe install. I generally do like to use sealant of some type to prevent leaks. I don't specifically recall this one. It did not leak but there was no long term test as this car was totaled six months after the repair.

[@ednja]

@@TheOriginalMechanic Thanks for your reply and sorry that your van was totalled. My first Chevy Venture was totalled also about 5 years ago. What I did was buy some Permatex Optimum Max Flex Black. I chose this sealant because it is most flexible, plus one application for it is thermostat housings, so it should be resistant to antifreeze. I used sandpaper in the hole in the lower intake manifold and on the end of the coolant pipe before applying the sealant. I used a rubber mallet to pound it in. After tightening the bolt, the pipe sits solidly in place. I think it will work good.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@ednja Good luck with the rest of the repair. I admire you attention to detail. That's a feature you don't always get from repair shops. Thank for sharing your methods.

[@kdeh21803]

Should pushrods be able to spin at all when they are torqed to specs?

[@kdeh21803]

I'm doing this job right now on an 05 Equinox and I'm going back with a metal gasket....I'm noticing (as I do here) that the lower intake does not sit completely flush on the heads as before with the Neoprene gaskets..... Is the metal gasket a "bit" thicker??

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I noticed that too when I did that job. I believe that is the reason. As long as it doesn't leak...

[@kdeh21803]

@@TheOriginalMechanic I was concerned about that too and just wanted to check.... I hate this job and using a metal gasket I hope we don't have to do it again ....

[@kdeh21803]

I also use Orange Lock Tight.....it is stronger like Red....but the bolt will come off with regular tools the next time you need to take out the bolt.

[@kdeh21803]

@@TheOriginalMechanic Ok.... Give me some advice here...... When I had to pull the "cross over" pipe out I had to use a small pry bar and it was hard to come out .... Now I'm trying to put it back in.... What holds it in ... I'm afraid of water leaks if it stays like this and I see no gasket originally on it .... What about now to make it tight.... It is just over the thermostat...... And has some water pressure of course....

[@matthewcox2076]

With all due respect you shouldn't use steel wool steel particles can get down into the valves and then into the intake cause damage to rings etc possibly into the oil and pump. Also into the water pump and damage the bearing use a 3m scotch right pad.

[@lance7413]

Excellent set of videos.

[@macman851]

Do you have any recommendations for a walkthrough on continuing down to the head gaskets? I need to replace those but no one else’s videos are as complete and informative as yours. Thanks so much, btw. Your videos are definitely the best!

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. Sadly this car is in the scrapyard how.

[@iancameron1662]

@@TheOriginalMechanic my son has a 1994 camero 3.4 and is getting water in the last cyl on the right bank.do you have any idea as to why and what to do for the repair.THANK Q

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@iancameron1662 I don't think they were having issues with those gaskets back in '94. Definitely some sort of gasket failure though, possibly the head gasket.

[@iancameron1662]

@@TheOriginalMechanic it's not a head gasket as the antifreeze level is fine and green in color.its definitely rain water clear and clean after the big rain we had.anyway you may know someone that maybe able to help and might have had that problem.thanks

[@jaysonburns4423]

I would have cleaned that lover intake mainfold spotless with over cleaner....engine bay def need detailed after this job is done...

[@fullmetaljakey]

Do you have to set the valves when putting back on the pushrods?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I did not do anything with the valves.

[@fullmetaljakey]

@@TheOriginalMechanic yes but u loosened the rocker arm bolt to remove the push rods, don’t u need to go in with feeler gauges after doing that to make sure there’s 0 valve lash? P.s I’m not tryna prove u wrong or anything, I’m doing the exact same repair for my friend and want to make sure I get it correct

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@fullmetaljakey I used a Haynes manual for this repair and they didn't mention anything about valve lash.

[@htatesil4192]

@@TheOriginalMechanic wow a haynes lol

[@cgonedfishing]

What model inch pound torque wrench do you have/use?

[@mobileautorepairbypacheco1806]

Thank you for your time!! Exelente video!@@@

[@bellab5445]

I'm very new to doing my own mechanical work this is my 1st major job when he says to put the rods in at a 168" pounds plus 30ﾟ what exactly does that mean I'm confused by the 30ﾟ part

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You have to think of a full rotation as 360 degrees. So 30 would be 1/12 of that. Not much at all and a bit hard to hit exactly without a torque wrench that does that for you. I usually make a mark on or near the bolt to give me a reference.

[@bellab5445]

@@TheOriginalMechanic Thank you so much for your reply. Your videos are amazing. I'm up to the point where I've got the lower manifold Gasket in And the case put back on. I couldn't afford mechanic so I had to take this on myself. Fingers crossed she cranks when I'm done.

[@ice_juicy_jay]

Where is part 6? Can anyone help in following step by step and can't find part 6. 😕

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Part 6: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGG1mHSvoLd6atk

[@chrisye9650]

like dave I only have a beam style wrench in ft/lbs, would that be sufficiently accurate?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I used this type many times in the past with on problem. You just can't expect them to do inch pounds.

[@ernestoalicea4594]

GREAT vids ... i HAD a bad leaky valve cover gasket that hid a smale leak from the intake 😠 soooo0 this will help out big time .... 🍻 P.S Ill be using a push rod puller .... a buddy of mine has

[@hernan12789]

When you tightened the push rods did you put the piston at top dead center or did you just tightened them down without having to do that?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I did not rotate the engine to place any piston at TDC. I had no problems.

[@hernan12789]

Ok thank you very much

[@htatesil4192]

@@hernan12789 hey did u ever do this?

[@hernan12789]

@@htatesil4192 yea I did. I tightened the push roads without having to rotate the engine it’s been running good ever since

[@htatesil4192]

@@hernan12789 thank god lol im just now getting to the push rods any tips and did u do 168 and 30 degree?

[@4991544]

Is there no need to rotate to TDC when tightening the rockers back down?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I see no need for this repair.

[@4991544]

If they're non-adjustable valves, I don't know why some say they need to be 'set' by rotating the crank to top dead center on the compression stroke and then tightening.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@4991544 I don't know either. I guess there's no harm in going to TDC though. I never had any problems with not doing it.

[@4991544]

OK, thanks. Great videos BTW!

[@ACEGAMER120]

@@4991544 There have been issues with the threads stripping when people torqued down the rocker bolts on cylinder that wasnt at TDC. I imagine that main issue is this can cause innaccurate torque readings as you're fighting against the spring pressure and inaccurate torque specs can probably cause things to loosen up when the engine is running. Thia doesnt happen every time but its often enough for it to pop up in repair articles and it's something that you certainly want to avoid

[@reluctantenthusiast]

Valve covers should actually be 7.4 ft lbs (89 in lbs), NOT "7 in lbs"?

[@jamieduck367]

3.4 fel-pro manifold gasket (kit) is ms 93020 difrent then the 3400

[@lassenielsen5492]

rocker arms 168 in lbs ....how much is that in Nm ? i cant figure that out, google says 760 nm plus 30 degrees . thats for sure not right

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

1 in lb = .1129 nm . The converter I used gave me 19 NM.

[@lassenielsen5492]

@@TheOriginalMechanic yeahh after some search i found that moment to , but thanks, now i just need to buy some insert " heli coil " just in case. Dont wanna be standing there and be able not to get to work . Great video by the way

[@cichlidtube1777]

What happened to your car? I saw that you said its in the scrap yard now.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

It was totaled out in a crash. .

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

@@TheOriginalMechanic should have saved that motor

[@gerrypierce8812]

Did I miss whether you have a tool list?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I don't have a list in the video. I put that on this post that you may find helpful: www.originalmechanic.com/2016/06/how-to-replace-lower-intake-manifold.html

[@gerrypierce8812]

Thanks from a retired (2009) GM engineer in Florida. 3800 Buick V6 was my area but I’m repairing my moms 2003 3.1L Century. Vehicle runs great , no oil in coolant but it puddles in the intake over time. My GM tech friends also recommend the Felpro gasket kit and are encouraging me to tackle it. Your videos look awesome.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@gerrypierce8812 Thanks for watching and good luck with the repair. I did this job on my daughter's 2001 Century and it held up well...till she totalled it!

[@davekauffman8727]

I don't have a torque wrench that reads inch-pounds, and my beam torque wrench is not all that accurate. I don't have much more than a single tool set, so I have to make do, and the car I'm putting back together may not last another 80,000 miles (I live in the "rust belt"), so I'm not as cautious. These engines are interesting for sure though :-)

[@htatesil4192]

U still around

[@wllmbbtt1]

he said for the rocker arm s to be at 168.inch lbs / i am sorry but every yr is diff please contact the dealer ship for the right ft lbs

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

That's good advice. I know Haynes isn't the ultimate authority lol. But remember this is DIY and a second opinion on a critical spec is not a bad idea.

[@thelagmeister]

For the 1997 model its 124 inch lbs. Other years are 168 inch lbs.

[@htatesil4192]

U still on here

[@belindaferguson2443]

always to put the bolt in by hand hen use tool to tightening learn that in mechanics class 101 first day

[@htatesil4192]

U still here

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Yeah still here

[@htatesil4192]

@@TheOriginalMechanic so no tdc when tightening?how many times have u done this without tdc

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@htatesil4192 I've done this twice now without issues afterward. Certainly having the engine at tdc at the start is a good idea. The manual I followed did not mention it.