Intake Manifold Removal/Installation: Tips/Tricks
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Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 188
From: Toronto, fighting Asian drivers
Intake Manifold Removal/Installation: Tips/Tricks
Ok, some background info here. I am a car enthusiast, not a professional mechanic 
i am more of a backyard hobbyist, so I do have air tools and such, and some experiance working on cars, but this was my first "major engine project"....probably a good primer for doing my H/C package next winter.
Car: 2002 Trans Am WS6
Project: Removal Intake Manifold for Painting and Reinstall
Time Required: A lot
Damage Incurred: 6 skinned knuckles, two small cuts on right hand, one large scrape on left hand, sore back and a piece of dented wallboard from a frustration punch (cause of 1 of skinned knuckles.
Now, on to tips and tricks
I read through the search archives on this board, ls1tech, cz28 and didn't find one thread that accurately laid out information, just a whole bunch of subtle hints and past member experiances. So, any "newbie installers" that undertake this project from now on, please read, and i hope i save you some frustration.
Prior to Beginning:
1) PRINT OUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS <----------- LINK
2) Take digital pictures of your engine bay and all connections/locations etc.
3) REMOVE THE SHARP PLUGS/SCREWS HOLDING THE WEATHERSTRIPPING ON THE COWL...TRUST ME, they just pull out.
Removal Tips/Tricks (while following LS1howto instructions:
1) Unbolt your AIR tubes from the headers/manifolds, move 'em off to the side. This is especially useful for the driver's side.
2) Pop off the brake booster hose on the drivers side. Do not "pull" the hose off, pop off the little knuckle thing....THIS IS IMPORTANT.
3) When disconnecting the fuel injector harnesses, do not yank on the metal clips at an angle. Buy some angled needle nose pliers with long handles and pop 'em off 90 degrees. If you bend 'em they won't go on right later and I didn't want loose injector plugs. These will take a bit of pulling though, don't get discouraged. SAVE THE METAL CLIPS IF THEY COME OFF, DO NOT LOSE DOWN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT THAT IS THE LS1 ENGINE BAY.
4) ok, you know all those people that said you will do something to your oil pressure sender? they are right. I was lucky, i didn't break it, but I pulled out the wire that goes to it. My tip? UNPLUG THE CONNECTION GOING TO THIS SENDER.
For first timers? i know, it'll be hard. You will have to reach behing the intake manifold (might help pushing/moving the AIR pump and AIR hoses out of the way) and feel blindly. You MIGHT be able to do this after unbolting the manifold and moving it A BIT. but please don't yank that thing out of there, you'll break the wire or the sender.
The sender is a cylinder, just to the right of the centreline of the intake manifold, about 3-4 inches high, 0.75-1 inch in diamter, almost right up against the back of the manifold when installed.
4) Like the instructions say, hold up the back 4 or 5 bolts with tape, clothespins etc. You'll need 'em up just before they hit the underside of the cowl to free them from the holes (prob about 1.5-2 inches, you'll know if you can move the manifold or not).
5) GENTLY pull the IM until it moves a little, you will have to SNAKE THE BIG BOOSTER HOSE towards the passenger side and out to prevent it breaking the oil sender....this hose is a bitch as it is quite stiff and has a couple of kinks.
6) Hopefully you had already disconnected the sender now....so pull the manifold a little more until you can get a light and your hand behind it, literally, don't pull it too much as there are still connections on the back that don't stretch.
7) disconnect the small vacuum line, the electrical connections (there is one behind, and one on the far back driver side corner, clipped on a bolted bracket).
8) now, move it out until you can pop the injectors out as per ls1howto instructions, be careful as you don't want to damage the o-rings.
9) you should be able to get the manifold out now, and see that damn oil sender back in there. I hope you didn't break it, i didn't, but i did have to solder a new wire onto the connection.
Reinstallation Tips/Tricks (while following LS1howto instructions:
1) BUY NEW MANIFOLD GASKETS, in the case if you are painting your existing manifold, as my has only 4000 miles on it, but some fo the gaskets are crushed from pressing against irregular spots on the heads. For $40, just do it, it'll save you headaches later.
2) Oil your injector O-rings (i used my Mobil 1 motor oil) so they don't tear on reinstallation.
3) LEAVE YOUR OIL PRESSURE SENDER DISCONNECTED, TRUST ME, but tape the connection up and out of the way on the cowl or driver side so you can access it with the manifold installed later.
4) Ok, bolt down your fuel rails first, then insert the back 4 bolts, holding them up the exact height so they don't come throught the bottom (you'll need some extra headroom with the cowl here).
5) push all harnesses, wires, connections out of the way towards both sides of the car as far as possible, just to give yourself some room, don't force anything.
6) LOOK where you are going to have to connect stuff at the back. Prior to installation, reinstall the booster hose, and get yourself familiar with the small vacuum lines that will connect to the back of the manifold. There is a main rubber "T" plug that goes on the back, and ANOTHER SMALLER LINE THAT PLUGS IN THIS T, do not forget that as it is an AC related line i think.
7) on reinstallation, do it slowly and in 3-4inch increments, snaking your booster hose through the various harnesses in the back towards the driver side of the car, IT WILL BE HARD, IT WILL BE A BITCH. Leave it IN FRONT OF THE OIL SENDER (which is still disconnected). When you have the manifold 2/3 of the way on DO AS FOLLOWS.
- REINSTALL SMALL VACUUM HOSE AND OTHER ELECTRICAL FITTING TO BACK OF MANIFOLD BY FEEL
- have the booster hose snaked as far as possible around towards the master cylinder and stuff
- grab both fuel rails and lift the back of the manifold (which is why we only had the back bolts up a minimum amount) and try and get the booster hose in the back OVER THE SENDER, you will know when you do this, as the manifold will now be sitting on the heads properly. DO THIS GINGERLY, you do not want to **** up and break the sender by not getting the hose over it. It may take you a couple of tries, if you are careful you won't break anything.
- finish snaking the booster hose around and reconnect it
- reconnect the oil pressure sender by feel, as you should know where it is by now and you had taped the connection of the way.
- MAKE SURE YOU RECONNECT THE OTHER KNOCK SENSOR (which clips on the back bracket) NOW, or just before you do that lifting move if it has slack, it is hard to do with the manifold fully installed.
8) it will be a bitch to get hose back bolts threaded in, take your time, it will take a while, and follow the torquing procedure in the ls1howto instructions.
9) TAKE YOUR TIME DO NOT RUSH, i got very frustrated, punched $hit, kicked $hit, but did not rush.
10) insert metal clips on the injector plugs, BE CAREFUL NOT TO DROP, and clip them back on, should be easy by now
11)
FOLLOW THE LS1HOW instructions to the utmost!!!!!!!!! and make sure everything looks like your pictures at the end.
Hope this helps some people......and save you some money
Mods, can you archive this?
i am more of a backyard hobbyist, so I do have air tools and such, and some experiance working on cars, but this was my first "major engine project"....probably a good primer for doing my H/C package next winter.Car: 2002 Trans Am WS6
Project: Removal Intake Manifold for Painting and Reinstall
Time Required: A lot
Damage Incurred: 6 skinned knuckles, two small cuts on right hand, one large scrape on left hand, sore back and a piece of dented wallboard from a frustration punch (cause of 1 of skinned knuckles.
Now, on to tips and tricks
I read through the search archives on this board, ls1tech, cz28 and didn't find one thread that accurately laid out information, just a whole bunch of subtle hints and past member experiances. So, any "newbie installers" that undertake this project from now on, please read, and i hope i save you some frustration.
Prior to Beginning:
1) PRINT OUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS <----------- LINK
2) Take digital pictures of your engine bay and all connections/locations etc.
3) REMOVE THE SHARP PLUGS/SCREWS HOLDING THE WEATHERSTRIPPING ON THE COWL...TRUST ME, they just pull out.
Removal Tips/Tricks (while following LS1howto instructions:
1) Unbolt your AIR tubes from the headers/manifolds, move 'em off to the side. This is especially useful for the driver's side.
2) Pop off the brake booster hose on the drivers side. Do not "pull" the hose off, pop off the little knuckle thing....THIS IS IMPORTANT.
3) When disconnecting the fuel injector harnesses, do not yank on the metal clips at an angle. Buy some angled needle nose pliers with long handles and pop 'em off 90 degrees. If you bend 'em they won't go on right later and I didn't want loose injector plugs. These will take a bit of pulling though, don't get discouraged. SAVE THE METAL CLIPS IF THEY COME OFF, DO NOT LOSE DOWN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT THAT IS THE LS1 ENGINE BAY.
4) ok, you know all those people that said you will do something to your oil pressure sender? they are right. I was lucky, i didn't break it, but I pulled out the wire that goes to it. My tip? UNPLUG THE CONNECTION GOING TO THIS SENDER.
For first timers? i know, it'll be hard. You will have to reach behing the intake manifold (might help pushing/moving the AIR pump and AIR hoses out of the way) and feel blindly. You MIGHT be able to do this after unbolting the manifold and moving it A BIT. but please don't yank that thing out of there, you'll break the wire or the sender.
The sender is a cylinder, just to the right of the centreline of the intake manifold, about 3-4 inches high, 0.75-1 inch in diamter, almost right up against the back of the manifold when installed.
4) Like the instructions say, hold up the back 4 or 5 bolts with tape, clothespins etc. You'll need 'em up just before they hit the underside of the cowl to free them from the holes (prob about 1.5-2 inches, you'll know if you can move the manifold or not).
5) GENTLY pull the IM until it moves a little, you will have to SNAKE THE BIG BOOSTER HOSE towards the passenger side and out to prevent it breaking the oil sender....this hose is a bitch as it is quite stiff and has a couple of kinks.
6) Hopefully you had already disconnected the sender now....so pull the manifold a little more until you can get a light and your hand behind it, literally, don't pull it too much as there are still connections on the back that don't stretch.
7) disconnect the small vacuum line, the electrical connections (there is one behind, and one on the far back driver side corner, clipped on a bolted bracket).
8) now, move it out until you can pop the injectors out as per ls1howto instructions, be careful as you don't want to damage the o-rings.
9) you should be able to get the manifold out now, and see that damn oil sender back in there. I hope you didn't break it, i didn't, but i did have to solder a new wire onto the connection.
Reinstallation Tips/Tricks (while following LS1howto instructions:
1) BUY NEW MANIFOLD GASKETS, in the case if you are painting your existing manifold, as my has only 4000 miles on it, but some fo the gaskets are crushed from pressing against irregular spots on the heads. For $40, just do it, it'll save you headaches later.
2) Oil your injector O-rings (i used my Mobil 1 motor oil) so they don't tear on reinstallation.
3) LEAVE YOUR OIL PRESSURE SENDER DISCONNECTED, TRUST ME, but tape the connection up and out of the way on the cowl or driver side so you can access it with the manifold installed later.
4) Ok, bolt down your fuel rails first, then insert the back 4 bolts, holding them up the exact height so they don't come throught the bottom (you'll need some extra headroom with the cowl here).
5) push all harnesses, wires, connections out of the way towards both sides of the car as far as possible, just to give yourself some room, don't force anything.
6) LOOK where you are going to have to connect stuff at the back. Prior to installation, reinstall the booster hose, and get yourself familiar with the small vacuum lines that will connect to the back of the manifold. There is a main rubber "T" plug that goes on the back, and ANOTHER SMALLER LINE THAT PLUGS IN THIS T, do not forget that as it is an AC related line i think.
7) on reinstallation, do it slowly and in 3-4inch increments, snaking your booster hose through the various harnesses in the back towards the driver side of the car, IT WILL BE HARD, IT WILL BE A BITCH. Leave it IN FRONT OF THE OIL SENDER (which is still disconnected). When you have the manifold 2/3 of the way on DO AS FOLLOWS.
- REINSTALL SMALL VACUUM HOSE AND OTHER ELECTRICAL FITTING TO BACK OF MANIFOLD BY FEEL
- have the booster hose snaked as far as possible around towards the master cylinder and stuff
- grab both fuel rails and lift the back of the manifold (which is why we only had the back bolts up a minimum amount) and try and get the booster hose in the back OVER THE SENDER, you will know when you do this, as the manifold will now be sitting on the heads properly. DO THIS GINGERLY, you do not want to **** up and break the sender by not getting the hose over it. It may take you a couple of tries, if you are careful you won't break anything.
- finish snaking the booster hose around and reconnect it
- reconnect the oil pressure sender by feel, as you should know where it is by now and you had taped the connection of the way.
- MAKE SURE YOU RECONNECT THE OTHER KNOCK SENSOR (which clips on the back bracket) NOW, or just before you do that lifting move if it has slack, it is hard to do with the manifold fully installed.
8) it will be a bitch to get hose back bolts threaded in, take your time, it will take a while, and follow the torquing procedure in the ls1howto instructions.
9) TAKE YOUR TIME DO NOT RUSH, i got very frustrated, punched $hit, kicked $hit, but did not rush.
10) insert metal clips on the injector plugs, BE CAREFUL NOT TO DROP, and clip them back on, should be easy by now
11)
FOLLOW THE LS1HOW instructions to the utmost!!!!!!!!! and make sure everything looks like your pictures at the end.
Hope this helps some people......and save you some money
Mods, can you archive this?
Last edited by DohHunter; May 10, 2004 at 09:11 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 587
From: Portland,OR
Man I guess since you painted yours it made it harder. But after the first time you take an intake and know where everything is its a 15 minute job. Get one of those snap on swivel 1/4 ratchets and deep and short 8mm sockets. Your info is correct but if somebody was just doing a H\C swap they would be doing twice the work. In fact you don't have to even disconnect the fuel lines for an H\C swap just move the intake over.
You don't really need new intake gaskets maybe if you pulled them out to paint but not just taking the manifold on and off, I have never heard of a leaking intake manifold gasket on an LS1....
But great write up the one on ls1howto is for an older car ours (01-02) are different!
Thanks!
Bobby
You don't really need new intake gaskets maybe if you pulled them out to paint but not just taking the manifold on and off, I have never heard of a leaking intake manifold gasket on an LS1....
But great write up the one on ls1howto is for an older car ours (01-02) are different!
Thanks!
Bobby
Last edited by 93TAWicked1; May 10, 2004 at 12:45 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 321
From: Texas
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 188
From: Toronto, fighting Asian drivers
Originally posted by 93TAWicked1
BTW VERY nice ride! I wanna see pics of the intake!! Here is a pic of mine
BTW VERY nice ride! I wanna see pics of the intake!! Here is a pic of mine
Actually, after seeing your car i was undecided between Fikse's and my current setup......which i don't have pics of yet.I went with IForged aeros
Did you have to roll your back fenders by chance?
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