What parts will i need? Gaskets and what else. Does anyone have a good site for these procedures? Any additional steps i should take while i have it torn apart?

Thanks,

 

You will need the water pump gaskets, seal around the opti and seal around water pump spline also if they need changing (come in a standard timing cover gasket set)
-For the water pump, you will also want to use some thread sealer around at least the bottom 4 bolts to make sure that water cannot leak out of the threads.
-For the intake manifold, you just need the gasket on each side of it - the gasket set should also come with RTV sealer for the front and back of the intake. A nice solid 1/4" bead of black RTV will work fine, but be sure to have enough in the little bends and corners.
-Also make sure you scrape the old gasket meterial away very well before you put everything back together (water pump, intake, etc.)
-My also want to change the plugs/wires while you are doing the opti anyways if they have not been done in a while. Then you will have a complete tune-up

 

I used the Copper RTV stuff and it has held up great...just my 2 cents.

and take your time getting that old gasket crap off.

now that I am thinking of it, it may be hard to break your intake manifold from the block. There is a small spot that has a nub for a pry bar. Use caution here. Be sure you have ALL the bolts off before trying to break it free.

 

You could always check out Shoebox's site (www.shbox.com) and look up the cam install tutorial. That will give you the basic idea of what is involved in removing the intake and opti.

 

I just did the same thing over Memorial Day. I would recommend at least changing the optispark seal in the timing cover. I had one and didn't and I'm pretty sure it's leaking.

I used the Permatex Ultra Copper RTV on my intake and also put some mild thread locker on the intake bolts. Based on how easy some of them came out, I'm pretty sure a few had backed off and weren't at the recommended torque. I believe the pry point on the intake is in the front left corner as you face the engine. Someone more in the know should probably confirm. That's where I pried anyway and it came right off with very little effort. I may have gotten lucky.

You'll need a small, three prong puller to get your harmonic balancer off. If you go to Sears and the get the one designed to pull harmonic balancers, it won't work. You also need to make sure you put the balancer back on in the same orientation that it came off. There was a raised triangle on my balancer. I just make a small mark with a hammer & chisel on the end of the crankshaft at that location so I would know how to put it back on.

You'll have fun. I highly recommend labeling EVERYTHING as you take it off. I bought a label maker for that purpose alone.

 

Thanks for all of the tips guys. I am already getting my garage and tools organized for this. I have bought zip lock bags and a sharpie to lable stuff as i take things off.

 

A lot of the hoses and wiring harnesses/connections won't need to be completely removed, but should still be labeled.

 

NO NEED to get the puller and pull the harmonic balancer off! Just take the pulley itself off - and the opti will be able to slide past the rest.

 

Good. I was a little worried about that.