KA Intake Manifold Removal

[punxva]

Alright, im going to stop putting this off, ive got a broken bolt on my IACV, the head rung off, so now there is basically 3 bolts and a stud holding i on and ive got a vacuum leak, so ive heard that its almost impossible to remove it while the engine is still in the car, i know there are those 2 bracket bolts on the block, but does anyone know of anything else that might help with getting it off?

[tre]

its POSSIBLE to remove it in the car. But you'd have a much easier time with the engine out of the car lol

[projectRDM]

Not impossible, but since the bolt is broken off you'll have to pull the unit much further towards the firewall. Go ahead and unscrew the FICD valve (don't loose the spring and plunger) and you should have enough room to do it on the car.

[punxva]

well i was just going to pull the whole manifold off so i had it off the car, and then i'd be able to just get it from any angle or with a nice pair of vice grips, because how it was, i couldnt fit a pair back there to get it off.

[mobilesuit818]

Get a Factory Service Manual, or use the search function.

It is possible, just need to work it. First get rid of the fuel, then lower intake, allowing you access to the IACV.
Just make sure that it is your IACV that is leaking.

[tre]

Wanna know a crazy bullshit way to find the leak? Friend shoved something (airisol*spl* can) into the intake to seal it off. Then tightened the clamp down around. Took off one of the vacuum lines from the intake. And pressured his system with an air gun(whatever to blow shit off with) and you could hear where the leak is coming from.

[projectRDM]

You can do it one step easier by just spraying carb cleaner on the plenum. The leak will suck it in and idle the engine up for a second. That's how I've always found leaks, cleans the aluminum too while you're doing it.

[2wo4orty]

any idea on how the reach the 3 bolts holding the bottom of
the sohc intake manifold

[DOHCsky]

good luck with the lower coolant lines....theyre fun!

[motonagam]

One of my coolant hose on my KA S14 located underneath the intake manifold started leaking at Industry Track Day (Streets of Willows) last weekend, and it looks like the only way to access it is to remove the intake manifold. Is it possible to remove the studs on the lower plenum and one on the head (by jamming two nuts together on the stud and wrenching it off) so that I can slide just the upper plenum off? Are the studs removable without messing up the threads? If I do it that way, it looks like I'll save time by not having to remove the entire intake manifold together. Thanks!

[Sonikfuri]

I know this is an old thread, but I just finished replacing my intake manifold gasket.

2wo4orty- I'm not sure about the three bolts you're talking about. There's 2 on a mounting bracket under the left side of the manifold you're going to have to take off. That you can do just over the engine, or even with a wobble socket. You're going to have to take off almost all the hoses near the intake manifold, because they are all connected. What I did was take any and everything connected to the intake manifold to make my life easier. I would suggest marking the lines near the back, or else you might end up with a vacuum leak (speaking from experience). Once you have everything completely disconnected you still won't be able to get the manifold off. It took me and a friend 5 days to figure out what was wrong...
Nissan made that mounting bracket bolt on (or near) your block, which makes it almost impossible to move, so I got under my car and attached a chain on it and pulled down as my friend wiggled the intake manifold off, and we had to do the same to get it back on. Next time I have a 240 that needs its intake manifold replaced, i'm taking it to a mechanic. Hope this helps.

[lilredstiffy]

honestly the intake manifold is only tricky the first time

be patient and have a couple extensions and a wobble socket

you will remove the bolts on the head first, upper radiator hose, emissions and vacuum stuff at the rear, you can pull the manifold back an inch or two after this and disconnect heater hoses

after 2 or 3 times its retarded easy

[projectRDM]

It's NOT hard kids.

Two tips I always give:

1) Throw the lower brackets away once you get them off. There's one that surrounds the oil filter and one behind the alternator, these do nothing and get in the way. I haven't them back on at least two dozen engines so far, there's useless.

2) Remove the studs that secure the plenum to the upper manifold on either end, either with a stud puller or double nutting them and backing out the lower nut. This lets you slide the plenum out instead of dropping it down first.

Also, always remove the oil filter, it's in the way regardless. Shouldn't take anyone with a little brain more than 30 minutes total to remove the entire manifold.

[punxva]

yea it's really not that hard, if you look at the date of when i started the thread it was almost 7 months ago, since then i've taken it off like 4 times, and it really shouldnt take more than 30 minutes now as R240NA mentioned

[byhi]

what about just disconnectiong it where the plenum meets the runners? then you could take the lower plenum off by itself, it shouldnt be too hard

[Neejay]

It's NOT hard kids.

Two tips I always give:

1) Throw the lower brackets away once you get them off. There's one that surrounds the oil filter and one behind the alternator, these do nothing and get in the way. I haven't them back on at least two dozen engines so far, there's useless.

2) Remove the studs that secure the plenum to the upper manifold on either end, either with a stud puller or double nutting them and backing out the lower nut. This lets you slide the plenum out instead of dropping it down first.

Also, always remove the oil filter, it's in the way regardless. Shouldn't take anyone with a little brain more than 30 minutes total to remove the entire manifold.
With everything loosened (I can wiggle the manifold, but its getting stuck on that lower front bracket), can I just loosen the top-to-bottom manifold bolts and slide it out, then take out the bottom? There are no more bolts on the brackets, but I still can't manuver it out for some reason.

[UNISA JECS]

Just take it off and bling it out like mines, its worth like 25whp

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u159/zilvia_album/PictureorVideo1183.jpg

No but if the bolt head broke off on wear the metal tube connects to the IACV it'll be a bitch to remove just like R240NA sorat mentioned becasue you would have to bend that tube a godo amount out of the way and hope taht it doesn;t stress crack.

[projectRDM]

With everything loosened (I can wiggle the manifold, but its getting stuck on that lower front bracket), can I just loosen the top-to-bottom manifold bolts and slide it out, then take out the bottom? There are no more bolts on the brackets, but I still can't manuver it out for some reason.

Are the brackets completely off? The S13 KA has two bolts on the front bracket at the bottom, one is behind the alternator. The S14 was redesigned and there's only one bolt, accessible without removing the alternator. With both brackets removed and the outer studs pulled, the plenum slides right out with zero effort.

[Neejay]

Are the brackets completely off? The S13 KA has two bolts on the front bracket at the bottom, one is behind the alternator. The S14 was redesigned and there's only one bolt, accessible without removing the alternator. With both brackets removed and the outer studs pulled, the plenum slides right out with zero effort.Ah, then I doubt that other bolt is removed. There is no reason it shouldnt come off unless there is still a bolt on there. The first bracket is dangling (basically off) but I couldn't understand why the other one wouldn't come off - makes sense that there's an extra bolt hiding. I'll check it out tomorrow. Thanks man.

[Neejay]

Thanks Russ. You're right, I could see the last bolt there, but I had to take off the alternator in order to get to it.

Got the manifold off. Thanks guys.