tbunch
New Member
- Joined
- May 2, 2016
- Messages
- 52
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- North Salt Lake, UT
- Vehicle Year
- 1994
- Make / Model
- Mazda
- Engine Size
- 4.0L
- Transmission
- Manual
Still new here and I need a little more help ASAP. this motor is still out on the stand and nearly ready to go back in. I just torqued the heads and lower intake back on, in order and in the alternating sequence described in multiple threads and manuals, I've done many a lower intake gasket and I know how to do them, but...
For some reason it seems the intake is not sitting correctly between the heads. On the gasket surface, where the valve covers will sit, there are 4 areas where the lower intake meets the heads. 3 of these 4 are prefectly level, but the 4th is not. the head sticks up about 1/16th of an inch and I'm concerned it may cause the valve cover to leak.
On top of that, the lower intake seems like its not seating all the way down. I put silicon in the valley on both ends and normally I feel like the lower intake squishes that silicon out when you tighten it down, but mine is basically just resting on top of the silicon bead. It has enough silicon that it wont likely leak, but it doesn't seem right.
I'm strongly inclined to remove and re-do the lower intake and lay on a thicker bead of silicon for extra security, but since the heads and LIM are torqued together in an alternating pattern and it has never been heat cycled, am I safe to remove and re-do just the LIM without causing further issues? I'm not about to remove the heads again, but I want this as right as possible.
Anyone else ever have problems doing one of these? I did it once before on this same truck with the engine in the vehicle and it went fine and never leaked so maybe I'm over thinking it, but I cant help feeling its not sitting right.
Thanks in advance!
For some reason it seems the intake is not sitting correctly between the heads. On the gasket surface, where the valve covers will sit, there are 4 areas where the lower intake meets the heads. 3 of these 4 are prefectly level, but the 4th is not. the head sticks up about 1/16th of an inch and I'm concerned it may cause the valve cover to leak.
On top of that, the lower intake seems like its not seating all the way down. I put silicon in the valley on both ends and normally I feel like the lower intake squishes that silicon out when you tighten it down, but mine is basically just resting on top of the silicon bead. It has enough silicon that it wont likely leak, but it doesn't seem right.
I'm strongly inclined to remove and re-do the lower intake and lay on a thicker bead of silicon for extra security, but since the heads and LIM are torqued together in an alternating pattern and it has never been heat cycled, am I safe to remove and re-do just the LIM without causing further issues? I'm not about to remove the heads again, but I want this as right as possible.
Anyone else ever have problems doing one of these? I did it once before on this same truck with the engine in the vehicle and it went fine and never leaked so maybe I'm over thinking it, but I cant help feeling its not sitting right.
Thanks in advance!