08-20-2018, 08:54 AM
Thought maybe some of you might find interest in this project if you've thought about doing it yourself.
To install the intake side bracket, you need to drop the intake manifold to gain access to the "bracket to head" bolt in order to torque it. There are three gaskets for the intake and they dropped out once all seven bolts are out. Two of them were in pretty bad shape so I replaced them. Now is where the fun starts. I tried to coat them with 3M spray glue, sticking them to the head face but when positioning the heavy manifold (by myself laying on the battery cover on my side) i found I didn't have enough strength to hold the manifold and run the bolt in with out dislodging the gasket of the adjacent port. Finally I decided to make studs from a 36" piece of 8mm X 1.5 threaded rod (from McMaster-Carr). This worked pretty well. Still was difficult and enlisted help arrived making the process go much smoother. Hold the gasket in place and thread the stud in. Move to the next bolt hole and do the same. I could have removed the manifold completely and glued the gasket to the manifold face but I believed the amount of effort would have been about the same.
Moved to the DS and thought "this is going to be a piece of cake". I should quit thinking! The existing support bracket is to be removed and replaced by a stiffer bracket. So, you have to remove the through bolt holding the bracket. Well, it broke even with gentle rotating back and forth to break it loose (see pic). I double nutted the threaded part, sprayed rust dissolver, tapped with punch, & kept rotating. Finally an hour or so later, it came out. Had to clean the hole of rust since the new through bolt was larger and the hole clearance was tight. Then the hole in the bracket wasn't quite lined up, ever so close but just not quite there. Took the bracket to the mill and opened the hole about .020". It was just enough. You have to put the vertically oriented mounting bolt in first, stick the horizontal bolt in to align, torque the vertical then run the horizontal in and torque it.
It's all done now but I'm not sure it wouldn't have been better to hire a mechanic. I think I'm too old for this kind of project. Kind of wish Richard was here to help!!
To install the intake side bracket, you need to drop the intake manifold to gain access to the "bracket to head" bolt in order to torque it. There are three gaskets for the intake and they dropped out once all seven bolts are out. Two of them were in pretty bad shape so I replaced them. Now is where the fun starts. I tried to coat them with 3M spray glue, sticking them to the head face but when positioning the heavy manifold (by myself laying on the battery cover on my side) i found I didn't have enough strength to hold the manifold and run the bolt in with out dislodging the gasket of the adjacent port. Finally I decided to make studs from a 36" piece of 8mm X 1.5 threaded rod (from McMaster-Carr). This worked pretty well. Still was difficult and enlisted help arrived making the process go much smoother. Hold the gasket in place and thread the stud in. Move to the next bolt hole and do the same. I could have removed the manifold completely and glued the gasket to the manifold face but I believed the amount of effort would have been about the same.
Moved to the DS and thought "this is going to be a piece of cake". I should quit thinking! The existing support bracket is to be removed and replaced by a stiffer bracket. So, you have to remove the through bolt holding the bracket. Well, it broke even with gentle rotating back and forth to break it loose (see pic). I double nutted the threaded part, sprayed rust dissolver, tapped with punch, & kept rotating. Finally an hour or so later, it came out. Had to clean the hole of rust since the new through bolt was larger and the hole clearance was tight. Then the hole in the bracket wasn't quite lined up, ever so close but just not quite there. Took the bracket to the mill and opened the hole about .020". It was just enough. You have to put the vertically oriented mounting bolt in first, stick the horizontal bolt in to align, torque the vertical then run the horizontal in and torque it.
It's all done now but I'm not sure it wouldn't have been better to hire a mechanic. I think I'm too old for this kind of project. Kind of wish Richard was here to help!!
Gordon Jones
2000-45'-2slide-#567