Need sealant when fitting intake manifold?

[Forg]

Hi all,

I should be able to fit my intake manifold this evening; all the messy shite underneath it is done.

Question is; do I need to use some form of sealant, or is the head/manifold gasket enough? It's turbocharged (although I'm not planning on going outside what current factory cars max out at) if that makes a difference ... if I did use something, I had been planning on using this red spray-on stuff that I got for fitting the thermostat housing.

[The official service manuals mention no special procedure at all, they say "fit intake manifold"]

[Cookiemonster]

I usually apply a bit of gasket sealant around the water passages on the intake side of the head .. then fit the intake manifold gasket .. then bolt on the intake manifold.

[Forg]

Hmm ... your manifold has water passages? Don't think mine does - is that normal?

[GTSBoy]

Many engines use the intake manifold as a means of moving coolant from one end of the head to the other (as an external pipe) and many also use the water to heat the manifold for emissions reasons.

If you don't have it then all the better.

I wouldn't bother using any sealant on an intake manifold. Paper gaskets and the normal clamping pressure of the studs is sufficient to get you the sealing you require.

cheers

[karl_2ltGC]

Yea go with the paper gaskets.

Maybe check that both head/manifold are perfectly flat is your unsure. Though being a volvo i reckon itl all go together just fine :D

[Cookiemonster]

Originally posted by Forg
Hmm ... your manifold has water passages? Don't think mine does - is that normal?

If you don't have water passages to worry about then forget the sealant.

[Forg]

Done last night, potentially messy gasket goo ignored; I just have to connect the HVAC, brake & pollution shite and she's sweet. :)

In case anyone's interested (unlikely I know, it's a Volvo :)), I put a couple of engine bay photos up at http://members.optusnet.com.au/~forg ... two of the engine bay in it's current state, two of the custom windscreen trim the glass guy installed last Friday (which looks about 15 years more modern than the standard stuff!).

[Ben Wilson]

I know it's a bit late, but, my 4AGZE managed to blow a large chunk of inlet manifild gasket out a while ago. I think a coolant leak at the TB allowed the gasket to get wet, then with the addition of a little boost, a large vacuum leak started...

[GSRman]

forg: even though i may get beaten for this.. i like it :)