How difficult is an IM swap?

[Matrix]

Hey all,

I just bought a new intake manifold for my MSP and I'm ready to throw it on. I'm just a bit nervous because a) I'm not sure if I'll remember how to reconnect everything, and b) I don't have a torque wrench.

Are these issues going to be problems? I wasn't able to find a how-to on this topic. Is it simply just remembering how to properly reconnect everything? Would you recommend doing this without a torque wrench? I'll be purchasing a new IM gasket and a new TB gasket this weekend.

I realize these may be stupid questions, but I'd appreciate the help.
Thanx.

[njaremka]

its not all that hard, just more time consuming. take your time, label everything, take pictures, and have a friend handy. when you start rushing is when you start having problems. give youself all day on a saturday, if possible.

[Matrix]

Would you do this without a torque wrench?

[njaremka]

i had mine off and back on twice with out one, and no leaks.

[kamon8404]

For the connections, you can always buy those little circle stickies and match those colors to the connection match.

[magnumP5]

...have a friend handy...
Cannot stress this enough! I would have gone crazy and thrown the IM throw the windshield if I did not have one of my friends there to help me out.

[Matrix]

For the connections, you can always buy those little circle stickies and match those colors to the connection match.

That's an excellent idea. I think I'll take a bunch of digital pics before touching anything. Then, as each item is disconnected, I'll put matching stickies on the connecting parts. That way when I reassemble, it's just blue to blue, red to red, etc.

Thanks for your help! Is there anything particularly tricky I should try to keep an eye out for?

[Matrix]

Cannot stress this enough! I would have gone crazy and thrown the IM throw the windshield if I did not have one of my friends there to help me out.

Really? What did they need to help with? It's not a terribly heavy part...

[magnumP5]

Really? What did they need to help with? It's not a terribly heavy part...
It's not that it's heavy but to get one of the nuts/bolts I had to rig up this crazy extension/bend thing for my socket wrench and my friend held it in place while I turned it. It also might help for various other things - my friend has smaller hands than I do so he could reach the nuts on the bottom of the IM more easily. He also supported the bottom hald of the IM when I removed the support bracket so it wouldn't fall down (I pulled the IM in half before removing it). If none of that then just support - got frustrated a few times so we kicked back, grabbed some cold ones and talked for a while to cool down. Really for all my projects I try to have friends around even if they aren't helping - it's just good having company.

[Velocifero]

the hardest part is the driverside bolt under the mani. hooking everything else back up isn't too bad. all the connections only go to the other end that it fits with, they have small differences in the design of the plugs. the only ones I can think of that are the same is injector plugs, but they are layed out in order and only reach the correct plug. Make sure you reuse the rubber grommets from the correct injector unless you bought new ones, I didn't torque mine either, just goodntight. Is this the 626 mani? if so there are differences to pay attention to. If you have disconnected VTCS and/or VICS make sure you leave the plugs connected or you'll throw a cel. Reuse the brace on the back that you have to get off from underneath, your mani can crack at the flange without it, even though people have not reused it, there are others that have cracked their flange, so just ask if it is worth it to not use it. You might have to use some spacers to make it fit just right if it is the 626 mani. Need any other help, hit me in PMs, I just did this this week so it is pretty fresh in my mind.

[Matrix]

the hardest part is the driverside bolt under the mani. hooking everything else back up isn't too bad. all the connections only go to the other end that it fits with, they have small differences in the design of the plugs. the only ones I can think of that are the same is injector plugs, but they are layed out in order and only reach the correct plug. Make sure you reuse the rubber grommets from the correct injector unless you bought new ones, I didn't torque mine either, just goodntight. Is this the 626 mani? if so there are differences to pay attention to. If you have disconnected VTCS and/or VICS make sure you leave the plugs connected or you'll throw a cel. Reuse the brace on the back that you have to get off from underneath, your mani can crack at the flange without it, even though people have not reused it, there are others that have cracked their flange, so just ask if it is worth it to not use it. You might have to use some spacers to make it fit just right if it is the 626 mani. Need any other help, hit me in PMs, I just did this this week so it is pretty fresh in my mind.

Nah, it's not a 626 manifold. It's an MSP intake manifold that's been ported & polished with VTCS removed: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123671278

Thanks for the advice! I might have to take you up on the offer to help with questions.

[magnumP5]

^^^ I thought I read somewhere the the stock support bracket actually pulls the 626 IM away from the head and causes a vac leak?

+1 on the injector rings. I actually forgot to put those in when I was reinstalling the IM and I started the car w/o 'em. I'll just say there was a lot of sputtering and gas on the floor - as well as my friend yelling "TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF!" Haha, good times...

[benben84]

My friend didnt torque his intake manifold down in his turbo'd integra and it eventually blew a hole in his gasket and was sucking coolant into cylinders and cracking his sleeve when it leaned out way too much. He WILL be making sure this time to torque it down!

[Drumfreak]

The hardest part for me was getting the EGR pipe off. Other than that it was easy. Reconnecting everything is easy too. Everything just seems to match up. My car runs kinda poopy though before its warmed up with the new IM. I rev it a bit and it wants to die and sounds like crap.

[khaosman]

You are putting in a 626 manifold I see. Cool... those are a lot easier to install than the stock one! You can access the bottom bolts from under the car much easier than from above.

[magnumP5]

You are putting in a 626 manifold I see. Cool... those are a lot easier to install than the stock one! You can access the bottom bolts from under the car much easier than from above.
All the more reason I want one. I'm just too afraid of the low end loss - I fear the hp gain won't be worth it.

[njaremka]

you guys do know that you can reach all the bolts from the top side, right? all you need is a 1/4 drive ratchet with a 6-8 inch extension. the only bolts i couldn't get from the top were the bracket bolts. and those are cake from the bottom.

the only other issue was from where the EGR goes into the intake manifold. trying to get a wrench on that thing sucks. but, it can be done.

[magnumP5]

^^^ I did all mine from the top. I had to make a weird contraption of extensions and bends but it finally worked. Definitely was not fun though.

[njaremka]

really?!? i did all mine with one socket, one extension, and one ratchet. (all except the bracket bolts)

[Matrix]

You are putting in a 626 manifold I see. Cool... those are a lot easier to install than the stock one! You can access the bottom bolts from under the car much easier than from above.

No dude:


Nah, it's not a 626 manifold. It's an MSP intake manifold that's been ported & polished with VTCS removed: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showt...hp?t=123671278 (http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123671278)

Thanks for the advice! I might have to take you up on the offer to help with questions.

But thanx for the reply~ (headbang) <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[khaosman]

No dude:



But thanx for the reply~ (headbang) <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Oh duh, ha, I just saw 626 manifold in your sig. Extension time it is for you then! :)

[Matrix]

Oh duh, ha, I just saw 626 manifold in your sig. Extension time it is for you then! :)

Whoops, I'll fix that right up!

[Matrix]

Oh duh, ha, I just saw 626 manifold in your sig. Extension time it is for you then! :)

Do you mean like a straight extension or one of those bendy ones?

[yashart_mp3]

I installed one last weekend. Took about 4 hours, start to finish. Its pretty straight foward/ easy. If you were closer Id come down and give you a hand

[Velocifero]

^^^ I thought I read somewhere the the stock support bracket actually pulls the 626 IM away from the head and causes a vac leak?

+1 on the injector rings. I actually forgot to put those in when I was reinstalling the IM and I started the car w/o 'em. I'll just say there was a lot of sputtering and gas on the floor - as well as my friend yelling "TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF!" Haha, good times...
You need to put some spacers (washers) in there to make it fit nicely, but without you risk cracking the flange, I would rather correct a vacuum leak than buy a new IM, just piece of mind really, but XelderX broke his flanges without the brace.
Thanks, I try to help make sure people don't over look the small details that are easy to miss


My friend didnt torque his intake manifold down in his turbo'd integra and it eventually blew a hole in his gasket and was sucking coolant into cylinders and cracking his sleeve when it leaned out way too much. He WILL be making sure this time to torque it down!
What gasket did he blow that put coolant into the block that is related to the IM, did the air coming through the hole in the IM gasket push through the head gasket or something?