Bigcat, doesn't lifting that intake break the seal there? I would think there is a gasket there isn't there?

 

nocall4it- Just loosen the bolts (all of them first), I needed just a bit more room. Lifting up just enough to remove the bolts. Replaced with cap heads and shorter ones at that. Work fine for me.

 

Thank you everyone for your inputs and advice. I will be procuring the gasket kit for the valve covers and starting work, outside! on both the valve cover gaskets and the thermostat housing.

ANyone ever do the shock tower bushing bushings? I did them a couple of years ago and they squeal, both sides. I procured the bushings off EBay, not OEM and I'm thinking that's my problem. Any advice on other threads regarding these would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

 

Did mine May 2013: neoprene ones from Motorcar, haven't squeeked yet. Maybe loosen them up and squirt some silicon and torque them back down.

 

Thanks, tell me exactly how do you torque or adjust the shock to the right measure to prevent squealing? I loosened outer but and turned flathead slot in threaded stud all the way in and they still squeal??

 

Don't know, mine never squeeled. Or maybe too deaf. I know that Rob at Abacus told me that the neoprene kits would often squeel. So it might be the difference in the material. I just wrenched down tight. Did you replace with the diy kit or a completed unit?

Kits are under $70, maybe time to redo it. Hardest part of the job is jacking the car up and removing the tires. Somewhere back there is a thread where Old Mike submitted a photo montage to my writeup.

We live close enough, bring it by and we can take a look.

 

Ok, I've removed the valve covers, dip stick no problem, cut a grove move it easy enough. Now, the rear bolts on the thermostat housing. I have rejected the loosening of the intake manifold bolts, I'm pretty sure if there is no gasket then there is definitely a permatex/other type sealant on those mating surfaces. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Cutting a relief in the manifold also doesn't seem logical because I don't know the wall thickness of the manifold, surely don't want to dremel through the wall. breaking off the old housing seems logical enough and then using the open end of a combination wrench to remove after using the box end to break the bolt free.

I will advise after I go back to it. Rain expected next two days and I have brakes calling my name on a 300C, and door hinges on my 93 surburban.

Thanks all, for the input and ideas. Oh yeah, definitely going to find stainless cap head shorter 8mm bolts to go back in the rear of the housing.

 

The cap bolts can be found at the Ace Hardware in Kempsville. Bring the old bolt, they have a nut in place at each cap bolt to test the threads to assure you have the right one.

Found them after wasting a day trying to tighten the bolts using a screwdriver and piles of wrenches.

 

Making my way through the valve cover gasket replacement (cleaning covers, heads etc) I noticed that there was sealant around the spark plug well seals and the two bolts in the valley of the valve cover (it's seals). I'm wondering if the sealant is necessary? Seams that the only sealant that should be used is where the timing chain cover meats the head.

Also, shortening the rear bolts of the thermostat tower is not a good idea especially, if you add washers to a M6 1.00 x16mm bolt, a 20mm without washers is what I think I'm going to go with (Socket cap head bolts). The original I believe are 25mm. The 16mm with washer leave too few threads in the aluminum block to be torqued at 9-11Nm (for the plastic tower). The metal tower should also be tightened more and that puts a lot of pressure on the threads in the block. You might even pull those threads out. I think the 20mm bolts or even the 25mm (with washers) would be the smarter choice as to grab more threads into the block.

I will try both ways 20mm without washers and 25 with washers and see what works best. The washer although thin increases the height of the head below the forward lip/edge of the intake. Might make the tightening of the bolts a bit more difficult.

Thanks all for the recommendations and help.