Pre95

Well time has taken it's toll on my ol' 84 4kQ gaskets (tick tick tick tick....) and looking at the exhaust manifold it would almost seem that you would need to pull the intake manifold for the room to get to the exhaust manifold. Is this true? Any tricks I can use to replace the gaskets without totally ruining a saturday?

I know I will have to come up from under the car on a lot of it but just seeing what all is involved as it has been years since I have taken apart a 4kQ...

Katman

You're going to ruin more that a Saturday, I'll bet..!

Unless you pull the head, I don't know how else you will get at the exhaust without pulling the intake. (Even harder on a turbo).

Once you can get at the exhaust manifold nuts, be prepared for them to be all rusty (as in crumbled down to a smaller socket size).

Then be prepared to break an exhaust stud or two (just because they like to break!)

Consider getting all new stud/nut hardware befroe you start, just in case?

All to put in a gasket.. :-)

Pre95

as I wouldnt want to get half way through to run in to a stopping point because of a snapped stud. Figured the day before I will coat it all down with PB blaster to try to help the removal process.

I guess it'll be a good time to put in that intake manifold spacer 034 sells? Meh, just looking at ways to spend money I guess hahaha

ddg=shinebox racing

I've pulled over a dozen 5cyl heads and EVERY ONE had at least 1 broken stud on cyl. #5

Pre95

without pulling the intake manifold, IF your a/c compressor is out already. I was able to reach all the bolts accept for those tucked behind the a/c compressor (mines about to get pulled out anyways, condensor and canister are long gone, why have this pos in there...).

I was able to tighten the loose nut on top of cylinder #5 by removing the intake boot (yea its a tight squeeze...) I have 1 smaller leak up closer to cylinder 1 or 2, which i can access from the top & bottom (bottom if the compressor is gone). I am hoping I am dealing with loose nuts and not leaky gaskets. So far the 1 nut I tightened made a world of difference so I am stoked

NJRoadFan

Please tell your secret to actually pivoting the thing to loosen the belt.

Pre95

there is a top bolt that runs through the entire assembly you loosen from the front of the engine (up and behind from the pully of the compressor). Then on the bottom of the assembly there is a bolt that runs through the compressors mounting plate and rests on the block of the motor to set its pivot. Loosen the bolt and it will move the assembly closer to the block making the belt loose. Me... I took the belt off with a knife

NJRoadFan

Cause it doesn't want to budge.... even after taking a hammer to it. (I used a piece of wood as a buffer).

Katman

My AC had more bolts that I had to undo than that..

I do remember undoing an allen head bolt going through an aluminm bit, that had a curved slot in it. I think that was on the back, bottom of the bracket..

Either way, there was a lot to undo to get the thing to adjust.

Cdn Blue Coupe

That would expain my tick