My techy bloke is up to his armpits in bits of my engine which he has taken off to change the knock sensor when he says "where are the lower inlet manifold gaskets?". I ring round and pick myself off the floor when I find these are £62.10 + VAT each. For a gasket? :eek:

 

So I ring another guru and all-round parts supplier and he says "I'm just doing the same thing on mine and my techy bloke has just given up. You can't take the inlet manifold off with the engine in the car as there are little bits of pipework at the back which make it impossible."

 

So back to Guru 1 who says "yes you can - but it is fiddly and there is a knack to it."

 

So, if there is anyone out there who has actually replaced a knock sensor in the proper place (i.e. not the relocated place on one of the bolts at the back) can you do it with the engine in the car and if so, any pointers?

 

Aaand (again if anyone has actually done it) are the effing expensive gaskets reusable? Guru 1 is a perfectionist and prefers not to reuse and Guru 2 doesn't like throwing money away unnecessarily (shouldn't have bought a Z then hehe aaargh).

 

TIA - Gio

Can't remember how the lower inlet manifold comes off now, but I don't think it's that hard - just fiddly.. The upper inlet manifold is the pain in the neck - lots of water pipes as well as the EGR tubes and PCV hoses to get off, takes a while but it's not technically challenging.

 

The lower inlet manifold gaskets are metal gaskets with moulded-on rubber seals around each of the inlet holes, I don't think you could reuse them if they've been on there longer than a few hours - chances are most of the rubber will end up welded to the intake manifold & heads anyway, so they wouldn't seal.

 

And lets face it, if they leak, even a small amount, you're going to have to re-do all of that work just to get back down to them and replace them again.. Just not worth skimping IMHO.

Seeing the location of the knock sensor I would like to wish anyone luck in getting to it with engine in, it would be a bit like watching that psychic healing where they pull lager cans out of peoples stomaches :D, not saying that it can't done but it looks hard...

 

i've always been taught to replace gaskets, its worth doing rather than having the trouble of doing it again in the future if they leak.

Ah yes - the EGR valve is bolted to the lower intake manifold, so the mech will need long arms (or to be laying on the engine) and will have to unbolt it blind..

 

You can just see the two bolt holes in this picture:

 

http://www.mindserv.co.uk/images/RIMG0016.JPG

 

And here's what a knackered det sensor looked like:

 

http://www.mindserv.co.uk/images/RIMG0021.JPG

I aint never doing my knock sensor unless I have to pull the engine. Been told to mount new knock sensor on top of engine. Will be doing that soon as me part of the 1meg resistor club at the moment:cry:

Ah yes - the EGR valve is bolted to the lower intake manifold, so the mech will need long arms (or to be laying on the engine) and will have to unbolt it blind..

 

You can just see the two bolt holes in this picture:

 

http://www.mindserv.co.uk/images/RIMG0016.JPG

 

And here's what a knackered det sensor looked like:

 

http://www.mindserv.co.uk/images/RIMG0021.JPG

 

Also the bolts will hit the bulkhead so you cant remove them all the way. How ever it is possible to remove it while in the car but its hard work the first time you do it.

 

as for the gaskets, get new ones, i got mine from the US much cheeper. and as you have to remove the timing belt to remove the lower plenum, i would also change the timing belt at the same time.

Thanks guys:

 

mk3mr2, MikeGroves, mtl - yes I'm going to bite the bullet on those gaskets. Not worth the risk. Just wish I had been able to find out about them in time to order from the US along with all the other stuff I ordered which arrived fine 10 days ago ! damn damn damn...

 

mk3mr2, thanks for the pics and mtl thanks for the tips - will pass them on

 

The best laid plans of mice, men and Zed owners gang aft agley!