upper intake plenum

[monterey1962]

Thanks, man. Just wanted to make sure.

[Blaze86Vic]

No you do not.

[monterey1962]

When installing the new valve cover gaskets (the rubber ones with the steel piece), do I need to use anything else like that blue gasket sealant?

[Chevyguy]

Craftsman only way to go (Well ok Snap on etc better)

I twisted a few T-50's in seatbelt bolts they just give me new ones. Hell, they even replaced my 1/2" drive big billy breaker bar as I managed to bend it. Ok I used a truck driveshaft for leverage !!

[N A]

Go on their company website and send them an e-mail about everything that happened with the TORX bit and this "Manager". Get this guy's name and don't let him get away with this one. Don't forget to tell them, you'll never shop there again.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Call their district manager.

That will fix thier ass.

[gadget73]

Get another bit, put it in there, smack it with a hammer, and they'll come out. I pull mine out with just a torx screwdriver. I've broken a few but the hammer trick jars them loose usually.

[2kool]

well i got absolutely nothing accomplished. you cant reach either of my valve covers without pulling the intake plenum off. so i got the 4 bolts off then needed to get the 2 under the 5.0 plate.... went up to an O'rileys auto parts store, picked up the TORX bit that i was told to get. about 5 bux for an AC Delco one. came home, got my ratchet, went to unscrew the plate and SNAP this POS torx bit just snapped right off in there!!!!!! man i was so pissed off:cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: it just snapped flat smooth off, have to be drilled out or something i guess. took what i had left back to the store and got some BS about how they wont give me my money back, the manager even made fun of me saying like i didnt know how to use it, that its my fault. WTF YOU PUT IT IN AND YOU TURN :cuss: they were complete assholes about it but i wouldnt leave till i got my money BUT in the end i did. but i know i wont be going back there... so AC Delco and their life time warranty can kiss my ass. :cuss: O'riley :cuss:

[Blaze86Vic]

Those were the kind that were on my engine from the factory, and what I put back on after my rocker upgrade. And afater 110,000 miles of use the engine does not have a drop or oil on it.

[monterey1962]

Went down to CQ today. Got a pair of rubber VC gaskets with the steel strip coming. Something like $22.

[Chevyguy]

This is one of those jobs that you need to just do the right way and pull the upper plenum off. If you just go at it and pull that sucker off, you will be suprised how quick it took. I cleaned the sucker out with hella lot of carb cleaner while it was off too.

My stang was leaking nicely and I stared at it for some time and even tried to pull a vc off fuggetaboutit. The VC gaskets come with the plenum gasket. I REALLY should have gotten the rubber/metal type gaskets as even those nice fat felpro gaskets and smooth cast aluminum VC still seeped oil a year later

[Lincolnmania]

spend the extra money and use the ford or the permadry valve cover gaskets.

Monterey, you don't need no allen wrenches when pulling the intake - just a T20 torx for the "5.0" cover plate, and a socket with a 6" (or more) extension and a 3/8 ratchet for the six 1/2" bolts.

BoxMan, for those bolts I used a small socket, a 2" extension, and a 1/4 ratchet, IIRC. Also my hands are pretty small, and having a golden ring that cannot be removed without chopping the finger off has made me learn how to squeeze them in tight places and tricky places

[gadget73]

Upper intake weighs maybe 10 lbs. Its not that big of a job. Change the vacuum lines while in there and put a new PCV valve, screen and grommet. Good valve covers are not super cheap, I'll reccomend the Fel Pro permadry gaskets. I've posted the part number here somewhere. You can easily do the whole job yourself with premium gaskets for less than $50. Much less if you want cheap gaskets or you search them out on eBay. Factory Ford gaskets are also the rubber on steel type and appear from time to time cheaper than the Fel Pro ones.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Indeed.