Hi,i need to replace the intake manifold gasket on my 95 altima. Some of the bolts looks very difficult to remove. Can anybody provide some tips before i tackle this job?Thanks

Small hands help

Really they are a PITA to do. A few assorted sizes of 12mm wrenches, 1/4" drive 12mm swivel socket (chrome) 1/4" extension. Alot of time and alot of patience.

It's one I would pay somebody else to do. Not an easy undertaking.

yeah this job is definitely not for the faint of heart. The wrenches you'd want, to make this job easier aren't something you can get off the shelf either.

Finally i started the task of replacing the intake manifold and plenum gaskets. Removing the five, 12mm bolts between the manifold and the plenum was a piece of cake. However, there are ten, 12mm bolts between the manifold and the cylinder head 2 rows of five bolts (five bolts on the top row and five on the bottom row); after removing the fuel rail, it is easy to remove the five bolts on the top row but it is very difficult to remove some of the bolts on the bottom row. To complete this task, i also removed a thin rectangular bar that runs along the length underneath the manifold. In order to remove the rest of the bottom row bolts; i removed the thin rectangular bar using a 1/4 inch drive rachet and an 8mm socket.There are two, 8mm bolts on each side of the bar. After removing the thin bar; which was not easy, then i easily removed the rest of the bolts.This job is a PITA because you have to remove a lot of stuff around the engine. Also, i took lots of photos of the engine to make sure everything goes smoothly during the reassembly. Again, u cannot hurry doing this job, it can be done in a day but it is much eaiser to remove everything on the first day and reassemble everything the next day.Hope, this helps somebody in the future with this task. Thanks to everybody that provided valuable input to complete this job.

Termi678

After you took out the small rail to gain access to the lower bolts were you able to get the manifold out in two pieces(i.e. the plenum separated from the runners), and if so did you just leave the plenum portion in the engine compartment? I am currently working on replacing my intake manifold gasket and cannot see how the plenum can be removed without the runners out of the way.

Atticus 345,My car is a 95 Altima GXE. Actually, the main problem was removing the second bolt from the driver's side (bottom row); to get access to this bolt, i had to remove the starter, that was the only way. Ohterwise, i could not even see this bolt. Once you remove all the intake manifold bolts (from the cylinder head) and the five bolts in the back (intake manifold/plenum interface). I was able to remove the intake manifold by itself and left the plenum attached to the engine. You don't have to remove the plenum, just remove the upper and lower row of bolts (10 total, 12mm) but remember the two lower center bolts are not easy to remove; then remove the five bolts in the rear intake manifold/plenum (these bolts are easy). The five bolts in the rear is what hold the intake manifold and the plenum (nothing else). That's the trick. Let me ask you a question. How did you remove the two lower center bolts by the intake manifold/cylinder head interface? Also, once the intake manifold is out, don't forget to replace the PCV valve; it is easy once the intake manifold is out of the way.Good luck,Termi

I see what you are talking about. My car is a 97 gxe and I have gotten all of the stuff off of the engine(vac. lines, harnesses...) and have gotten the two nuts and the three bolts that attach the manifold the the plenum, however i have not taken out any of the bolts attaching the manifold the the head. I was already planning on pulling the starter in order to try to remove the plenum since it has those brackets underneath but i still think it would be a nightmare to get the plenum out so i am glad to hear it can stay, but i guess i will still pull the starter to get access to the manifold bolt you reffered to. And yes i do have a replacement PCV valve that i tried to replace a year and a half ago with no luck. One quick question I have is did that little rectangular bar underneath havea gasket on it, and if so did it seem to need to be replaced or do you think you could reuse it with a little silicone(I have the plenum and manifold gaskets). Sorry for the long post but you know what kind of job this is and i want to finish up as smooth as possible. Thanks a lot for the info so far!

If u don't have to remove the plenum; please don't, it is a PITA. Like i said before; the most difficult task on this job is to remove the two lower center bolts on the intake manifold/cylinder head interface. The lower bolt by the passenger's side, i used a 1/4 in rachet with a six inch extension and a 12mm swivel socket. Come in from the back of the manifold and under the rectangular bar; it will take you a while but i got the bolt out this way. The other lower bolt by the driver's side, u have to remover the starter, then use a 1/4 inch rachet with an extension and a 12mm swivel socket. Try to remove all the intake manifold bolts without removing the rectangular bar that yes it has a gasket and it is held with eight (8 mm) small bolts. Do not remove it. There is no need to. If u need to remove it for some reason; u probably will need a new gasket unless u reuse the old one or use high temperature RTV. The most difficult part of the job is to remove the two center bolts from the intake manifold/cylinder head interface. Before removing the intake manifold bolts, try a little bit of penetrating oil. The fuel rail, accelerator and cruise control cables, connectors, vacuum hoses, etc is an easy task. One thing that really help me a lot was to use a long magnetic pickup tool; this will help positioning the screws during the re-assembly. Also, once the intake manifold is removed; u can pre-install the most difficult bolts in the manifold using a tiny bit of high temperature RTV so that they stay in place during the re-assembly. Let me know how u do. Good Luck.

well I finished the gasket replacement last weekend and the car is running very well now. This is one job that I hope to never have to do again but if I do it should go a little faster anyhow. Thanks for the help because i surely would have torn the car apart more than was neccessary otherwise.

guys, you are troopers. the U13 intake is harder than the G50 (Q45), and most people will tell you the G50 is a pain, which it is and i know because i have done both in the last 4 months.

For those that will do this in the future, the PCV, and breather/sep is best removed first by positioning the PS pump out of the way.

I hope you did COMPLETE hand cleaning of both the upper and lower plenum and the IACV while you had it apart. EGR too. I like 'easy-off' oven cleaner--blue can fume free. works wonders to get that plenum spotless.don't mess wid the pcv 'manifold' on the upper plenum (8 small bolts). do change the coolant hose (biggin) by the PCV while it is so easy to get to with plenum off the car. change the KS for preventive.

Atticus: where ya at in 32931? i live there part of the year.

You are to be comended for doing this repair yourself,You got skills my man

Ok so Is it not easy to removes the nuts and simply pull the IM back enough to slide out the old Gasket and replace it?The shop said it would cost $250 and im thinking I can do it myself in a few hours. The Dealership shows 5.2 hours to change the gasket.Iv done an engine swap and a head gasket replacement so its nothing newbut I have never worked on my grandmas 95 Altima KA24 which needsthe IM gasket replaced.

Do the coolant lines have to be removed? they dont have any free play in them? not even three inches?

thanks!