Battling to install my Plenum Spacer..

[steelcity]

A couple things...

I did just place the lower plenum back on top after wiping in and around my cylinders and replacing my gasket. First problem is that I have to go get a torque wrench. I have to wait an hour for Autozone to open up. Second problem and more importantly. I bought the Copper Plenum, so I have to remove the intake manifold. Of course...I stripped 2 of 4 hex screws!!

I seen a couple youtube videos on drilling methods of getting them out but it's a delicate area. I don't want to F*** my manifold up. Unless I really have to go the drilling route.

Any suggestions for this?

[jiggersplat]

http://www.amazon.com/Irwin-Industrial- ... rds=ez+out

[svard75]

Drilling the bolt out is tricking especially when dealing with soft alloy material if it's directly in contact with it. Which bolt did you strip exactly? Is it the inner (center) intake collector bolts that secure the lower intake collector to the intake manifold? If I recall the inner bolts are actually holding down a steel plate so perhaps drilling is not such a big deal there. Just drill the head off the bolt so you can remove the intake collector and manifold then cover up the holes with something or stuff them with cloth and spray PB blaster on the bolt close to the threads. Use a vice and slowly tap counter-clockwise with a metal hammer until it breaks loose. Worst case it won't go and it's fused together in which case you may need to drill the bolt right into the manifold then use a tapping kit. I would leave that to a pro to deal with if you've never done it because at that point you may have to remove the intake manifold and use heat to expand the alloy around the bolt.

[steelcity]

Guys my day just got worst! I'm very upset right now. First I needed the torque wrench. I went and bought it. I began to tighten the screws that go above that metal plate on the lower plenum and I began with the first screw. I heard it crunch. I thought it was from the wrench. (my first time using a torque wrench). So I went and did the second screw and that one snapped. I had to take off the lower plenum again and I removed the screw that snapped and the first one that crunched. The first one was a little shaved. So I got so stressed that I went back to my manifold.

I bought the copper Plenum Spacer so I have to remove the (4) hex screws on the intake manifold to put the gasket and the copper piece there and then screw it back on. 2 of those 4 hex screws got worn out. So I also bought a kit that you attach to your ratchet that grips in situations like these. It was unsuccessful.

I'm ready to cry. I grabbed pliers to try to loosen them like that......

I cracked my intake manifold. The hole where you attach your intake. Right there, on the bottom. I don't know what to do now.

[steelcity]

I want to send you guys a picture and I don't know how. Can an administrator help me with posting pics?

[svard75]

First of all you may have to drill the bolts heads off now since they're likely all rounded or if you get the extractor kit jiggersplat suggested that should work but you need to basically sit on the drill while trying to extract these bolts. Did these bolts strip before or after putting the spacer on?

Secondly if the manifold is cracked is it cracked around the bolt hole? That's not a big deal since it's all on the inside anyway as long as it doesn't extend to the outside of the manifold areas.

From the sounds of your posts I really feel for ya but I think you should have left this to a mechanic to perform. You could always take it there now and have them extract the bolts, install the spacer and assess the crack.

On a more positive note you learned several things new

[LouCast]

For bolts that are on tight you need a breaker bar and some type of penetrating fluid to assist in breaking them loose. As for the torque wrench, you probably eneded up getting a Ft-lbs torque wrench, and the bolts for the plenum you need a inch-lbs torque wrench which usually come in 1/4 socket size. Before doing this job you should have consulted the repair manual to obtain the correct torque number. I would leave it up to a mechanic now, no sense in making something worse now. Good luck.

[Ilya]

I want to send you guys a picture and I don't know how. Can an administrator help me with posting pics?

There is a link in my FAQ on how to post pictures...

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

[steelcity]

First of all you may have to drill the bolts heads off now since they're likely all rounded or if you get the extractor kit jiggersplat suggested that should work but you need to basically sit on the drill while trying to extract these bolts. Did these bolts strip before or after putting the spacer on?

Secondly if the manifold is cracked is it cracked around the bolt hole? That's not a big deal since it's all on the inside anyway as long as it doesn't extend to the outside of the manifold areas.

From the sounds of your posts I really feel for ya but I think you should have left this to a mechanic to perform. You could always take it there now and have them extract the bolts, install the spacer and assess the crack.

On a more positive note you learned several things new

Correction. The throttle body is cracked. I bought some JB Weld for it. I sent a pic to a few friends of mine they all said that it's fixable. 2 of the 4 hex screws came off. The other 2 just got worn and I only made them worse. I still haven't removed them in order to place the copper spacer between the throttle body and manifold. I really am thinking of taking it to a mechanic to extract the bolts now because I bought that kit that @jiggersplat recommended and I haven't had success. I did learn new things. (but I also want to learn how to resolve them)

[steelcity]

For bolts that are on tight you need a breaker bar and some type of penetrating fluid to assist in breaking them loose. As for the torque wrench, you probably eneded up getting a Ft-lbs torque wrench, and the bolts for the plenum you need a inch-lbs torque wrench which usually come in 1/4 socket size. Before doing this job you should have consulted the repair manual to obtain the correct torque number. I would leave it up to a mechanic now, no sense in making something worse now. Good luck.

I bought the inch pounds wrench. I did use the PB blast spray, I got nothing. I want to bring the manifold to a mechanic now to extract the screws so I can remove the throttle body. It sucks guys. Everything WAS going smooth up until those screws got worn out. All downhill from there.

[svard75]

Why are you removing the TB? When i installed mine i left it connected and simply disconnected the harness. I think my spacer install instructions suggested the same and i thought screw that the last thing i want is to mess with the tb. You dont need to do anything to the upper collector anyway so just leave it as is. Oh i just realized something. In the instructions it said to disconnect the coolant lines and install the bypass connector. If you live. in a cooler climate dont do it.

[steelcity]

I understand what your saying but I bought the plenum that comes for the colder climates. It has the copper piece that goes between the TB and intake manifold. It even comes with (4) long hex screws to replace the ones that you remove from the TB. The plenum kit I bought does not come with the bypass connector. So I don't have to cut any hoses or anything like that. Just have to install the copper piece and gasket between TB and intake manifold. (still haven't removed the F'N screws!) A buddy of mine is going to do it for me today. I hope all goes well. This was a real kick in the d***.

Also, I still don't know how to post pictures on here.

[Ilya]

Why are you removing the TB? When i installed mine i left it connected and simply disconnected the harness. I think my spacer install instructions suggested the same and i thought screw that the last thing i want is to mess with the tb. You dont need to do anything to the upper collector anyway so just leave it as is. Oh i just realized something. In the instructions it said to disconnect the coolant lines and install the bypass connector. If you live. in a cooler climate dont do it.

He bought the copper kit as he has stated, which is a totally different setup from the standard install which uses a bypass.

Also, I still don't know how to post pictures on here.

Please read the FAQ like I told you earlier, lol.

FAQ: howto-faq-sticky-infiniti-m-series-t496585.html

The link is towards the top, in red letters: howto-post-your-images-in-threads-t573706.html

[dball]

easiest way us to create a photobucket account and upload your pics to that, then just click the url from the photobucket site and insert in here! best of luck

[CPJ LB]

easiest way us to create a photobucket account and upload your pics to that, then just click the url from the photobucket site and insert in here! best of luck

yes...copy the IMG code and paste it to your post. More importantly, please make your photobucket account and photos "Private" or "locked". Too many folks will post a picture from their photobucket account and don't realize that their account is held as "public".... this means when you click on the photo, it'll take the viewer to your account and possibly "see" all of your photo albums.... just say'n.

[steelcity]

Why are you removing the TB? When i installed mine i left it connected and simply disconnected the harness. I think my spacer install instructions suggested the same and i thought screw that the last thing i want is to mess with the tb. You dont need to do anything to the upper collector anyway so just leave it as is. Oh i just realized something. In the instructions it said to disconnect the coolant lines and install the bypass connector. If you live. in a cooler climate dont do it.

He bought the copper kit as he has stated, which is a totally different setup from the standard install which uses a bypass.

Also, I still don't know how to post pictures on here.

Please read the FAQ like I told you earlier, lol.

FAQ: howto-faq-sticky-infiniti-m-series-t496585.html

The link is towards the top, in red letters: howto-post-your-images-in-threads-t573706.html

easiest way us to create a photobucket account and upload your pics to that, then just click the url from the photobucket site and insert in here! best of luck

I had read the wrong one.

yes...copy the IMG code and paste it to your post. More importantly, please make your photobucket account and photos "Private" or "locked". Too many folks will post a picture from their photobucket account and don't realize that their account is held as "public".... this means when you click on the photo, it'll take the viewer to your account and possibly "see" all of your photo albums.... just say'n.


Last thing I need is for my girl to see pics of my mistress

[steelcity]

Out of curiosity. What happens if I do not use a torque wrench to tighten my bolts when installing my plenum? Just use the ratchet.

[Larz]

Chances are you may get away with that. However, reading the nightmare you have already gone through - why take any new risks? Besides, a torque wrench is a welcome addition to any home garage and you may find other uses since you do your own repairs / mods.

[jiggersplat]

you run the risk of:

- over-tightening them and cracking something, stripping the threads, shearing the bolt or compressing something that should not be compressed.

or

- not tightening it enough and it falls out eventually due to vibration.

[steelcity]

Thanks for the input guys.

I have some good news. My friend extracted both the screws for me yesterday. What a relief it is. I had also given him the torque wrench I used when I snapped the screws on the lower plenum. I had just bought it. I told him to check it out for me, just to see if it was even working properly. Turns out....it was not. I have to return this piece of crap tomorrow. That day for me last week was a disaster guys because even when I messed up with removing the 2 remaining screws from the TB. I said to myself, "don't stress the TB now, just go back to the lower plenum and tighten that for now".

I went back to tighten the lower plenum with this piece of s*** torque wrench and I basically used it as a ratchet, which caused me to snap (2) of those lower plenum bolts and I had to go to the dealer to order them after which wasn't even in stock. I got the call yesterday from the dealer and went to pick them up.

Moral of the story, make sure you have quality tools and make sure they're working properly. If my torque wrench was working properly and if I had extracted the screws on my TB, I was about 30 minutes away from completing the job. Along with installing my Injen intake.

[svard75]

Glad to hear this is in the past! Now go get uprev'd!

[tbright]

I feel your pain. I once had to roll into Pepboys with a broken motor mount, a partially stripped nut (12 point socket fail), and a pile of parts and had to ask them to finish the job for me.

[steelcity]

Thanks @svard and @tbright75...

I will definitely do uprev BUT before uprev. I want EVERYTHING done right. I really am thinking of those DC headers and check this out and tell me what you guys think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATmUHp3 ... r_embedded

A buddy of mine who has a 9 second mustang mentioned going the "bolt-on" route before spending big money on a supercharger. It's only 5lbs of boost but he got me thinking about it.