Leaking intake gasket

[dbaxRonin]

Had my car in the shop today and a CEL revealed that my intake gasket is leaking. How worried do I need to be about getting this replaced in a timely manner? Is it a DIY job? Engine seems to run OK regardless.

[Fezzik]

It can cause your car to run lean. Back in the day I used to run carb cleaner around the intake gasket area to see if it was leaking. What is the exact code you are getting.

Go look at the FSM (factory service manual)
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/I30/2001/
Download em.pdf
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/I30/2001/em.pdf
Look on page 9 the gasket under intake manifold
Its one of the first things you take off. It's not too hard, but I don't know your experience level either.

[dbaxRonin]

Thanks Fezzik, makes sense. Looking at the FSM I don't think that is a job for me!! If this were just a spare vehicle I might tackle something like that, but as it is my primary source of transport, I wouldn't feel comfortable ripping all that apart (well, more so putting it back together!).

My CEL had been coming on at times in the past and it always stated I had two bad O2 sensors, which I never did replace. I am not sure what code they pulled up this time, but he said nothing about the O2's came up.

I am hoping that the car only has to last me another couple of months as I am looking to buy something new. It really has started to rust something horrible to the point where my front sub-frame is about to drop the mid engine support cradle. I am trying to avoid having to dump much more money into it.

Anyway, thanks again for the input.