The Stupid Engine Questions Thread

[evilunclegrimace]

Cast iron intakes were bad about leaks too.

Not nearly as bad as the aluminum intakes. Cast iron intakes expand and contract at the same rate as the rest of the engine and thereby causing less stress on the intake gaskets.
The aluminum intakes expand and contract much faster than the heads and block and that leads to a much higher failure rate. GM put out a TSB regarding this problem on the TBI engines in the late '80's, early 90's. They even went as far as installing cast iron TBI intakes on the G vans in the early '90's.

 

[LUDLOW]

Hey does anyone heatwrap their headers after installation? I just got done installing mine (hopefully they don’t leak) passenger side seems fine, but the driver side has the steering rack about an inch away from all that heat.

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I’d rather leave them as is as long as the steering rack won’t suffer any damage, perhaps I can wrap the steering rack if necessary?

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

It's a lot easier to wrap the headers before you install them, afterwards it's a PITA. You will probably want to put insulating boots on your back 2 plug wires on both sides so they don't melt, at least I had to with slanted plugs, ha ha.

 

[arrg]

It's a lot easier to wrap the headers before you install them, afterwards it's a PITA. You will probably want to put insulating boots on your back 2 plug wires on both sides so they don't melt, at least I had to with slanted plugs, ha ha.

Would you mind grabbing some close up shots of the plug to header clearance with those angle plug heads? I'm thinking of getting a set, but if the clearance is worse than what I have now, I may go a different route.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Would you mind grabbing some close up shots of the plug to header clearance with those angle plug heads?

Here's the driver's side, the front 2 picture is a little dark but you can see they're not too bad, it's the rear ones that are fun.

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Here's the left side - same scenario.

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A standard length plug socket is too long for them, you can buy a "shorty" but I just cut one down so it barely contacts the plug hex nut and still doesn't hit the electrode with the 3/8" square drive extension. Other plugs I used a box end wrench, or a combination of the plug socket and a box end wrench. A couple are easier to get to from below. HTH

 

[LUDLOW]

Thanks for the info, so the steering shaft should be fine then?

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

IMO, yes but I don't have that rubber sleeve on my steering shaft.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Here's what mine looks like...

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If you're concerned, wrap it CAREFULLY so it doesn't hang up when you're turning in traffic.

 

[arrg]

Thanks for the pics! My driver's side plugs aren't bad to get to, but #5&7 will only come out if I remove the header. They are so close to the header that I bought those expensive plug wires with the ceramic boots.

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[JeezLouiseGMC]

Does anyone else's truck tend to stall after the rpms come back down from free revving in neutral or park? it doesn't happen to me often but it has done it occasionally since I bought the truck, but has yet to actually cause an issue. More than anything Id like to know if its a clue to something I should watch out for.
Thanks!
Sincerly JeezLouiseGMC
1999 GMC K1500 305ci