Just wanted to report I fixed my cold running issues by replacing the upper intake gasket.

Car would stumble, die, spit and sputtter when cold. After fully wamred up it would run great. And no issues during the warmer summer months.

Also do not follow AllData torque specs, they are too high, I had to helicoil 3 bolt holes in the lower intake manifold, and I did not even torque as high as AllData stated to. I would go with 15lbs/ft of torque.

 

Great job!

How long did it take you to remove everything? I'm assuming it's just the process of removing bolts and not losing them...

 

Removal was about 2 hrs, install should have been about 1 to 1.5 hrs, but with the threads getting mucked up and running to the store for heli coil kit, then thread chaser kit it was more like 4 hrs.

Glad it was about 50 degrees that day, because I had to take the Harley to get back and forth to the store.

 

Awesome, any tips or heads up I'm gonna tackle this job this weekend?

 

Wassup T4Turtle, i have a problem with my 2000 maxima. When i start up my car for a few minutes when it's cold, i have a idling problem. It spit and the rpm get low and wanna shut off. Do you think it's the upper intake gasket? Please get back to me, if you any information. Thnx.

 

Just fixed my "jerking" issue when the engine was cold by replacing that gasket.

Worked great. Didnt take too long to take the UIM off, clean the TB/UIM, throw on a new gasket, fix my EGR block off plate, and throw it back together.

 

It took about 2 hours to get the manifold off. There are brackets on the back of the intake you must remove these are 12mm, two of them are close together on the firewall side but you will be standing on the passenger side of the car, tough to see, but just feel for them. The other two are maybe 2 inches apart and closer to the throttle body but still on the firewall side, these 4 bolts were the toughest part, but not bad, you will may want to get a tetanus shot if you are due for one. The only other tip I already mentioned, do not torque past 15lbs/ft, AllData stated like 20 and I pulled threads in the lower intake at about 18lbs/ft. Everything else is just remove and reinstall.

If your car runs like crap the colder it is, but runs perfect once warm then this is most likely the fix. If it always runs poor this still could be it, but maybe not as likely. I tried spraying flammable brake clean to find the vacuum leak when cold and could not find a leak, but there definately was one as this fixed the issue.