Has anyone done the valve cover job and forgot to install the EGR gasket. If so how did your car act. I've checked everything else and wanted to see if thats the issue wit my Max now. It ran perfect until i had to go back in and change the coolant hose on the plenum.

 

A missing EGR gasket will cause a vacuum leak. The car will start but then die immediately.

If you keep your foot on the gas, the car will still run, but it will run very rough and will smell bad, too.

 

Ok sounds about like what im experiencing, along with a lil smoke from the area if the EGR. I think i can replace the gasket without taking it all back apart

 

Yeah, all you gotta do is loosen up the four bolts on the IM and remove the bolts on those bastard brackets in the back of the IM, and you'll then be able to lift/move the IM slightly while you slide in the EGR gasket. Then re-install those bastard bolts in those bastard brackets at the back of the IM.

 

Here is an old timers tip for those wonderful brackets on the back of the intake manifold. It can make the job a little easier the 2nd time you have to remove them.

Cut the end of the bolt hole off in the bracket. This way you only have to loosen the bolt and the bracket slips off. Do one end or both, whichever you prefer.

 

^ Nice tip

 

Don't these get deleted when installing spacers? Thought they were only necessary if you were pulling the engine out by the intake manifold. Thank God for the coolant bypass/bracket delete makes the job so much easier

 

What is this bypass/delete?

 

Intake spacers are basically super thick intake gaskets that stop the transfer of heat to the intake cooling down intake air for denser combustion.

Because of the thick gaskets/spacers the points for the brackets on the back are too far apart to bolt up so you just discard them. Because like I said these brackets are only useful if you're pulling the engine out by the intake manifold.
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the coolant bypass is included with the NWP spacer set. It is a double sided fitting you use to completely bypass the coolant line on the back of the intake manifold. Then the hardest part of the whole job is just the 2 EGR bolts, and you don't have to worry about the brackets or those PITA coolant lines. I've heard that coolant line is just to assist with frozen throttle body? In the winter but I live in NW Ohio and the last 2years with 180k on the odo now I've had no issues

 

Where can I find these? And how do you block the coolant flow to the throttle body and intake?

 

+1 to Dennis' bracket mod. I've left my mark on every 4th gen except the 1st. The V in the bracket actually helps keep the UIM steady while you are setting it set into position.



A few years ago, I started using Locktite Gasket Stick on the 98 model's EGR gasket. That job went the fastest of any 4th gen refresh.

 

Well i tried go install the gasket today after work with no luck. Ended up taking the plenum back off still no luck oh and i dropped one of the plenum bolts in the engine bay.. I'll have to try the loc tite trick.

 

I throw those IM brackets in the trash. I have for 20 years

 

Ok. Vaccum nipple around by the IACV can't figur out what it goes too