Hello. I like to have my shop do preventative maintenance. Do you know if the lower intake manifold (LIM) gaskets problem applies to 1998 Blazer 4wd?

 

Yes it does. Use Felpro metal/rubber gaskets. Torque bolts by the book.

 

Do you know how long it takes to replace it?

 

If you're a shade tree mechanic with limited tools, and you've never done it, I would allow three hours. If you know what you're doing, probably half of that.

 

Just keep in mind that there is a potential wild card on this job and its heavy corroded and pitted gasket surfaces on the intake manifold. Not highly likely but depending on how bad if found, it could increase the time and cost on this job. If not then its like Tom said, a few hours.

George

 

I had the shop replace mine, was charged 4 hours, whichn I assume is the book rate.

 

There used to be three books that were used for determining labor during repairs and they seldom agree on the times for a repair:

Chilton Time - Very common for independent shops
Mitchell Time - Some independent shops
Factory Time - Used by dealerships to charge automaker for warranty repairs (tends to be less time given for the job than Chilton or Mitchell)

With any of these, if a 4 hour job is finished in 2 hours - good for the mechanic and the business. You are still charged 4 hours.
If a 4 hour job takes 7 hours - then bad for the mechanic and business. You should still be charged 4 hours, unless they have a really good excuse to charge extra.

 

I just looked up the Mitchell time, and it's 3.6 hours, which is actually a bit more than I thought. I don't remember it taking that long, and I wasn't in any hurry when I did mine.

 

Mitchell was always pretty generous!

 

Unless it's warranty. I think it was only 2.7 hours for that.