I have a 1996 Blazer S10/V6 that I'm considering using explosives on. I just stumbled on this Blazer Forum.

The local Chevy dealer replaced the lower intake manifold gasket about three years ago; coolant hadn't gotten into the engine, they said. Thirteen months later, it needed to be replaced again. Now a mechanic is telling me it's leaking coolant AGAIN, eighteen months after the second replacement.

My question is this: Can the plastic manifold be replaced with an aluminum one to prevent this from happening again? If so, can it be fitted with a metal gasket that won't wear out/leak sometime later after it's installed?

Oh, and they're telling me the catalytic converter now needs to be replaced as well and that one of the possible reasons it needs to be replaced is that some coolant may have burned through it in the past because of the gasket leakage.

Thanks

 

Welcome, use this part # MS98002T for the next intake gaskets.

 

the lower intake isnt plastic but the gaskets are. i believe that the number verno listed is the metal ones with rubber on them. they are quite a bit more expensive but well worth the money.

 

Thanks; appreciate the advice. Rubber/metal sounds a lot smarter. I don't care how much more expensive the part is. Most of the cost is in labor (I don't have the time/skill to do these things myself). I'm amazed that my local Chevy dealership doesn't use those gaskets as replacements.

So I'd imagine, then, that no sealant is used for these rubber gaskets. They just get bolted in real tight, right?

Thanks again. I'd like to keep the Blazer. I've done a ton of regular preventive maintenance work on it; just about everything imaginable in fact. That's why it's so frustrating to be experiencing these current problems.

 

GM has a replacement updated gasket, but IMO it doesn't match Felpro Quality.

D-tips

 

Did the lower gasket 4.5 years ago on our 01 Blazer. At the time Felpro had a gasket set for $40 and a never leak again set for $80. I bought the $80 set and it has never leaked so far. I believe it was metal and rubber. The gaskets with a plastic frame are junk, leaks right through any cracks that form in the plastic.

Blazeme

 

I used the Felpro $80 set it was worth every penny.
Also use a quality sealant on the front and back where there is no gasket.
I like ultra black for a permenant seal but its a P.I.T.A. to get off later if you have to remove it out of a groove like a valve cover or oil pan gasket.

 

I did mine myself as I never trust any mechanics on any of my vehicles. I bought the kit from Napa. It was a complete LIM replacement kit with every gasket needed to do the job. It had the heavy duty felpro gaskets and even came with replacement O-rings for the fuel lines. Cost $100 at napa. Well worth it.

 

They do not get bolted in "real tight". There is a torque spec.

IIRC, It was 11 ft./lbs., but there are intermediate steps and a tightening sequence, so I suggest you look it up. Wouldn't want to overtighten it and distort or break the new gaskets.

peace

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If some of the aluminum erroded away while the first 2 gaskets leaked, the 3rd gasket will leak too.

FYI - The intake isnt bolted "Real tight". Follow the torque spec. Its actually surprisingly low.

I dont know if I would buy the story of coolonat leaking and burning out your cat.