@Acrad, do you plan on using FIPG in conjunction with the gasket or doing the 'dry fit'?
DIY Coolant Valley Leak Repair
- Thread starter jmanscotch
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Acrad
GOLD Star
As much as I’d like to do the dry… I’m planning w/FIPG as well.
Acrad
GOLD Star
Disconnecting the fuel lines sounds like it makes things a lot easier on the rear end of intake for removal of intake for the 10mm bolt holding the fuel lines.
I’ll need to look closer at what is involved other than disconnecting the orange clips. I haven’t had to deal with that since changing fuel filter on my old 5.0L Explorer years back which used some plastic clips to release the springs in the fuel line fittings.
EDIT: Are these the same connectors?
I’ll need to look closer at what is involved other than disconnecting the orange clips. I haven’t had to deal with that since changing fuel filter on my old 5.0L Explorer years back which used some plastic clips to release the springs in the fuel line fittings.
EDIT: Are these the same connectors?
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Yep. Push the connector in towards the line, squeeze the tabs and then pull the connector off. Guy in the video used a better pair of pliers.
The pliers I used were these:
Over the years I've done hundreds of flanges everything from valves, oil pumps, steam turbines, water, air, etc. Had to make our own gaskets most of the time from sheets or rolls of Garlock gasket material. Bang the outline out with a ball peen hammer then cut the outline with a Buck knife and hole punch the bolt openings marked with the ball part of the hammer. I need to order this premade gasket while it is available for down the road.
Every single time used RTV on the gasket never gasket only. Black RTV where oil was involved, Red RTV for high temp applications. For this situation I'd use FIPG too although torn on that a little as RTV always worked. Until it didn't... You are doing it right IME.
Acrad
GOLD Star
Just doing some of the top level parts removal today. I still need to drain the coolant. Driver side rear intake clip came off pretty easily and I plan to disconnect the fuel lines so looks like I won’t have to worry about that 10mm.
I guess I need to borescope the passenger clip area a bit and wondering a few things I’m not sure from in posts.
If you do snap passenger clip off are you doing this before any movement of the intake or once you have shifted intake some during removal?
I thought I’d seen someone actually snap the passenger bracket piece with 10mm off the back of intake versus just breaking the plastic replaceable clip on the wiring harness.
Just trying to keep the carnage to a minimum… I’m not in a hurry to quickly finish this but just taking my time even if that means over the course of a week or so as I have time.
I guess I need to borescope the passenger clip area a bit and wondering a few things I’m not sure from in posts.
If you do snap passenger clip off are you doing this before any movement of the intake or once you have shifted intake some during removal?
I thought I’d seen someone actually snap the passenger bracket piece with 10mm off the back of intake versus just breaking the plastic replaceable clip on the wiring harness.
Just trying to keep the carnage to a minimum… I’m not in a hurry to quickly finish this but just taking my time even if that means over the course of a week or so as I have time.
Harness carnage happens. It's gotten pretty bad on my older 470. I've patched it up with zip ties and by splicing in new connectors. Everything works fine, but I've found it exceedingly difficult to not break underhood wiring parts. IMO Toyota's wiring harness plastic is not the best quality.
Acrad
GOLD Star
As recommended by many others... just break passenger harness connector any way you can.. not sure if this could cause damage the manifold in anyway but spent 2.5 hours getting bolt out. You only start to gain some space until it is half threaded out.
Hopefully the tricks presented for rear left manifold are a cakewalk in comparison. I did begin to question.. why didn't I pay someone to do this?
... and I'm hardly into this project.
Hopefully the tricks presented for rear left manifold are a cakewalk in comparison. I did begin to question.. why didn't I pay someone to do this?
... and I'm hardly into this project.
Acrad
GOLD Star
I do... unfortunately there wasn't enough space to leverage the ratchet side..
once it lets go you have all kinds of space
once it lets go you have all kinds of space
Hopefully the tricks presented for rear left manifold are a cakewalk in comparison. I did begin to question.. why didn't I pay someone to do this?
Because almost any tech will do a hack job compared to doing it yourself.
Sad but true with not only auto techs but a good number of the trades. I'm at the point now where I DIY almost everything unless it's something non-feasible for me to learn in short order (i.e., painting and differential setup for the cars, concrete at the house).
Professionals are more often than not over-priced and have poor-quality work as they rush from job-to-job with inexperienced labor.
Acrad
GOLD Star
Very good points on DIYSide note… I think this had been mentioned before...I noticed while working on that bolt and snaking borescope around that rear intake area on either side is another good area to inspect with camera. I could see coolant stains at times when I was moving borescope around assuming you already weren’t seeing coolant back side of motor & underneath.
You will probably find my work doing this job the slowest of anyone out there. Rig is just in garage and just doing a few things on it when I have time as it’s an extra vehicle.
Fortunately most connectors and hoses so far have come apart without crumbling/breaking and with ease.
Acrad
GOLD Star
Got the intake off.. obvious I caught this fairly early and won't require much cleanup. Seems isolated to rear and mainly driver side.
@rav8 Thanks for tip on fuel lines.. disconnected easy with tool and very little if any fuel drained out.
I used this tool for fuel line release
If you do pick up one of the 3/16” Allen T handles I referenced in previous posts for that passenger side rear bolt.. make sure you measure the length you need. I got one too long and had to bend it half to fit under the AC lines and resulted in slower turns than what it could have been.
I also leveraged this to break the problem rear one loose..or you could use socket.. this gave a little more room.
T40
@rav8 Thanks for tip on fuel lines.. disconnected easy with tool and very little if any fuel drained out.
I used this tool for fuel line release
If you do pick up one of the 3/16” Allen T handles I referenced in previous posts for that passenger side rear bolt.. make sure you measure the length you need. I got one too long and had to bend it half to fit under the AC lines and resulted in slower turns than what it could have been.
I also leveraged this to break the problem rear one loose..or you could use socket.. this gave a little more room.
T40
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Acrad
GOLD Star
A little more peeling of the onion... basically that right rear area... residual coolant at front in pics came out of the EGR cooler when removing it.
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Acrad
GOLD Star
Probably won't try to reseal until Sunday or so.. I want to play around with how that all goes back together without rolling the O-ring on the tube. Some test seating with the old plate and tube. Pics include bottom of my valley plate.. it popped up super easywith a long screwdriver and pry point in the rear. Less concerned about the gasket/FIPG step than the tube & O-Rings.
Looks pretty clean. How much effort did it take to peel off the old bead? I'm guessing not much.
You can check the o-rings after FIPG cure but before reassembling everything. You just have to close up the drains and get creative with the coolant lines that are open. You'll know within seconds of adding coolant if that o-ring isn't seated nicely.
Acrad
GOLD Star
Actually.. I didn’t peel anything.. it all came off with the valley plate.. you can see the small bead around the interior of plate in pics above. I still need to clean the surface on the engine side but there really isn’t much there. I guess I’m surprised it lasted this long.
Good tip.. I had wondered about testing for leaks before re-assembling everything. I’ll need to look at what I will need to minimally hook up and then pinch off the rest of the hoses.
I’m planning on pipe in engine first unless someone thinks that’s a bad idea… I need to go through and review torque specs on areas that matter.
Good tip.. I had wondered about testing for leaks before re-assembling everything. I’ll need to look at what I will need to minimally hook up and then pinch off the rest of the hoses.
I’m planning on pipe in engine first unless someone thinks that’s a bad idea… I need to go through and review torque specs on areas that matter.
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Man @Acrad - that's not bad at all. No cotton candy anywhere that I can see. Unfortunately taking it all apart is the only way to really see the damage.
Acrad
GOLD Star
I think I literally caught it within the 3-4 weeks of initial leak from cover. I was pretty OC about checking coolant recovery tank levels at a cooled engine state.