Missing a gasket? (1 Viewer)

[Godwin]

The 1997 LX 450 I recently bought runs good above idle, but at idle stumbles and seems to have a vacuum leak. I've pulled the upper intake to refresh vacuum lines and hoses thinking that the issue lies there. Still don't know if that's the case because today I noticed loose manifold bolts, the 12 mm, and all that I could reach (5 IIRC) were loose. This is likely the cause of the vacuum leak. But in looking closely at the manifold/head interface I cannot see a gasket. These photos are not great, one shot from above and one below of where a runner mates with the head. Gasket absent or not? What does Mud think?

 

[baldilocks]

I don’t see a gasket. It would be easy to put a new gasket in since yih already have the upper plenum removed.

 

[Kernal]

Can you get an in-focus photo from below? Hard to tell, the photo from above appears to show a gap (how big is the gap?)
and the photo from below there's an out-of-focus shadow. Is it back together, tightened up the bolts?

 

[Godwin]

Can you get an in-focus photo from below? Hard to tell, the photo from above appears to show a gap (how big is the gap?)
and the photo from below there's an out-of-focus shadow. Is it back together, tightened up the bolts?

I can try to get better photos. The above photo does show a gap but that's mainly a shadow. The gap that is present is very narrow.

I may loosen bolts and try to separate the manifold from head a bit to check for a gasket.

 

[mudgudgeon]

I had a look at mine. With an OEM pressed metal gasket, I can't see it.
I can see a small gap between the parts. Less than 1mm.

 

[robnicko]

before dismantling have you sprayed carb cleaner around there whilst idling to see if it makes any difference?

 

[csanders]

Not sure how easy it'll be to get an eye back there, but the gasket on my '94 has a little tab pointing back towards the firewall. Might not be present on an aftermarket gasket, but that'd be a sure way to tell.

 

[Godwin]

before dismantling have you sprayed carb cleaner around there whilst idling to see if it makes any difference?

Too late, it's been stripped down to this which is how I discovered loose manifold bolts.

 

[OGBeno]

Too late, it's been stripped down to this which is how I discovered loose manifold bolts.

View attachment 3886683

Dude. Just call me. This is a 25 second conversation.

 

[Godwin]

Gasket is present. Finally saw the little tab at the rear. Vacuum leak due to 5 of the upper bolts being loose, plus missing fasteners at the rear. Super shoddy work by a Land Cruiser shop.

 

[Kernal]

Glad you found the issue.

So makes sense why sometimes there's a dab of paint on bolts after they've been torqued correctly??

 

[LongDuck]

Yeeesh,... those intake runners.