BlaCkPlaGUE

I can't see much down there, its hard to work trying to see what the hell im doing when removing this thing. In the haynes manual, it doesn't show the number of screws holding it in. Using my fingers I just felt around down there (heh) and felt two screws underneath, and saw two screws on either side of the manifold. I loosened them all, and the manifold still won't budge. I then thought that maybe the actuators are holding it in place, I took em off and still, not budging. The acv is already off, so thats not holding it in, im not sure what else is!

What im thinking is that the intake AND exhaust manifold have to come off together, is this correct?

Do I have to jar the sucker loose, is that it?

I have the N/A so its a little different than those of you owning the turbo...

thanks for your input.

I want to take it off and degrease it becuase the ports are very hard to open and close, they're gummed up in carbon..

Rxmfn7

iTrader: (4)

The LIM is held on by 6 bolts. There are 2 bolts right on top of each other on each side of the manifold, and 2 on the lower edge.

BlaCkPlaGUE

no wonder... I got the lower ones, but not the two underneath the left and right sides... although I didn't see them, im sure I checked, I'll obviously check again.

thank you.

scathcart

They are actually 12mm nuts.
two bolts on the front, two bolts on the back, and two 12mm nuts down low.

Racer X-8

And don't be embarrased if you accidentally remove an exhaust manifold nut in the process. I know a friend that did. (Just torque it back on if you do. The exhaust manifold doesn't have to come off.) When you get them all, it's just the gasket holding it there.

edit: Oh, hey! My Hanes manual shows them very well... page 59, figure 3.10 that's in Chapter 2 Part A, section 3 "Intake Manifold Removal & Installation".

Kenteth

smack it

BlaCkPlaGUE

man I gotta learn how to ****** read.. your right, right there, plain as day pg 59 the first picture (3.10). godamnit....


anyways I got the bastard off, it was just adbsolutley ******* filthy... to my dismay the actuator ports are in the block it looks like, the levers that turn the ports open are in the lower intake manifold, but thats about it.

For now it'll be some degreasing, and prepping for heat paint. Matte black so far is what I've chosen for the upper intake manifold.

Racer X-8

LOL, man, I feel for ya.

Hey, the engine I'm into surprised us big-time. When we got to where you are, and looked, WTF, no aux port sleeves at all! Nothing but ports with nothing in them. The actuators are intact from the looks of everything on the outside, but the rod going inside the manifold stops just inside the inner surface of the manifold. I'm gonna have to take a pic or two, cuz, I'm thinking you don't know wtf I'm saying. I'll be back w/ pix, for you to compare. (We ordered sleeves & rods, not sure if that's all we will be needing, ok?

BlaCkPlaGUE

You know, the one thing that worrys me about all this work, is putting it all back together.

I mean the basics is pretty damn basic, I know where all the pieces go, what Im not sure of, is if im going to get everything back properly in terms of hoses.

I have a few diagrams of vacum hoses, although im not sure about some of the other areas. I think the biggest thing about this is the fact that I have never done it before. Once I finish it up, I'll remember everything and will be able to do it again with ease. I really hope that vacum tube kit for 40$us is gonna be all the hoses, I want to replace them all. Once its finished though, and painted, it'll look real nice. I'll have pics.

Sounds like your sleaves have like disintegrated! you should really examine it thoroughly and make sure thats what happened before you order any parts.

Racer X-8

OK, here you can see that from the outside, everything looks fine. From the inside, the rods are just a stub, even recessed in the larger diameter bushing. (The larger diameter bushing that doesn't rotate is what is protruding into the inside of the manifold about 1/8" further than the part inside of it that rotates.)

Does this happen to look like yours?!? I doubt it. The rod that ends on the outside with the linkage piece, does that go all the way to the cross-shaft piece which is part of the port sleeve? If we buy "sleeves & operating rods", does that seem to be all we need to you? That's what we got coming...

Did the previous owner maybe remove the aux. port sleeves and cut the operating rods short to little stubbies, just to put it back together leak-free? That's what I'm thinking.

We even cleaned-out the aux. ports. There's definitely nothing in them.

scathcart

How do you fit a 12mm socket onto a 14mm exhaust manifold nut?

BlaCkPlaGUE

Becuase its a 12mm nut you dumbass on the lower intake manifold nut. You knew what he meant,, what a useless post!

btw, about the pics. It looks like they've been cut out or something... almost like the previous owner did it on purpose thinking that 6 ports are better than 4 all of the time! Mine has these sleeps that come out of the manifold, but yours are missing.

Racer X-8

Sleeps?

scathcart

[QUOTE=BlaCkPlaGUE]Becuase its a 12mm nut you dumbass on the lower intake manifold nut. You knew what he meant,, what a useless post!
QUOTE]

Right. I'm a dumbass. After all, I was the one who lacked the ability to read a manual or figure out a piece of metal isn't coming off another piece of metal because they are still physcially bolted together.

The intake manifolds nuts are 12mm. The exhaust manifold nuts are 14mm. If you are trying to remove 12mm nuts on your lower intake manifold, you will have a 12mm socket on your ratchet. How is it possible to accidentally remove a 14mm exhaust manifold nut when you have a 12mm socket on your tool?

By the way, your post was a direct flame without any cause for asking a simple question. This goes against forum rules and warrants warning. Your anger at me is ridiculously out of justification. I have only offered fact to aid you in this post. If this is how you respond to aid, you are lacking severely in social skills.

scathcart

This is correct. The actuation rods do not simply break loose, those were physically removed.
Be carefull attempting to remove those screws from the actuator cover in the first picture... all but one strips nearly every time. It is usually easiest just to drill the heads off and then use some needle nose pliers to unscrew the remaining threads. Suitable replacements can be had from Mazda for a couple cents, or from and hardware store.
Also, two more things to be sure of:
1. That the inner copper bearing has not physically been cut away with a grinder. If you get me a shot from above, looking down into the ports from where the LIM meets the UIM, I can tell you.
2. There is a rubber seal on the actuator rod underneath those little phillips-head screw covers. The seal almost always needs replacing upon dissassembly, the they have been superceded with a superior design from MAzda. These seals are around $2 each to buy from Mazda.

One final note... you might want to polish the actuator rods before you install them, and install them dry with no lubricant.

BlaCkPlaGUE

scathcart, sorry, I meant to add the smiley face

I don't want to start **** with ya, and yes I am the dumbass for not reading the manual

btw, no lubricant? is this becuase it gets too hot down there for oil to stay on the rods in the first place?

Racer X-8

There's the one for the rear. The front is ported differently, you can't see in there like this, but it's the same length, I'm pretty sure.

scathcart

Looks good. I was worried that the previous owner would have attempted to grind out the actuaotr rod copper bearing in an attempt to improve flow, but it looks intact. Just clean with carb claner and a rag on a piece of wire.

scathcart

The lubricant tends to collect gum, varnish, and carbon and causes the rods to sieze up more quickly than normal.
The factory assembles them dry as well.

Racer X-8

So, basically,

I need the "actuator rods", which include the linkage on one end for the actuator to pivot it, and they have some kind of end to them on the other end that connects to the sleeve cross pins. (Is it forked on the sleeve end to connect to the cross pin?)

I need the sleeves, which include the cross pin.

I need seals (new and improved).

And the cover screws will probably require replacement.

Is all that correct? And, thanks a lot guys.

BlaCkPlaGUE

Yea I just tried getting those screws off right now, I didn't strip them, but there isn't enoughe grip on the screwdriver to catch it properly... anymore force and I'll strip em.

All I can recommend is using a strong large and bigger phillips screwdriver that fits perfectly in the grooves... Put the LM inbetween your knees, push down on the driver, and twist.. hope for the best.

Right now im doing a test with this industrial strength degreaser I got, I need to know if it eats away metal if you let it soak.. SO i took a coffee can and poured the concentrate into it, no dilution, and put in a piece of the ACV cover in there to soak overnight! If its all eaten away at the edges tomorrow morning im gonna need to find that carb cleaner everyone talks about that comes in a jug, not a spray can.