this is my first real installation and have a couple of questions. The instructions call for teflon pipe thread putty but cant find that anywhere, will teflon tape or teflon sealent work??? also it says to use loctite thread locker but if im gonna take out the spacer before i sell it how can i, if its permanent. Also i dont have a torch wrench but was wondering if i can do it by hand without purchasing leather gloves and using normal gloves??? thanks

 

Putty on the spacer? I thought they used a large "O" ring type gasket. Is this the MotorDyne spacer?

Get the semi permanent (blue I think) and you can break it loose again.

Don't do it without a torque wrench!! The bolts will snap without much pressure. You can get one at Harbor Freight for $20 that is accurate enough for the job.

As for mechanics gloves, that's up to you, I didn't use them. Just some Latex gloves.

 

i believe the putty is for the bolts???

 

did you get the isothermal one? with the gasket and coolant hose valve? if you did thats what the pipe thread putty is for. if not then dont worry about it. and just borrow a friends torque wrench bc they only get torqued to 100 INCH pounds, which is not very much pressure. also make sure you are using inch pounds and not foot pounds. easy install though, just go slow and take your time.

 

no this is just the regular motordyne 5/16 spacer without the iso thermal option. I thought the instructions called for putty when reinstalling the bolts??
Where do you put the putty and where do you put the loctite thread locker? also should i leave the stock gasket in when i install the spacer?? thanks

 

If that's the case, yes, you can use the teflon tape on the threads.

 

wow, you are completely unprepared!! lol

well i just did this yesterday, and i used teflon tape on the coolant bypass, but you NEED A VICE!!! the valve is extremely hard to tighten. but yeah teflon tape is fine,

DO use the thread sealant, you have a $hitload of vibration going on in there, and 100 inch lbs in not very much tension at all....you don't want to rick 1 coming loose. if you ever need to remove it, it should be fine, just use a small drop on each tip of the bolts

by hand is ok, but NOT with a socket, you have to use a screwdriver handle..... just go in the order they tell you and do it five or six times gradually getting tighter.... the point is to provide even pressure on the gasket AND on the plenum itself.. unevenly tightened bolts will cause a crack in the aluminum. it's REALLY easy to overtighten, just think, even the bolts in your license plate are prolly about 100 inch lbs...so be careful

you WILL need an extension, some of the bolts can't be reached by hand easily. torque wrench is better, and doesn't have to be exact, just don't go over 110 inch lbs. i used an old one that was hard to read, but just guestimated it.....

the most frustrating things i can think of is the really hard to rach hose in the back, there's 2 back there and 2 on the sides, so 4 total (despite the instructions telling you there's only 2), and some of the bolts, hard to see and reach.

OH 1 more thing, the instrucitons say to remove the guide pins with a 4mm socket, but you don't need to remove them at all. just leave them in there, they don't get in the way, you just won't be able to put the nut back on it, but that's fine, they don't hold anything in place

good luck!! and remember to reconnect everything, it might be good to write stuff down as you go, like which electrical plugs, and hoses to reconnect.

 

$hit okay, i just realized you didn't do the iso-thermal, so you don't need the teflon tape at all.... the instructions are telling you to use it for the coolant valve, which i don't hink you have.

 

when you say use a drop of thread sealer are you refering to loctite thread locker or actual thread sealer??? also if tightening by hand is it possible to overtighten without wrench and do i need gloves?? thanks

 

Yes a drop on the tip of each thread. Be sure it's the removable type. No, I don't think you will over tighten using a "nut driver". No you don't need gloves, unless you just want to keep your hands clean.

Also, wait untill the motor is completely cool, tighten the bolts to their proper TQ when cold only.

 

it's locktite i was referring too, they should have included it in the pack, in a very small tube.
no it's not possible to overtigthten by hand, if you use the screwdriver handle.... but i doubt you will be able to tighten them ENOUGH, since the bolts in the back are really hard to get an angle on. it'd be like trying to tighten a bolt thats on your back, you can't reach it right.

i don't understand why you don't want to use the torque wrench, it's quite easy. even if it doens't have inch lbs, you can divide or do whatever to convert the measurement.

i did them all by hand, then went back with the torque wrench, and my hardest hand-turn was only at about 86inch lbs!! so i'm glad i checked it. just don't use a ratchet or socket wrench, whatever you do.

i realized how small a force it was, when i reattached one of those brackets that hold wires and goes on the upper plenum, using the torque wrench. i tightened it to what i would consider medium-hard; basically the same as i would some interior bracket, or non-engine part...
well that went to 300inch lbs!!!!!!! i couldn't believe it!! so be careful

edit: ^ yes +1 on the engine needs to be cold... leave the car overnight where you're going to be working on it; the aluminum expands and contracts constantly. the instructions tell you to barely tighten the plenum bolts, because your engine is cold, and at it's smallest. this leaves enough room for the metal to expand once your engine is running.

 

thanks, so all the supplies including the thread lock is included??? also i dont have a torch wrench and i dont want to spend 80 dollars on one so thats why i was gonna do it by hand.

 

yeah threadlock is in the bag with the bolts and plastic spacers.

as per the torque wrench,
rent one...

or buy one from wal-mart, then return it.... you only have 20 or so bolts to use it with, it won't get tore up

 

k thanks

 

just finished installing her and took her out. I can deffinatly feel more pull and the sound is deeper. Overall very happy with my purchase