RED locktite is the WEAKEST locktite. It is just going to keep it from spinning loose, but will not hold it very tight.

Don't expect it to freeze on there. You want to be able to remove the bolts at a future date if necessary.

DON'T OVERTIGHTEN THE PLENUM BOLTS.

 

May I suggest you use a torque wrench to take all of the guesswork out of tightening the bolts? That way you have no questions and if they need to be re-tightened you can be sure they're tightened correctly.

 

If they were pretty lose that would give ya a lean motor from a vacuum leak which would take a lot of power. Slightly lean=more detonation+high heat=TONS of timing pulled. Glad you tracked it down

 

Here are some small pics I snapped after I decided to put some longer bolts and nuts onto the 3 areas I felt "leaked" the most. Again, I am still not 100% sure if it was a leak from loose bolts around the plenum or if it was oil from anywhere else. This is my best guess. The last picture is of the front passenger side of the plenum...no oil residue on that side at all.

 

That's pretty typical when running a spacer. My 03 does a similiar thing. I've checked the vacuum on numerous occasions and it's a rock steady 20 hg which is really good. Remember, no vacuum is created under full throttle. Only at idle and under part throttle load is vacuum created.

To test vacuum, simply tap into the vacuum port on the front passenger side of the upper manifold. It should be a steady 18 to 20 hg on a warm idle at near sea level.

 

^^^ are you saying the oil residue all over his upper plenum is typical?

I wouldn’t call that typical. I've never had it happen and can’t remember seeing anyone else with a spacer having it happen.

 

That **** is dirty...

 

Update:

I think it was a leak of some type. After driving around about a week, it seems the ECU/car learned of disappearance of the leak because it doesn't hesitate or lag like it use too in the previous settings - hotttt afternoon driving. Check your plenums people!

 

Yes, the oil residue he has is excessive on the front driver's side, but some residue is common, especially with the older MD plenums that only used two OEM gaskets for sealing purposes. Even on the factory setup, residue will slowly appear. Mine has some minor residue build-up on on the rear driver's side, but it's never wet and the vacuum is rock solid. Residue formations on the VQ plenums and manifolds is very common.

 

Don’t know why you had those problems… I’ve been running MD spacer for longer than most (way before he even offered 5/16”) and know others that have as well… oil in that area is not the norm… also beta tested the Isothermal kit (that was pretty long ago)… So I’m not sure what “older MD plenum spacers” you are referring to – I know you never ran one older than what I have.

Bottom line is – it’s not common.

BTW, How could you possibly have enough oil vapor to seep to the exterior when you say there isn’t even enough to warrant an oil catch can?
https://g35driver.com/forums/1131181-post10.html

https://g35driver.com/forums/1133188-post15.html

https://g35driver.com/forums/1134743-post25.html
(btw, I noticed in that one {over 3 years ago} you mentioned the bowl would degrade from the oil residue – did you mean after 100 yrs or something, because mine never degraded – and I don’t know of any other that has either… just another example of your “wrong info”… noobs should read some of your old posts before considering your current posts).

For anyone interested in the thread that these links came from – its here:
https://g35driver.com/forums/engine-...hin-oil-2.html

 

I truely enjoy your weekly attempts to try and flame me, attempt to point out inconsistencies with my arguments, and essentially attempt to prove me wrong any chance you can. As usual, you're attempts are easily combated.

When I said "older" MD spacer, I was refering to the orginal spacer offered that did not come with a seal already adhered. That's it. Good for you that you live in Socal and get to use all these mods before most us. I'm impressed. Okay, not really.

Next, the oil vapor on the outside of plenum. Like I said, the oil residue is common on most any higher mileage (50K+) VQ (ie VQ30, VQ35, VQ40). Most of the time the oil residue occurs near the gasket of the lower and upper manifold. Sometimes I've seen it between on the plenum halves of stock G/Z manifolds. Maybe the issue is related to VQs exposed to harsh conditions like cold winter and hot summers. We get that in Kansas City. You're in Socal where the temps and conditions are consistent. The fact is I've seen this issue on most every VQ I've worked on and that's been a lot of them since 1997. How many VQs have you personally wrenched on again?

Even Tony at MD knew there was a potential sealing issue hence the reason he went with the liquid seal on the new spacers. The oil residue issue is not a major problem and more of a nussance. The OP's issue was on the more extreme side of what I've seen and it's possible that under certain conditions and temps, there may have been a very very slight vacuum leak which he fixed by addressing the bolts and studs. However, the formation of oil residue is not uncommon. I've tested the vacuum on lots of VQs that had what appeared to be really bad leaks, but the vacuum was rock steady and healthy.

At idle and under load, the engine creates a good bit of vacuum. At WOT, it creates no vacuum. When the throttle is slammed shut coming off of WOT, it's possible for the plenum to become momentarily pressurized. Since the PVC emission systems routes oily vapor back into the plenum and the plenum/manifold units are torqued on with minimal torque, it's possible for a frational amount of oily air to weep out past the gasket when the manifold is cold or excessively hot. As time goes on, this residue creeps around it's seal.

As for the degrading issue on the plastic bowl of these shop-fabbed catch cans, every system I've used on my personal air compressors and the compressors I've worked explictly state that solvents (FYI gasoline is one and is found in used engine oil) can degrade the plastic bowl and plastic components. It's a "no duh" kind of thing.

Anything else?

 

^^^ none of that addresses my post...

I know many people with the original (non sealing) spacer - no oil leaks...

and the thread I posted simply showed that you insisted there wasn’t enough oil blow by vapor to warrant a catch can... so how in the world could there be so much that it leaks outside of your plenum?

I don’t go out of my way for this - you step right into it (many times)... then you spend 5 pages babbling about garbage hoping the original subject is forgotten...

Its okay though - there are plenty of people that know your motives and your hypocrisy – its just that they got smart and don’t deal with you anymore… maybe some day I’ll wise up and not waste my time (its too bad some many unknowingly will make mistakes based on bad info).

As for wrenching on cars… I don’t know where you get the idea that I have no background with cars… I was tearing apart a 351 Cleveland to replace a Boss 302 in my fist car (a used Mustang) when I was 16… considering I’m probably 5-10 years older than you, I’ve been wrenching on cars sine you were watching cartoons… the fact that this is my first VQ doesn’t mean I don’t have common sense… I don’t give a crap how many VQs you’ve had – your info about the G35 is often times inaccurate.

 

for the record - this was your initial response to the guys massive amounts of oil all over his plenum...

It was until I mentioned it’s not "typical" did you backpedal with all your nonsense thereafter.

Just leave well enough alone Dave... had you not babbled more garbage I wouldnt have bothered to post the oil catch can stuff...

 

My "motives"? What, to take over the world? Or maybe my motive is that I'm just trying to help people understand the way things work, my experiences, pose questions, etc.

Hypocrisy? That's a new one.

Maybe you should wise up and blaze like DaveO, ChicagoX, and Russ (aka G35_TX and who I swear you're a reincarntion of). You've been talking about leaving for years and how I'm not worth your time. This is my site and my church full of DaveB followers......or so you seem to think

This is far as I'm going to get in it with you. Readers can read through your OT links and see where I stand and the my reasoning behind it. From there they can make their own decision.

 

^^^ its plain and simple – you have contradicted yourself in the past – and you have given bad info as well… yet you say you are trying to help… ironically several of the people that have left this site (because it has become more of a social gathering than enthusiast info sharing) are ones that have given excellent advice (when they were here)… many of the things that people do today are based on those previous veterans (many of whom have way more knowledge that you or me)…

You can go on and on Dave - but seriously, this isn’t worth my time (never is)... I need to start evoking DaveO's 30 second rule more often - Who incidentally had a version 1 sedan that ran as hard as just about any other VQDE G I’m familiar with (dyno’s higher trq than just about all)… in fact, many Gs that I’m familiar with that have mods you say are worthless are some of the fastest I’ve seen (WaLLy, dsskyline (Derek), DaveO, me, just to name a few) I am positive all faster than your car… yet you continue to blabber about what other enthusiasts should modify their cars with I wont even bother to address the aesthetic mods you do

I'll say it again - you made an inaccurate comment in post #20 – I questioned it in #21… had you left well enough alone I wouldn’t have had to show how wrong your statements were by posting #25 & #28…

More than 30 seconds – completely wasted time… but I’m sure you will continue (in hopes of diverting the fact that you were wrong again)… you always do.