Pontiac Repair: Intake, upper intake manifold, rubber gasket

Question
QUESTION: put new 3800 motor in 1993 buick.Start up was fine a little miss.Got warmer in a couple of minutes and stalled as well as backfired.Lower intake gasket you think if so change the upper gasket as well? Do you know the exact torque specs for these as there are so many different out there?

ANSWER: Hi Mike:
If this has the plastic upper intake manifold Yes replace it. actually if you have the engine withe the plastic upper manifold you have to remove that to get the lat 2 bolts out of the lower intake manifold so Yes replace the gasket. Every year is different for those gaskets I know the upper "plastic" manifold bolts are like 11 Newton meters Tne lower intake bolts of that style are 89 Inch pounds. Again it depends on the engine and the model year it came out of. most of the "good gaskets" come withe instruction sheets with the proper torque on them..


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QUESTION: Todd thank you. I noticed that someone had put sealer on top of the rubber gasket for the valley and across.More likely had something to do with it as well. Who carries lower intake in case of needing a new one? And any ideas on checking it for being warped or just take it to a machine shop? Thanks again.

Answer
I would goto a "GOOD" parts store like NAPA or Carquest and get the correct gasket for the engine. Across the front and rear of the intake where the intake meets the block should have a rubber gasket not sealer. Only Chevy engines use that. That is a Buick engine. As for checking it for warpage Yup take it to a machine shop a lot of NAPA stores have one in house. If you take it with you they may just check it for you for free seeing that your buying the gasket and supplies from them. It take 2 minutes to check it for warpage.. Clean it all off real good before you take it to them that makes checking it easier and they are more apt to help you out again if they don't have to clean the crud off it.