crankcase - intake manifold bitch tube

[Das Delfin]

so last weekend I replaced my fuel injectors, intake manifold gaskets, crank case tube, its washers and o-rings. I pulled the manifold off and cleaned everything. Getting the crankcase tube back on was of course a pain in the ass

I've been having idle problems so I replaced the ICV, which helped, and then brought the car to an indie mechanic for a smoke test (next project is a diy smoke tester).

So I have a few different leaks, but the biggest was from the top end of that crankcase tube. So now I'm thinking:

1 - fuck it!
2 - is there a way to take the tube off without taking the intake manifold off? Compressing that spring isn't easy.
3 - what could have happened? I put the washer on the top of the ridge that goes around the top of the tube, and then the O-ring on top of that. When I stick my hand underneath, it feels and looks like it's seated properly. Which leads me back to #1

Has this happened to anyone else?

Just read the thread a few below mine and it looks like I'll have to remove the entire manifold again. Still, why wouldn't the o-ring seal correctly?

[CondorH]

Do not put a washer at the top of the tube. Washers go on either side of the spring. Many only use one at the bottom of the spring.

[Kershaw]

2 - no.

You need to remove the intake manifold.

[Das Delfin]

Do not put a washer at the top of the tube. Washers go on either side of the spring. Many only use one at the bottom of the spring.

Now I see it in every picture I find on the web. This will be next weekend's project

[crappycoco]

To compress the spring I've taken two zipties and ran them through the spring on each side. It's fiddly, but it helps a lot. When you have them through just gradually tighten each side until the spring is compressed. Install and cut the zipties.


from spece30

[Das Delfin]

^ that's what I did and it made the job 100% easier. I wonder if I can do that with the tube still in the car and get it low enough to slip the top washer off... would save a lot of time

Follow up question.. can I re-use the intake manifold gaskets? I just replaced them a week ago with OEM

[Das Delfin]

Just to follow-up.. the fix was super easy. I was able to (easily) push the tube down and slip the washer and o-ring off, then put the o-ring back on and fit the tube into place. I was sweating it because of how crazy it was to line the tube up when installing the manifold but it ended up taking 5 mins!

[jeffnhiscars]

Nice save. So all you did was push the tube down to get the washer off the top but did not actually remove the tube with the manifold in place ?

[Das Delfin]

^ that's right! I don't think it would be possible to remove the tube with the manifold in place considering how much of the tube sticks into the crank case