[vilord]

Spark plugs suck.

What a comedy of errors today has been...

Drove over to the parts store to pick up the plug wires, already have everything else I need (or so I think).

Wait 4 hours for the darn engine to cool down...

Start pulling things apart, and decide that it will be just about impossible to get to the #3 and #4 spark plugs without pulling the supercharger... so I do that.

I get 1, 3, 5, and then 2 done no problem... but then number 4 comes along and it has a whole bunch of piping on top of it... going to need to pull the rest of the intake? I don't think so, too much to disconnect.

So, I reach for my universal joints... which are nowhere to be found.

Ride my bike over to the parts store, and grab two u-joints and a 6-inch extension just for kicks...

Changing number 4 still takes another half hour of fighting with it...
On to the dreaded number 6? 5 minutes in and out...

Next up is wires... Great... these are the non-SC wires... parts store says they'd have to order the SC wires. Damn, okay old wires it is.

Throw all that on, put the S/C back onto the engine... plug/screw everything in, crank it over... and?? It runs like total hell... almost stalls... so I kill it...
Did I swap wires? Nope, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, all are right, all are snug...
Double check all the connections... hmm, looks like the throttle position sensor wasn't snug... crank again, runs like a top.

But then it starts to get rough... what did I miss? bump the throttle and it sounds awesome, let go, sounds like it wants to die again... reach around and push on all the plugs, wait... is that vacuum? I feel vacuum at the S/C-intake plenum junction... time for a gasket. Damn again.

Call all the parts store, call the dealer... everything is closed 'till tuesday and then they'd have to order it, i'm looking at 5-6 days minimum...

And I need to be on the road for Boston on Monday.

okay, what can I do? RTV silicone on an intake gasket? Never tried that before... but I gave it a shot, it is drying now.

Anyone have a better idea? :crikey:

 

[GothamEMS]

Silicone was a bad idea on the intake. The gasket is a dry gasket, and is impregnated with a sealant which sets it when it becomes warmed up with the engine temp.

 

[vilord]

Silicone was a bad idea on the intake. The gasket is a dry gasket, and is impregnated with a sealant which sets it when it becomes warmed up with the engine temp.

Right... I know it isn't the best option... but, what other option do I have? I'm driving 3000 miles starting on monday AM... nothing'll be open until tuesday

It runs! Idle is good... hopefully the s/c won't just push out the gasket when I get up to speed, but I'll give it the full 24 hours to dry before I push it.

I wish i'd known it was a dry gasket with a heat-activated sealant, as opposed to just a simple dry gasket... otherwise I would've either had a new one on-hand, or I wouldn't have taken it off at all...

 

[jamanrr]

of you get the right rtv sealant it is not. You can get high temp exhaust RTV from the parts store it is copper colored and can handle temps as high as 700 degrees..... Yes I heard the spark plugs is a pain

 

[penski61]

just a head up the supercharger didnt have to be removed to replace the spark plugs

u-joint and long ext will work

 

[vilord]

penski: ... next time I won't be removing the S/C, don't worry

jamanrr: thanks for the vote of encouragement The RTV silicone I used says "high-temp" on it, it is redish-orange (so is the tube) (linky) temp range seems to be up to 650 intermittent... I'm about 3 miles bicycle ride from the parts store when the fronty's in pieces, so I just went with that. Hopefully it'll hold up... how hot do those parts get continuously?

I also have some ultra black (linky), but that only goes up to 500 degrees, so I guess I picked the right tube.

 

[jamanrr]

penski: ... next time I won't be removing the S/C, don't worry

jamanrr: thanks for the vote of encouragement The RTV silicone I used says "high-temp" on it, it is redish-orange (so is the tube) (linky) temp range seems to be up to 650 intermittent... I'm about 3 miles bicycle ride from the parts store when the fronty's in pieces, so I just went with that. Hopefully it'll hold up... how hot do those parts get continuously?

I also have some ultra black (linky), but that only goes up to 500 degrees, so I guess I picked the right tube.

I and the guy that did the tuning on my 240sx sr20det uses that exact same stuff it is good when it dries it makes a rubber like seal. Very good stiff better than paper gaskets some times....

 

[GothamEMS]

Just me, but since you went the silicone route, and you're not having any problems with it, I'd leave well enough alone and NOT remove the S/C again just to change the gasket. Maybe wait until you need to do the plugs again, LOL!

 

[vilord]

I like your thinking!

Got the K&N recharged last night while I was waiting for the silicone to cure... I think I'm finally done messing about under the bonnet. Now if only my accessory plug in the center console worked...

 

[TwoBills]

The orange sealant works good. Used it on mine w/no problem. Just be sure you don't use too much.You don't need dried sealant inside the intake.
BTW, you can get that gasket on ebay for about $7, about 1/2 of what the dealer charges.
Pretty sure moving that intake tube is a fact of life to get at #4.

 

[vilord]

How do you move the intake tube? It seemed like there were about 30 hoses and harnesses connected to it... thats why I moved the S/C, as it only had about 12 bolts and two hose connections

 

[luis.javier.burgos19]

just a head up the supercharger didnt have to be removed to replace the spark plugs u-joint and long ext will work

Tried the u joint and long ext and can’t get nowhere

 

[smj999smj]

Tried the u joint and long ext and can’t get nowhere

I remove the aluminum intake tube bolted to the driver's side of the supercharger for access. You may need to replace the gasket and the dealer will likely be the only place to get one (and it will likely need to be ordered...or get one from an online dealer).