cracked intake manifolds - common?
 

The old thread title didn't fit the discussion so I started this one to continue with the intake manifold.

Now this engine (the 1.9 DOHC) has a plastic intake manifold with a coolant passage on the side. Mine cracked in the coolant passage section along the seam line from the molding process. How common is this? I'm worried that I'll hit the junkyards and only find more just like it.

from: Topic: Saturn S-Series common problems/failures (1/1) - EricTheCarGuy - EricTheCarGuy- Stay Dirty!
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Crack in the coolant stem running into the intake manifold (00-02 DOHC only).
There will be a fairly slow but significant leak around where the coolant hose runs into the manifold near cylinder #4 .

There's a product specifically for fixing this problem:

S-Series Intake Manifold Repair Kit
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I did not dig any deeper.


You are prob half right about the junkyard in that they will eventually all fail

Thanks Derf for that link. Got one on the way now!
I almost picked a manifold up from Pick n Save (they were only $27) so you probably saved me some headaches. I saw in one of the reviews that someone was able to make the repair without even taking the manifold off (just cut off the offending piece in place). I think I'm going to try that since everything else is fine and if it ain't broke, I don't wanna fix it and make more problems.

Got my part yesterday. It looks well made and came with installation videos, studs, nuts, gasket and even some nitrile gloves. Hopefully I can get this installed Saturday.

sounds nice. I know you'll be back to fill us in on the install procedure and the outcome.

half-time break, but it's looking good!
 

It's been one of those days. Pulled the hood and air pipe off and got a better look at where the manifold needs to be cut for the new part. I read somewhere that someone managed to do that without taking the manifold off. I don't see how in the world they managed to do that. I watched the installation video that came with the part and decided the manifold must come out. By the way, that's a nice video that CarSaturn provided with their part. Shows step by step from taking the hood off to bolting on the new part and intake. Unfortunately there's a lot of stuff that has to come out or be disconnected to make that happen. I wouldn't have thought it would be necessary to pull the upper mount and strap the engine as far forward as possible but it is. That thing just barely came out of there once it was all loose. What was nice was that there was nothing that was really that difficult to get loose. I'm so used to over-torqued and rusted on fasteners that it was a refreshing change.
So I get the old parts off, cut off the offending piece from the manifold, remove one old stud and install two new ones. Trial fit the new part with the manifold and saw I needed to cut a little more off. Once I did that the parts fit just fine. In the middle of all this it rained and I was so glad I had put up a shelter over the car and my work area. I was just looking for some shade but protection from the rain is nice too.
So now with the intake and the new part bolted on I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (no it's not the train) so I'm taking a belated dinner break and trying to cool off and rehydrate. I'll finish up tonight and post the results later.

Done! No more leaks!
 

Finished up tonight and it started right up and ran like I had just parked it 10 minutes ago. No fuel leaks, no coolant leaks, no leaks at all. Awesome!
Getting that darn serpentine belt back on was the worst of it. Everything else went right back in place.

I'll post a complete step by step of the procedure later. For now I'm hittin' the shower and getting some sleep.

sweet. Congrats

Wonderful little part isn't it, Jamnar?