Upper Intake/Plenum Gasket Olds 3.1

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Howdy,

Working on my daughter’s 1995 Olds Ciera w/ a 3.1 V-6. Cleaned clogged passageway from EGR to throat of plenum A.O.K.Time now to reinstall. GM Service Manual states that RTV sealant should be used (there was none on tear down and everything appeared to be factory…85k on odometer.)“on each ridge where the front and rear of the intake(and this IS the upper intake to which the text is referring) contact the cylinder head” My question is where might they be talking about applying sealant as technically the plenum & gasket do not contact the cylinder head , but only the lower intake ? Moreover , I do not see a “ridge” at all on these two very flat surfaces ! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Chachi.

2

If the manual doesn’t make sense, chances are you’re using the wrong manual. The manual refers to a one piece intake, but yours is a two piece. That right there tells me the manual is incorrect for this model car.

3

Hi ,

Thanks for the reply. You have half of it right…the manual does NOT make any sense ! But, it IS the right manual:GMP/95-A-1 , 1995 Service A Manual , Cutlass Ciera , Cutlass Cruiser & Buick Century. This is THE General Motors Service(shop) manual.

Regards.

4

I looked up the info on installing the intake manifolds on your engine. The only place sealant is applied is on each end of the engine in the valley between the heads prior to installing the lower intake manifold. For the upper intake manifold it instructs that the two intake gaskets be positioned on the lower intake manifold and then the upper intake manifold be installed. No mention of any sealant.

What your manual states for installing the upper intake manifold is a misprint.

Tester

5

Thanks Tester,

Appreciate your time…GM might have tried investing a little more of it proofreading ! That’s what I figured on the sealant , but wanted to check with you guys first. Anyway , thanks again , you have saved me from my alternate Memorial Day project of drain , flush , new thermostat & refill on a '99 F150 4.6.

Hope everyone has a nice holiday,
Chachi

6

For what it’s worth, all service manuals have misprints no matter if they’re factory or aftermarket manuals such as Haynes and Chiltons; with the latter being one of the worst offenders.

On more than one occasion I’ve run across “misprints” if you want to call it that with ALLDATA.