# I need to replace my intake gaskets on my GM 3.1 engine. Can anyone help with a step-by-step? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** pontiac, grandam\ **Created:** [February 15, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360 "2013-02-15T00:04:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ottomotive117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9adbd/32.png) [@Ottomotive117](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ottomotive117)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/1 "2013-02-15T00:04:44Z")
Looking for a step-by-step for the intake gaskets on my 1994 Pontiac Grand Am GT with a 3.1L. Help would be much appreciated? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/2 "2013-02-15T00:27:41Z")
Step 1 - Buy a shop manual. Step 2- Follow procedure in Manual. This may seem sarcastic…but in reality…You need good written detailed instructions. That means someone can recite this from memory (which is highly unlikely)…or they’ll have to make copies of the manual for you and paste it here. This is NOT a simple procedure. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/3 "2013-02-15T00:30:14Z")
And some won’t copy and paste manual pages here because it violates copyright laws. Tester ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/4 "2013-02-15T00:39:26Z")
**_My Information Shows 59 Steps. Please Refer To Comments By MikeInNH, Tester, And Common Sense Answer. CSA_** ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/5 "2013-02-15T00:43:03Z")
**_Some Local Public Libraries Have Reference Books That Could Help You And Many Will Copy Pages At A Low Cost._** CSA ---
**Author:** ![Ottomotive117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9adbd/32.png) [@Ottomotive117](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ottomotive117)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/6 "2013-02-15T00:52:55Z")
Wll I got this online from youtube…I was really just trying to make sure this is accurate for my Grand Am…its a newer 3400 motor but he says itll work for a 3100 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/7 "2013-02-15T02:16:35Z")
I have replaced in the neighborhood of 300 of these intake gaskets. As has been mentioned earlier, take advantage of your public library. Have seen rookies make this mistake and usually it only happens once, but you probably don’t want your one intake job to be a failure so make sure you know where the pushrods go. there are two different lengths. You get them mixed around and you stand a very good chance of bending a valve. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/8 "2013-02-15T05:29:28Z")
[http://d-tips.com/general/articles/article.aspx?id=2](http://d-tips.com/general/articles/article.aspx?id=2) ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 6:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/9 "2013-02-15T06:51:17Z")
I haven’t done much auto work the last 10 years, but it seems strange to me that the push rods would be involved in changing the manifold gaskets. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 7:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/10 "2013-02-15T07:10:38Z")
Wild 20 second search, hope it helps > **[Time Saving Tips for Changing GM Intake Gaskets](http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_6822/replace_gm_intake_gaskets_with_lisle_pushrod_tool.html)** > > Time saving tips for changing GM intake gaskets without removing rear valve cover, alternator and coil, the specialty tool is simple and easy.. ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-need-to-replace-my-intake-gaskets-on-my-gm-3-1-engine-can-anyone-help-with-a-step-by-step/77360/11 "2013-02-15T09:01:32Z")
Some of the pushrods have to be removed to replace the intake gaskets because the plastic (or metal - get the metal ones so you don’t have to deal with this again) frame snakes around them. You can buy a tool to remove them without loosening the rocker arm nuts, but it’s probably not worth it unless you plan on doing more of these jobs in the future. My one big tip: take it easy on the RTV when making the end seals. You don’t have to use all of it; I usually end up using about half of it. This is one common way to botch this job in a way that can cost you your engine. Excess RTV can easily be pressed into the new gaskets during installation of the manifold, causing coolant to leak into the crankcase. The last one I did was a do-over of someone else’s work in which they apparently thought they were supposed to use the entire tube of RTV to make the end seals.