!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

Upper Intake Manifold

Tools needed
-10mm socket or wrench
-12mm socket AND wrench
-14mm socket or wrench (only if you have a FSTB)
-flat head screw-driver
-needle nose pliers and/or pliers
-patience and finger strength for the clamps/harnesses

1.) First you have to remove the engine cover.

2.) If you have a FSTB, then you will have to remove both strut covers and the strut bar itself. 14mm socket or wrench will be needed to remove the FSTB

3.) Now you may as well start with the more difficult part...in the rear of the manifold-this will be the left side...or passenger side



-Use needle nose pliers to slide the clamp off the hose and pull it off.
-Make sure to un-clip those two green connectors from their BRACKETS, do not just un-clip the female/male connection because it will still be connected to the bracket and will **** you off when it comes time to take the manifold off. Use a flat-head to disconnect them from the bracets
-There is also a 12mm nut below and to the right of those harnesses' that you will have to squeeze your hand into and be careful to not drop your wrench. It is holding on some bronze bracket.

4.) Now you will need to take your VIAS off if you have a grounding kit...if you do not have a grounding kit, then you will not have to take the VIAS off until you have the manifold off and choose to put a block off plate on it. Either way you should use a 12mm wrench here. And just carefully yank that thin black hose off.



5.) Now you will take off the little bracket on the manifold with a 10mm socket and then 2/5 12mm nuts holding the manifold down.



6.) Now take the bigger bracket off the manifold which is held on by a 12mm bolt, so a socket or wrench would do good here, and a 12mm socket for removing 2/5 bolts holding the manifold.



7.) Now you have the last 12mm nut holding down the manifold on the bottom. Then take off both brackets with a 10mm socket and un-clip the blue harness. The EGR valve has 2 12mm nuts IIRC, so remove both of those and make sure to also take off the two washers that are on each stud so that they don't fall into the engine bay while sliding it off.

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

8.) Un-clip the throttle body harness and loosen your CAI hose.



9.) Use needle nose pliers to slide the clamps off these two hoses. The bottom hose will leak out coolant, so put a towel there or w/e you want.



10.) If you do not already have intake manifold spacers, then you will have to remove the bottom two 12mm nuts off the elbow so that it will be off its bracket...BIGGEST PITA besides the driver side coolant hose. The bottom passenger side bolt isn't that bad, but the bottom driver side is pretty damn tight, but doable with a 12mm ratcheting wrench.

11.) Now you can start to slowly take the manifold off to get access to two more hoses in the rear. Lift the manifold and pull it to the passenger side so that the EGR valve can slide off because the thing is not too flexible. After you have the manifold off its studs and off the EGR valve, you should have enough room to get some pliers and take this hose off on the passenger side...



Notice how my clamp is NOT tightening the hose down too much because when I was putting everything back I did not realize that spacer would be minimal and did not feel like taking everything back off. Air blows out of that valve, so it shouldn't be a problem and it hasn't moved for the few days I've had it on...so hopefully it's ok

Now the most PITA hose...behind the driver side on the elbow. This hose will also squirt some coolant out as well.



12.) When installing everything make sure that gaskets are in working condition and use some silicone gasket, which is what I used. I was going to use Permatex Grey, but my Nissan tech hooked me up with the stuff that they use, which is a tube of orange/redish silicone gasket that runs about $50 a tube

13.) When re-installing, make sure that you install those two difficult hoses first and then put everything back.

You will also have a SES light after re-installing everything...you will have to reset your idle by doing this... http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...6&postcount=29 or going to a Nissan dealership and having them do it with their computer.

gtr_rider

iTrader: (50)

Awesome write-up

bdmaxima

iTrader: (3)

jw cause i hav no idea, what reasons would you have to take it off?

Hilbe

iTrader: (3)

NWP spacers, kinetix IM, IM polishing, bored? To list a few...

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

What Hilbe said + sparks plugs

Here's a link relating to it http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=560345

larsim

good write-up indeed.....

SHIFT_matt

iTrader: (1)

I hope this thread will be stickied. Great write up! About how long does something like this take? And what would be your difficulty rating on something like this (5 being the hardest)?

Also, you said that you have to reset the carputer. Does this have to be done before you start the car (for fear of messing up diagnostics)? Or can you do it at home and drive to the stealership to be reset?

Again, nice write up. This is hugely helpful for anyone, such as myself, considering NWP spacers, etc.

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

This was my hardest thing done so far, so I would rate it a 4/5

It's not exactly "hard" per say, it's just a little time consuming for the rear end of the manifold/elbow. If you have small-medium hands, then you're good, but if you've got larger hands then you may have to take the big long plastic thing that holds the windshield washer nozzles out...that's what my tech did when he installed the IMS...and he's a bigger fella.

All that needs to be reset is the idle, and that could either be done with the procedure that I posted in one of the links, or by just driving your car to a stealership...you DON'T have to reset it prior to starting the car though. I ran my car for about a day before getting it reset.

Just make sure not to turn the car ON while everything is disconnected because that will just cause more codes to shoot up...I did this when I had my MAF disconnected for my CAI install.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Great Job, I vote Sticky

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

STICKY IT NOW!

redmaxpa007

iTrader: (21)

i have taken mine off 2x now....... i have alot of skin left in my engine bay....

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

wadahomo!

redmaxpa007

iTrader: (21)

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

redmaxpa007

iTrader: (21)

kamski

iTrader: (9)

STICKY!!!! Man i remember when Prjct just joined the forums. Seems all grown up now.

STICKY

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

lawlz

I take what I have been taught and evolve it to the extreme...

eK9aT10pSi

iTrader: (1)

projmax, what are your thoughts on the vias delete plate? overall driving feel?

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

I'm pretty sure PRJ went all the way vs just getting the plate.

redmaxpa007

iTrader: (21)

hey..........


ever see this??

http://www.greghome.com/Greg's%20Gar...eplacement.htm


your writeup is nice too....

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

VIAS delete should be a mandatory mod since the thing is pretty much useless is operation from what I have been told my quite a few members. It would require a switch to actually operate.

There was no low-end loss with the VIAS delete, and mid-top end felt a little more peppy...nothing whopping, but a little more umphh

I'm going to go ALL THE WAY once I remove the thing and polish the interior off myself, remove the rear elbow bracket and install the coolant bypass valve

hey................

yes I did, but I wanted to do my own write-up y0

myer84

iTrader: (1)

Question? Wouldn't it be better to disconnect your battery (-) before removing anything to avoid the reset and relearn process at the end? I'm asking since I will add my spacers next weekend.

Also, I have 62K miles on my car. Since I'm removing the manifold, should I also replace my spark plugs or should I wait till 100K? What else do you suggest I replace or inspect while I'm in there?

Thanks

!PrjctMax!

iTrader: (38)

You could disconnect the battery, but I'm almost positive that the re-learn will still need to be done.

Definitely change the spark plugs now. Make sure to get yourself a nice extension.

Not much else to change, unless you want to dish out the money for coil-packs, which should be good for at least another 50,000 miles...*should*

As for inspection, just make sure there are no rat nests developing on the top of your LIM, or anything else trying to build itself a home there... Make sure all of your hoses are still intact with no cracks or damage.

Just be careful to NOT drop any little bolts/nuts into the engine bay because you may not see them again.

*On a side-note, would you be interested in some more "go" parts that I have for sale? Check out the link in my sig. and PM me for any questions or more info.

dan