2004 Rubicon Air Intake / Exhaust - Valve Cover Gaskets

[Ickis]

Any advice for the manifold re-install? I think the exhaust manifold can be mounted with 3 bolts. Then, I can install the lower air intake manifold bolts and hopefully slide the air intake on to them.

I'll respond to myself here now that I've completed the job.

1. Remove the fender for uninstall, don't waste time trying to avoid removing the fender, upon re-install, it was obvious that getting torques on the bolts was impossible without removing the fender.
2. I hung the exhaust manifold first with bolts 7,9 hand tight, bolt 3 I tightened just enough with a ratchet to make it line up where all the other holes were perfectly exposed.
3. I threaded 1 and 2, with a only a few threads.
4. I lowered the intake manifold onto 1 and 2.
5. I aligned the intake studs after this. This took awhile, and ultimately I couldn't get the intake mounted on the studs exactly by hand. I also could get the holes to stay aligned with with the studs. I ended up putting bolts 9 and 11 in just tight enough to hold the intake aligned with the studs.
6. Installed all bolts "hand tight".
7. Followed torqued sequence and watched the intake get pulled on the mounting studs.
8. Used mostly straight extensions on the bottom and universals on top.
9. Get the power steering pump moved way far out!

 

[Ickis]

I made two mistakes so far that I've noticed.

1. The cable that runs off the injector cable bundle in front the injector 1 got pinched below the power steering pump and was in contact with the front exhaust manifold. It melted the hard plastic conduit on first run. I got extremely lucky that I turned the jeep off and went to bed before melting the actual conductors. This cable runs over the air intake and behind the AC lines!
2. I couldn't remember how the fuel rail line was routed and tried to bend it trying to route it. I got lucky and it seems okay, but I shouldn't have forced it, its not bendy even though the end looks rubber! Take a pictures of cable routing and fuel line route.

 

[Ickis]

And finally, I took it on 30 mile test drive. Dare I say, I feel less bogg on the engine and almost 0 exhaust smell! Next steps for me are air filter cleaning, throttle cleaning, and spark plugs.

Edit: clean the MAF, and figure out better way to mount my windshield wiper resvoir. Also, have metal cloak fender wells on the way!

 

[Ickis]

Factory orings were different colors, and I think different materials. I know the felpro replacements are all identical between top and bottom.

They seemed identical to me. If they weren't its not leaking yet