So i cleaned my intake valves last year about this time. I was thinking if doing it again. When i did it last year i replaced the intake manifold gasket. However i was wondering if anyone has every reinstalled the mani WITHOUT using a new gasket. I dont have a way to get a new one yet and i wanted to redo the valves this weekend. But i wont be using a new one. Hopefully it wont leak ? Is only a year old. Lol...

 

I would wait and replace it while I am at it.

 

Normally i would. But i have read of peopke re using them with no issue. My main problem is the local dealer close to me closed out. And the closest one is an hour away. Im to **** to wait. Lol...

 

If its still in good shape you could put a small layer of rtv around the ports and reassemble.

 

Im a little reluctant to use rtv around the ports. Especially where i would need it on both sides.

 

I honestly wouldn't worry too much. You could spray around the manifold and check for leaks if you are concerned.

 

I've reused mine before without any obvious issues. I just cleaned the gasket surfaces really well with brake clean and a scotch brite pad and reassembled

 

How many miles you gone since you changed it? Personally on my 08 ls that's got 92k ive cleaned the valves 3 times without changing the gaskets, just took the gaskets out of their slot. cleaned the manifold and head surface with b-clean, and applied a light coat of dielectric grease to the gaskets. still soft as new no sealing problems, of course I work at a gm dealer so getting
gaskets for me wouldn't be a problem, if I wasn't working here I would have changed it the last time I cleaned the valves.

 

Why are you cleaning the valves on something that's port injected? Not saying that it'll hurt but your valves shouldn't be getting dirty like an LNF lol and the LNF gasket is an MLS gasket, not individual o-rings

 

What is an mls gasket stand for ? Lol... And I do have an lnf.. Lol

 

multi layer steel

 

what type of gasket is it? If it is rubber or metal there is no need to replace unless it is broke, if it is paper, then you could/should consider it.

 

That's not always true for metal. If the gasket plastically deformed then it won't seal well next time it's used. An example is a crush washer.

 

It is a steel gasket. I have three of them. All from previous lnfs i have cleaned the valves of. Mine is only a year old from when i cleaned them last. So maybe i well use the best looking of them all.

 

the valves on the port injection engines get pretty dirty, not as bad as the di engines but still bad. the pcv setup pulls to much oil droplets into the intake. each time ive cleaned mine I poured out about a 1/6 quart from the bottom of the manifold. I haven't had a lnf intake off yet so I figured it was gaskets like the l61. if its a metal gasket it doesn't need to be reused. they are made to be crushed to a certain thickness from new. when you reinstall it itl crush too thin and potentially not seal.

 

I just thought of that as I was about to post, if it is a crush one it isnt! but ya if you look it up you'll be able to find out. idk what our IM gasket is though.

 

Sorry, I should've quoted the post lol I was actually asking Kolt but yes like stated above MLS is multi layer steel

When I had my L61, my intake manifold had a thin film of oil in it but not that much lol that doesn't sound good

 

Ive seen some with very little oil and some with a lot of oil in the intake. never figured out why its worse on some 2.2s than others. maybe its bc I run it hard a lot lol.

 

on the 2.2L, mine did benefit from an oil catch can from the valve cover to the intake. Always collected a good amount of oil.

Can make one for almost nothing.

 

Hey man.... I know you cleaned your intake valves around the same time as i did last year . Have you had to re clean them again a second time yet ? I ask and am only thinking of cleaning mine again because at ONLY cold starts in the mornings my car starts up fine. But then drops down to 1000rpm right away and runs rough for a split second and then revs up to 1500 rpm and is fine. So i was thinking maybe valves again. But i dont have many miles it ut at all sense cleaned. I was also thinking maybe it could be my new mild hptune i had a local install. Idk though... The car runs so good once it's startrd after it bogs for a split second.. Thats all..

 

I have not scoped mine again. I did a very average job the first time around. I don't feel misfires.

I'm tuning my car myself and it sounds like the issue I'm having. Just needs more tuning to get the cold start right. I know my tune needs work because I can revert to GMS1 and be fine on cold starts.

 

I am really inclined to agree with you totally. How are you tuning your cold starts ? My tuner always sees my car when its warmed up. What is your cold start idle at and or a few things we can try to adjust ?

 

Considering how low the torque is on the bolts/studs, you should be just fine reusing them for quite a while.

 

I just ended up getting a new one from the dealer. It was only $12 and they delivered it to a local garage for me.

 

and that's why I recommended getting a new one from the start, couple measly bucks.