FINALLY started the project...

[mageep]

Got started about 3PM yesterday. All was going well, but it kinda sucked knowing I had a hard stop at 6PM to clean up and get ready for a dinner I was supposed to be preparing (!!!).

In that 3 hours, I was FLYING, but maintaining order. I got to about Page 25 in the 99-00 instruction book. VERY well-written. Bagging and tagging all parts... All was cool. The injector wire connectors were a little tricky, but OK... Everything else was simple.

I STILL haven't pulled the 10mm EGR cross-over bolt from the back of the block, but HAVE pulled it out of the exhaust manifold, and removed the other end and gasket from the intake while maintaining it.. .Wondering if I actually NEED to remove that 10mm bolt? Need a longer 10mm bar wrench since mine are too stubby, and my sockets and driver don't fit. Otherwise, all has been a total cake-walk.

Then at about 5:40 I start the extraction of the lower intake manifold. I know this is the tough stuff. 4 of the 5 uppers take about 5 minutes, but #2 (second-closest to the firewall) is a PITA. Too tight for a socket, and too deep to get a proper wrench on it, at first blush. Before I will do anything I will regret with only 5 minutes til shut-down time, I decide to go under and do the splash-pan and remainder of the intake supprt bracket, knowing that my nemesis awaits me when I next return.

I know 1 of the 4 underside nuts is going to be easy. I can see it from top-side. I haven't even BEGUN to seek out the other 3 visually yet.

Any thoughts on those, as well as the pesky intake #2 on top-side? I'm just seeing it as an opportunity to buy more tools!! :)

Oh, and I need to read ahead (again), but do I really NEED to pull the EGR bracket nut on the back of the block? If the tube stays, I think I'm good...

[amgkid]

I had luck using some crowfoot wrenches from sears for those intake manifold nuts on the bottom. It's still not easy though. Helps to have a creeper to get under the car.

[Kyp J]

I had luck using some crowfoot wrenches from sears for those intake manifold nuts on the bottom. It's still not easy though. Helps to have a creeper to get under the car.

The creeper needs to know how to use tools though. Mine didn't even speak English. I had to do it myself.

\Igor, fetch another head.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

The other choice for those irritable manifold nuts is a shallow 12mm 1/4 drive wobble socket.

[Curiousgb]

The other choice for those irritable manifold nuts is a shallow 12mm 1/4 drive wobble socket.

Dr Suess socket set. And a very bad vocabulary.

[mageep]

The other choice for those irritable manifold nuts is a shallow 12mm 1/4 drive wobble socket.

Thanks, Tom... I looked for shallow sockets at Sears tonight, but our local one looked as if someone had rampaged the place! Will check around. Also bought some other swivel-head versions as well.

So how critical is it to pull that 10mm EGR bracket nut on the back of the block if I'm clearing it on both the intake and exhaust?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

paul,

You can find those shallow 12mm wobble sockets at AutoZone and NAPA. Typically only a couple bucks. By the cheapest one as you will use it on 3 nuts and probably never again.

You might not have to remove that EGR nut. You could get lucky. Leave it alone until/unless you need it.

[socal pat]

I removed the EGR to the back of the engine as well as the connection to the exhaust on my first install and left it in on my second. I'm with Tom, leave it on unless you find a need to remove it. After all it isn't going anywhere ;)

[mageep]

paul,

You can find those shallow 12mm wobble sockets at AutoZone and NAPA. Typically only a couple bucks. By the cheapest one as you will use it on 3 nuts and probably never again.

You might not have to remove that EGR nut. You could get lucky. Leave it alone until/unless you need it.


Thanks for the advice, Tom... My fat hands thank you, too!

Tracking ion the new 5th injector and pulley are this Thursday... Should work out JUUUUST RIGHT!

[mageep]

I removed the EGR to the back of the engine as well as the connection to the exhaust on my first install and left it in on my second. I'm with Tom, leave it on unless you find a need to remove it. After all it isn't going anywhere ;)


Thanks, Pat! GOTTA respect the advice of anyone that can say what they did differently on TWO installs! :)

[amgkid]

My injector and pulley come on Tuesday! Finally my kit will be complete and ready to race.

Be patient with the install. Sounds like you're well on your way and should have it running real soon. Good luck!

[mageep]

Slow but sure... Too many projects... too little time.

As of last night, I have 7 true hours logged in the build, and have the intake and SC installed. Spent about 20-30 minutes trying to re-thread the #@#%$ EGR pipe into the exhaust manifold. Hard to do when you can't see the opening and all. Any words of wisdom to facilitate the alignment? I was curious if a newer EGR pipe would thread better, but Mazda wants $60 for it!

FWIW, the directions are GREAT! Spot-on, actually. As I mentioned to Tom, I personally found a couple things helped with both the removal of the old intake as well as the install of the NEW intake. One was removing the alternator ahead of schedule. Doing that made 2 of the 4 underside nuts MUCH more visible. Second was removing the oil filter. That made the same two nuts easier to get a wrench on!

Like Tom mentioned, everyone has something that works better for them, like some folks prefer to remove the starter, I guess. I could DEFINITELY see how that would've been helpful when installing the FFS intake, but I managed with it in, with a stubby 12mm open-end.

BTW, Tom... The Warren Commission called. They have a few theories regarding how eCool REALLY works... :hammer: Oliver Stone has been notified.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

BTW, Tom... The Warren Commission called. They have a few theories regarding how eCool REALLY works... :hammer: Oliver Stone has been notified.

It's great that the kit is coming along.

Tell Oliver that I simply tired of the constant hammering on E-Cool that it doesn't work. And I don't believe there was a second E-Cool injector on the grassy knoll.

A Closed mind is a wonderful thing to waste. :2guns: