[Matt182021]

Did you do the lower intake gasket because it was leaking?

I couldn't tell due to all the oil from the valve covers drenching everything, but I decided it was a "while I'm in there" thing to do. Also made pulling the rear cover easier as well.

 

[Matt182021]

I decided to take out the lower plenum for a few reasons. For starters, the lower plenum gasket. They are known to leak oil where the head meets the block, the factory puts "permatex" under the lower plenum gaskets in the area circled in red due to the seam there, so I wanted to get that patched up while I was in there. And, the coolant ports for the heads are known to get blocked up with crap, my old '01 GC had the passenger side rear head port almost completely blocked! Mine, circled in blue, was juuuust starting to cake up a bit due to coolant system neglect before I owned her.

Also allowed me to inspect a bit further into the engine, so I feel the extra hour or so of work was definitely worth while! Aside from the oil pan gasket which leaks a tiny bit, I have faith she'll be leak free for many miles to come now.

I do infact know how to remove the cowling, I removed it on my exs 06 TC to do the plugs, before I realized the plugs can actually be done without removing any extra parts, if you have skinny enough arms to reach in there. The newer design plastic upper plenums are shorter, and make plugs a breeze to do.

I also remove the cowling whenever I do a power steering pump, makes getting to the high pressure line muuuch easier.