lower intake

99 winstar 3.8 im doing the lower intake gaskets and part of the haynes book says to remove push rods before removing intake . no problem just loosen rockers to one side .im at the point were im about to assemble inreverse order. reading haynes it says after reinstalling p rods that i need to find tdc on all cylenders, but in section to r.r intake it doesnt say it has to be done,i didnt have to remove the camshaft positionsensor, only if its a 3.0. can i just tighten the rocker bolts to torque without do tdc thing.my other problem is im repairing van on dirt so trying to get a jack under it to move crankshaft seem like a job in it self . thanks k

Its pretty late, so take anything I write with a proverbial grain of salt .... but after having removed the lower intake on the 3.8 several times ... I don't remember the lower intake including the push rods, ... I remember push rods only going thru the heads.

I need to look at some of my old digital images.

thanks for replying i emailed haynes an email about this but wont get a reply for a couple of days, you are correct about p-rods as i see no path, i already removed p-rods so thats why the question,if i have to find tdc then ill have to go buy tools which wife isnt too happy about.this is the biggest repair i have ever done on a car so im alittle scared on repair , cant afford to have done by mechanic but still a little confident too. with help from you guys. i hope to save a few hundred bucks as ssd doesnt pay well. thanks k

If you are only replacing the lower intake manifold gaskets ... why have you removed push-rods? Why are the valve covers removed?

What exotic tools do you need to find TDC? (Just for clarity: TDC means "TDC on the #1 cylinder, while on its compression stroke.) On my engine, ('99 3.8) it was possible to find the marks on the crank pulley .... but I confirmed the accuracy by removing the spark plug, inserting a slender plastic rod and rocking the crank back and forth 'til I was sure the piston was at the top of its travel.

Lower intake manifold does not even require the valve cover gaskets to come off.
So you do NOT need to worry about the push rods.......that would only be if you were also doing the head gaskets.......where the heads must be removed.

As there are coolant passages through the lower intake manifold.....you WILL end up with coolant into the crankcase........which is why you MUST change the oil and oil filter before starting the motor after you get everything back together.

While you are doing the lower intake manifold gaskets, I would recommend that you replace the "bypass pipe" that crosses from 1 end of the motor to the other through there.
It is not uncommon for the bypass pipe to develop pin hole leaks......and since you are right there.....changing it out will remove that from the potential problem list.

i was following the haynes manual on intake repair and that in intake swection thats what it says to do(push rods) ,after doing the instructions thats when i seen that push rods didnt go through as the book said. if any of you guys have that haynes book look up that job and you shall see the instructions,that say to remove the rods .now that p rods are out do i need the tdc step.

I would try to get everything back exactly where it started out ... use a torque wrench to tighten everything back up. And then, start over. As written, drain coolant before removing lower manifold. It can be tricky to get those manifold gaskets just right ... took me twice to stop coolant leaks.

As long as you don't remove the synchronizer, front cover, chain ... etc; you should not need to establish TDC. I have noticed that that particular Haynes needed some editing. I think they muddled the overhaul section with the lower intake manifold removal section. Guess they have "late nights" like the rest of us.

It really sounds like they might have blended it into the head gasket job.....
I don't have a Hayes manual......but the lower intake manifold gasket job is a part of the head gasket job........
Like I said......no need to even remove the valve covers to do the lower intake manifold gaskets......although, if the valve cover gaskets are on your list.......THIS would be a good time to do them.

heres an update on how job going so far. well on easter day i went to sears and bought a torque wrench 25in/lb - 250in/lb .i now feel confident that i can do this, so put gasket on and set torque wrench to first step in tightening sequence,tightend bolts first step was ok while doing second one every bolt went ok (i thought wrong ) it appears the wrench is defective as 3 bolt heads were snapped off.now im stuck as to how to remove them. i called sears and the manager at store said he relayed problem to corp. and that i should hear from them in a few days. any sugestions as to how i can get them out,or wait till sears calls back.i know i need a new set of bolts but do i also need new gaskets. k

If you have not started the vehicle.....the gaskets "should" be OK.
I broke 1 bolt when I did mine........I STRONGLY recommend that you use a beam type torque wrench and NOT a "clicker" type.
My "clicker" did not "click".......
You might be lucky.......as in my case and at least 1 other case as reported on this forum......
Remove ALL the bolts.......lift the lower intake manifold off........you might have enough of a stud left sticking out of the head to be able to grasp it with pliers and turn it counter clockwise out of the head.
Buy new bolts......use a BEAM type torque wrench to install using the new bolts.
It is INCH pounds........and that is not a lot of torque.......as you now know.

I know FIRST hand the feeling when that bolt snaps.

I also prefer the beam type torque wrench .... but there is no guarantee that bolts will never break. Which bolts broke? The ones holding the upper plastic halves together? ...or the ones holding the upper to the aluminum lower?

I ended up with broken ones in the upper. Had to take a grinder to grind off the bolt heads ... I ended up taking out all the bolts and replacing with home-made studs. I have a posting somewhere that describes the project ... but it ain't rocket science!

I was guessing from the wording of the post that he broke the bolts that hold the lower intake manifold to the head.
I know first hand that you need ALL those bolts in place to avoid coolant leakage.
My hope is that, like me, he will be lucky and have enough of a stub of the bolt sticking out of the head once he removes the lower intake manifold.

Steel screws into aluminum ... always scary! When I had my cyl heads removed, I put an insert into one of those holes because the female threads just did not look good and I was afraid there might be trouble later when the intake was reinstalled. I like to play it safe.

you are correct in that the bolts are the ones that thread into the heads.i did get two by tapping edge of bolt to remove them. took quite awhile as i felt like a neuro surgen as i tryed to have minimal scrathes but it worked.the other has no lip and tapping is very scary as im not rushing to do.i am pondering different ideas through my bean.im taking my time as i dont want to have one of those mechanic fits (lol). ill let you know out come when weather is alittle warmer . thanks guys for replying k