DIY - Removing the Intake Manifold and Coilpack on a 12V VR6

[FaelinGL]

REMOVING / REINSTALLING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD and COILPACK

The following procedure will outline the steps needed to remove and reinstall the intake manifold and coilpack. These steps are needed if you would like to replace your cams or your timing chains.

No parts are required, but if you are replacing the coilpack then you will need a new coilpack.

Tools
1) Large Vise Grips
2) Small Vise Grips
3) 6 mm hex wrench
4) 5 mm hex wrench
5) Duct Tape
6) Small blade screwdriver (for removing connectors)
7) 10 mm open end wrench (or 10 mm socket and ratchet)

Please be careful. Do this procedure at your own risk, I can't be held responsible if I have made a mistake in the steps.

Initial Conditions
-The hood is open
-The spark plug wires and engine covers are removed per the Spark Plug and Wire Removal DIY.

Removing the intake manifold

1. Remove the cover to the coolant reservoir. This will depressurize the coolant lines.

2. Disconnect three of the connectors to the intake shown by the red arrows below.

3. Disconnect the fourth connector on the other side, show here by the blue arrow.

4. Disconnect the throttle body connector.

5. Using a pair of vice-grips, loosen the clamp connecting the intake tube to the throttle body. Once the clamp is loose, slide the tube off of the throttle body.

6. Using a pair of vice-grips, loosen the clamp connecting the air breather to the valve cover. Then slide the hose off of the cover.

7. Using a pair of vice-grips, loosen the two coolant clamps connecting hoses to the throttle body. Then slide the two hoses off of the throttle body.

8. Remove the 8 hex head bolts holding the intake manifold down with a 6 mm hex wrench. Start with the two bolts shown by the red arrows. Then slide off the metal tube shown by the yellow arrow, and then remove the rest of the bolts (green arrows).

9. Remove the ground strap connecting the block to the throttle body with a 5 mm hex wrench.

10. Once the bolts are removed, the intake manifold should lift right off of the valve cover. Be VERY careful when positioning the manifold as it is still connected by a small tube at the front right of the manifold.

11. Make sure you tape up the intake runners on both sides with some duct tape.

Removing the coilpack

12. Remove the air flow tube by pressing out on the clips and lifting up on the tube.

13. Remove the coilpack connector indicated by the red arrow, and the camshaft position sensor, indicated by the blue arrow. You can see a good shot of the air tube removed.

14. Unclip the guide rails for the coilpack connector by lifting them up with a small blade screwdriver.

15. Remove the four hex head bolts holding the coilpack onto the upper timing chain cover with a 6 mm hex wrench. Then lift the coilpack up and out of the engine bay.

16. If you are removing the upper timing chain cover for whatever
reason, you will also need to remove the secondary water pump. Remove the three 13 mm bolts holding the pump bracket onto the upper timing chain cover. It may be helpful to lower the secondary pump out of its supports.

17. Once you are finished with the clutch or timing chains, reinstallation is the reverse of removal. Make *sure* you put the metal tube (yellow arrow, step #8) back and install those two bolts first.

That's it! Let me know with any questions.

Mike


Modified by FaelinGL at 10:52 AM 11-7-2006

[Swizz_Dub]

bad-ass i might need this in the near future. thx!!

[spkn^GRMN]

jeez, another DIY guide Mike?!!!
thorough as always

[LSinLV]

Mike.

but IMHO, you don't need to remove the intake manifold to get the coil pacl out.

[2K_GLX]

Don't you also need to remove the vacuum-assisted shifter rod assembly at the front driver's side to completely remove the manifold?

[FaelinGL]

Quote, originally posted by LSinLV »

Mike. but IMHO, you don't need to remove the intake manifold to get the coil pacl out.

That's absolutely true. But this was written in an attempt to complete the string of DIYs necessary to do the timing chain replacement.

Quote, originally posted by 2K_GLX »

Don't you also need to remove the vacuum-assisted shifter rod assembly at the front driver's side to completely remove the manifold?

That is true, but I think that out of 100 VR owners, maybe 1 or 2 will actually have to replace the manifold. This was written with the intent of doing cam replacement or timing chain replacement with the minimum of effort. Removing the vacuum assist line is easy, but getting that tiny hose back into the T junction is a pain unless you move the lock carrier.

Mike

[VgRt6]

Quote, originally posted by 2K_GLX »

Don't you also need to remove the vacuum-assisted shifter rod assembly at the front driver's side to completely remove the manifold?

I usually just pull the vacuum line out of the shifter rod drive unit. It's not that difficult to get back in.

[VgRt6]

Another excellent DIY ... as always. I should either pass the DIY torch to you, or the two of us should go into business together.

[midnightbluegli]

join up

[maxslug]

Quote, originally posted by FaelinGL »

Tools 1) Large Vise Grips 2) Small Vise Grips 5) Duct Tape

Uh Oh.

(write-up authors rock!)
-m

[phatvw]

Quote, originally posted by VgRt6 »

Another excellent DIY ... as always. I should either pass the DIY torch to you, or the two of us should go into business together.

Awesome DIY. Lets take this a step further: headgasket replacement

[VgRt6]

If my head ever has to come off, then there will be one.

... unless Mike beats me to it.

[FaelinGL]

Quote, originally posted by VgRt6 »

If my head ever has to come off, then there will be one. ... unless Mike beats me to it.

LOL...call me when you do that one Gary...I'm definitely in for that. If I ever have to replace my engine, an R32 is going in and a DIY will be written.

Mike

[phatvw]

Quote, originally posted by FaelinGL »

LOL...call me when you do that one Gary...I'm definitely in for that. If I ever have to replace my engine, an R32 is going in and a DIY will be written. Mike

If I put in a HG spacer for my turbo setup, then I might beat both of you. I hear its an 8 hour job for us VR6-turbo guys...

[VgRt6]

8 hours? I wouldn't be disappointed if it only took me that long.

[VR6ix]

Just out of curiosity (since I have removed/replaced the upper manifold before):

How did you access the bolts joining the upper manifold to the lower manifold? aka Step 8.

It's sooo stupid tight between the radiator support and the manifold that I couldn't even get a flex-shaft socket extension to work, though my hex-head socket bit was rather long. Had to move the front carrier out before I was able to get enough torque on those bolts but I was doing the t-stat replacement anyway.

Nice write-up otherwise ... but I hope people looking to JB Weld their coil pack don't read this DIY... there are much easier procedures to simply remove the coil pack.

I still give it

[FaelinGL]

Quote, originally posted by VR6ix »

How did you access the bolts joining the upper manifold to the lower manifold? aka Step 8. Had to move the front carrier out before I was able to get enough torque on those bolts but I was doing the t-stat replacement anyway. I still give it

The first time I did this I moved the carrier. The second time I wanted to see if it was possible without, so I cut apart a 6 mm allen wrench and got it down in there. It's possible, but it is MUCH easier if you move the front carrier.

Mike

[VR6_00Jetta]

Not to jack anybody's thread, but don't you just need to remove the plastic upper manifold to get enough space to access the coilpack?

Quote, originally posted by VR6ix »

... but I hope people looking to JB Weld their coil pack don't read this DIY... there are much easier procedures to simply remove the coil pack.

[VgRt6]

Quote, originally posted by VR6_00Jetta »

Not to jack anybody's thread, but don't you just need to remove the plastic upper manifold to get enough space to access the coilpack?

Yes.

[VgRt6]

I use a regular 6mm hex wrench and a flex head wrench (no ratchet - a flex head ratchet won't fit) with 6mm socket attached to get the upper manifold bolts out. The two outermost bolts are easily accessible and I get those with the regular wrench. To get the four innermost bolts (two upper and two lower), I slip the flex head wrench and socket down between the manifold and front end. The wrench is used to initially loosen and finally tighten the bolts. I fish my arm underneath the manifold from either side to loosen/tighten the bolts by hand most of the way.

This is the setup I'm using. The flex head wrench is available at Home Depot for $10.

Modified by VgRt6 at 7:00 PM 11-8-2006

[Marcusvr6]

well where i live they dont sale them..... went to "H P" and they didn't have it>>>>

[nesisg]

Great write up. I see you have a lot of room between the intake and radiator. Did you have to remove the bumper, or slide it forward to get that much clearance?

[FaelinGL]

Quote, originally posted by nesisg »

Great write up. I see you have a lot of room between the intake and radiator. Did you have to remove the bumper, or slide it forward to get that much clearance?

You remove the bumper and the 6 bolts holding the lock carrier on. It gives you a TON of extra room. Takes less then 10 minutes, and you don't cut your hands trying to fight the hex bolts.

Mike

[V8Star]

Nice DIY.

Some things I would do differently and reasons:

Hose Clamp Pliers - Instead of ViceGrips. As much as the Vice Grips are a great tool, they are not designed to remove hose clamps from these cars. If you happen to have coolant or something else wet/slippery on the clamp or hose, there is a chance the vice grips will slide off.
Also, these Snap-On hose clamp pliers below are what I personally use. If you own a early 90s-up Volkswagen (notably a VR6) then it WILL have these hose clamps. These pliers make it easy to use on any size clamp, instead of re adjusting the vice grips.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

Next is the Duct Tape covering the intake ports / runners. I agree with covering them up to prevent catastrophic damage, but I don't agree with using Duct Tape. Duct Tape leaves a stick residue, which could interfere with the gasket / seal and possibly cause it to leak / not seal properly.
I use Blue 3m Masking tape. It leaves no residue behind, and it is easy to rip into sections that you can use. It is also easy to remove and apply.

Also, you say "No parts are required, but if you are replacing the coilpack then you will need a new coilpack."

You will need a new upper intake manifold gasket if you remove the intake manifold.

Again, nice DIY. I am not saying you did anything wrong, I am just throwing out my opinion and how I would do it.


Modified by V8Star at 5:40 PM 12-20-2009

[botkiller]

wicked DIY, thank you!

[nesisg]

Quote, originally posted by FaelinGL »

You remove the bumper and the 6 bolts holding the lock carrier on. It gives you a TON of extra room. Takes less then 10 minutes, and you don't cut your hands trying to fight the hex bolts. Mike

Awesome idea. I did it the first time when I swapped my head, but I didn't know I didn't have to disconnect the radiator hoses. This will make things so much easier. Thank you.

[GazooVr6]

Re: step 3. Do you take the hose off of the plug or fully unplug it from the black bosch thing.. thanks for quick reply

[Peno]

Anyone have an answer to the most recent question re: Step 3?

I'm currently doing the upper timing chain fastener replacement and would like to know if I remove the hose from the joint or do I just yank that whole thing out?

[brentwood]

Wow thank you soo much!! This writeup helped me lots this weekend!