vacuum leak

mark1 · Post by **mark1** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 4:03 pm

I have a 83 tercel 4wd SR5. I have been trying to fix a vacuum leak at the intake manifold for a long time now. I have had the intake milled and checked for cracks. I tried using a toyota gasket and one from napa,both seem to still be leaking. I am not sure if it might be leaking around the base of the carb,but I have replaced all the base gaskets. It does not suck in carb cleaner at the 3 sides of the carb I can directly spray. As you know there is a heat shield over most of the intake,so when I spray the intake at the head it does take a second for the rpm's to rise. Im not exactly sure where its leaking. Has anyone delt with this problem? Ive had this problem for some time,and am sick of taking everything apart (7 times) to still have the same problem. Thanks for any imput. This is the first time I ve been to your web site its great. I am also Interested in lifting my little mule,so lets find a lift kit or make one.

peace mark

warbstrd · Post by **warbstrd** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 7:22 pm

check the intake/exh. manifold bolts for looseness or replace the gasket. just remember to torque them at proper torque.

nattyd · Post by **nattyd** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:23 pm

I have replaced the gasket twice, and toruque the bolts to specs. the manifold has bee milled and checked for cracks. this is one of those problems that isnt suppose to be doing whats its doing know what I mean. so any body got any ideas????????????? peace mark

takza · Post by **takza** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:54 am

Could the surface on the head be warped? Or have some kind of variation in it?

warbstrd · Post by **warbstrd** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:28 am

after you torque the int/exh bolts to i think 21 foot pounds recheck them after a week or so. i over torqued mine to 70 something foot pounds the first time i installed it. then after i got a leak i torqued em to the correct spec and still got a leak. prblem was the bolts torqed ok but would come loose after a couple of days...bought new bolts and a helicoil set to redo the holes in the head - no more problems..

also, there is a spacer under the heat shield that a hose goes to (believe its the pcv hose), make dur that spacer has no cracks in it and check the sensor on the spacer for leaks around it, that was another one of my problems.

russkiypenguin1 · Post by **russkiypenguin1** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 9:33 am

How does a vacuum leak normally exhibit itself? Does the idle tend to surge when sitting still?

nattyd · Post by **nattyd** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 9:45 pm

the idle does surge up and down , and there is a miss at idle. I have pinned downed the leak to #2 cyl the plug looks like like its running lean at that cyl. do i have to heli-coil the head bolt holes or can i just replace the hardware.

takza · Post by **takza** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:12 am

When you strip the threads in alum...they can act pretty strange to where you think they are holding...but they don't.