I need to replace the intake manifold gasket on my 1995 Del Sol. I am doing it in place. All is good, except I can't get the center nut on the underside of the manifold. It seems to be in a partial recess and none of my sockets will get a good grip on it, even my 1/4" drive socket. Is there a super-thin wall socket I am supposed to use? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

get it from underneath or use a slim 12mm wrench.

 

I have been attacking it from the underside all along. However, a socket seems to be the only viable method and the wall of the sockets are just too thick. I will continue to try, but I don't foresee success.

 

go thru the top. there is a space to put a wrench thru to access the nut.

 

Last time I remember using a box end wrench from the top. You will need to turn it a small amount many times.

The nut should be a 12 mm hex. If someone put on an "American metric" M8 nut with a 13 mm hex, you're going to have a bad time.

 

 

After discovering that my 1/4" drive universal wouldn't fit through the "hole" in the top of the manifold I started thinking. It suddenly dawned on me that if it is this impossible to get that nut off, I would NEVER be able to get it back on. So I went ahead and buttoned things back up. I will either wait until I pull the engine and rebuild it, or I will let a shop handle this gasket. In the meanwhile... the leak is a ~1 1/2" break in the top of the gasket. I said screw it and made a little patch with Gorilla Tape. Worked like a champ and the engine purrs like a kitten. I realize it is only a temporary fix, but there's a lot of tape on that roll.

 

I've not had any issues getting a deep well socket on that nut from underneath with my long 3/8 drive extension and ratchet. Getting it from the top has always been painful.

I also like to go for that nut first, it's usually the one that has been given up on and hasn't been removed in the life of the car due to everyone giving up on it.

 

I, too, was able to "easily" get a deep well onto that nut, but it would not seat deeply enough to not slip on the nut. Using a mirror, it looks like the nut is in a slight recess that the wall of the socket is just too thick to penetrate.

 

 

I loosen that nut first... from the top with a box-end wrench. You can then spin it off with a finger from below the intake manifold. When you get close to the end of the stud, I place a small periscopic magnet to the nut so when the last turn of the nut releases it from the stud, you don't lose it. I re-install it later in the opposite manner. Use the magnet to hold the nut to the end of the stud from the top while you "start" the nut with your fingers from below. Once snug, you can use the box-end wrench to properly tighten.