Jennifur

Hi All,


I wanted to know if there is anything I can do while I have my intake manifold off that i should do so I dont have to go back in and take it all apart and such again?


I just bought this 1998 Pontiac Trans Am (WS6, a REAL WS6) and I had to replace the knock sensor on bank #1 but I replaced both for good measure along with the wiring harness as well. While I had it off, I decided to totally and completely scrub the hell out of it, I then sanded it down starting at 120 grit all the way up to 800 grit and then primed it and painted it and airbrushed it and laid down clear coat layers some with some Ultra Violet pigment powder in the clear to make any black pop the UV Purple color (see photos below)


But my ? is, while I have the intake off, I took the throttle body off and spent a few hours filing it down, sanding it and buffing it and now it shines like its a billet piece. But should I replace the fuel injector O rings, or intake manifold gaskets around each intake port or anything else while I am at it? I unfortunately broke the (I think its the MAP sensor) in the back where the vacuum port is for the brake booster so I need to get a new one of those before I can bolt the intake down to the heads again. I did also strip the fuel rails down and polished that as well so its shining like chrome which I will probably shoot some clear on it and hopefully it will stick and prevent the fuel rail from rusting over time. But any advice as to do anything for good measure while I have the intake off?


Also, I found 2 pigtails in the back with 3 pins and I am not sure which one goes to that MAP sensor and what the other one is for. I should have taken some photos of the stuff in the back but I only took photos of all the fuel rails and such in the front, hard to get a camera under the dash and point to the things behind the intake. Can someone tell me which color connector goes on the MAP sensor and what the 2nd connector is for? Does that go on to something on the fuel rail or something else? I put the connector fed from the drivers side onto the pig tail for the knock sensors and there is a sensor sticking up from the intake valley pan thing but I do not know what this other pig tail connector is for. One is a tan color and other is black I think and the 3rd one is blue (the blue I think is the one for the knock sensors)
OR if someone knows what wire colors and stripe colors are for which item, i can surely figure out what goes where at that point which connector clips to which item back there.


Just wish to do this so I dont end up having to take apart the whole intake and fuel rails and injectors and wiring harnesses and all this stuff again if I can help it.
Thank you all in advance for any advice you can provide for me while I have this apart.
I fly back home from a work trip later today and want to get this all buttoned back up when I get home. I put gorilla tape over the intake ports on both heads and then laid a big blanket in the center of the engine with a huge contractor trash bag draped over the blanket to tent it so any water that might sneak in from the windshield down to the cowl, would run off and not sit on the top of the engine. hopefully it has not rained much since I have been away and if it did, the water would just run off the cowl down the sides and not into the engine bay and sneak past that rubber seal against the underside of the hood. Water in the engine would NOT be a good thing................


Okay thank you all again! Appreciate any info you can provide.



Jennifur




I cant post photos for some reason. Ill try to reply and add some photos but it is asking for approval from a moderator to let my post get posted if I include photos? How can I get around this rule and be able to add photos to my posts?
Thanks!!!!! Hope everyone has an awesome day!!!

Jennifur

Lets see if this works or not???

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

Skull and Bones member?

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

the stock intake gaskets become flat and lose their seal in old age.....creating vacuum leaks that will drive you crazy....replace them every time you have the manifold off ( cheap insurance )

you should also check the nipple gasket on the MAP sensor ( or get a new MAP ) .....same applies in old age....hopefully you did not break anything off the rear nipple bung.....as it is not available separately

with the mani off it is EXCELLENT time to switch to a LS6 valley cover.....I dont know if 98s had the same PCV hoses....but they are a ticking time bomb of deterioration ( and another freakin hard to find vacuum leak )....hence the LS6 VC swap

put new throttle body gasket on too....

and you did switch to the newer style KS and harness ?

It is always a good idea to replace any of the silicone / rubber gaskets.....including the ones on the fuel injectors

the plugs back there dont have the same ends so should be easy to find their mates.....there is the MAP....KS..OP sensor....and maybe the AIR if you unplugged it .....the vacuum lines....one to HVAC.....one to the AIR solenoid

I dont know the emission laws where you live but the EGR delete and or the AIR delete will save you some weight and add HP

if not a EGR delete you can trim the EGR tube right behind the TB by cutting it flush and gain some flow....you can see how far it sticks down into the throat of the mani

bein a 98 IDK if you have the common problem of breaking the oil pressure sensor ....if so have a spare handy

easy mod is to port the TB and mod the throttle stop so the blade opens all the way at WOT

I have done all these things and more.....so have fun

Jennifur

As far as the Knock Sensor, I told them to pull the Part Number from a 2000 / 2002 but they said they were all the same, and the old 98 version was not available so I guess yes I did update to the newer version of the knock sensors and got a new wiring harness with it for good measure.
The MAP sensor broke when I tried to pull it off the back of the intake, but the rubber O ring seal was stuck in the port but it just popped it out with my fingernails. So nothing was broken and left behind.
What I dont get is why parts at RockAuto are like 7% of what all the auto parts stores around me cost. Is there THAT much of a mark up on these parts? a new MAP sensor at Napa is 80 dollars and at rock auto from 28 to 50 bucks depending on brand. Just shocked at the cost difference TBH. Anyway enough whining.........
Okay so the valley pan gasket should be replaced for good measure as well as the intake, Throttle body, Fuel Injector O Rings. Cool, soon ill have a completely refurbished car. Now I need a new stereo head unit and ill really be in a good place with the car.

I will see if I can add the photos I just took a few minutes ago with the various color wires, but the connector ends are both identical 3 pin connectors, and I do not know which one is for the MAP sensor and what the 2nd pigtail is for. I pulled back the sheath to expose the wires to see what colors they are and perhaps if I can find a wiring diagram, I can identify which pig tail is for what sensor or whatever.
If you can identify it, Id be greatly indebted.................
I am getting a list of parts together from Rock Auto to get since they are so much more inexpensive, so If I have to wait 2 days or so, then so be it. Worth the wait over the local parts places that want 200 bucks or so for all the gaskets, and sensor and all. everything from Rock Auto is under 100 dollars. Drastic difference and even if I have them sent for Saturday delivery its will way less expensive.

So explain to me what the benefits are of doing a "DELETION of the EGR and the AIR" sensors/systems.
How do I do these deletes and whats is all involved? From what I remember way back when I had my old 1998 Trans Am, I did quite a few of those "Freebie" mods and most of them wore easy to do and worked out well. Even when I swapped the cam out for the GM HOT CAM kit I did the Antenna magnet trick and swapped it out without dropping any lifters into the oil pan and did the 17/64ths drill bit mod on the throttle blade for it to get enough air at idle to not stall out. I was going to do the computer reprogram but back then it was not as simple as it is these days to either just send it out and get it back in a week or take it to a tuning shop anywhere and get the car on the dyno roller things and do it in a more manual method.
I did break the dyno with that car years back by exceeding its limitations due to how the car was setup with the 2.73 highway rear, a steel drive shaft, a Yank torque converter custom built based on my dyno numbers and with the cam and other stuff, headers and all that car became a street legal bullet with 440 rear wheel horse power is what I remember it getting up to after all said and done. Always would get tossed out of the track for being in the low 11's and not having a cage, fire suit, fire extinguisher and all that jazz. sso I would always hit the brakes before the finish line before my last run where I would really get a good time slip. 11.357 is the best run that car ever made on Nittos drag radials.
These days im not so into the speed thing as I used to be. Can say I grew up a little bit over the years and became more refined and more lady like even though working on my cars is still a passion for me along with my airbrushing and painting just about everything I can get my little hands on these days. (why i thought the intake manifold could use some art work while I had it off to replace the knock sensors)
Okay enough babbling on............
So tell me about the upgrades, deletions and valley pan if you would not mind and THANK you so very much for replying to my post SJSingle1. Most people seem to just read it and not reply and move on.
I also will tell you i would like to plan on doing a Tick cam install and put catalytic converters in the Y pipe to give the car a more tuned sound. if I still dont like the sound it makes with this SLP Loud Mouth exhaust, I will probably ante up for a B&B cat back system or a true dual system that I see Texas speed or something makes with an X pipe setup. IF I do those upgrades will this EGR and AIR deletions/modifications be affected or will it be a help to those upgrades? The car passed emissions even without the catalytic converters installed on the car. It failed because of the knock sensors, any car in this state that has a CHECK ENGINE light on will automatically fail and the codes must be cleared and no pending codes can be present on the computer or they wont put a sticker on it. Thats why Im trying to get all this done so I can get my stickers on the car and then going forward I wont have to worry about emissions, only state because the car wont get 5000 miles or more on it in a years time. I work full time from home for the government so the car only gets used for errands and such.
Thank you again SJSingle1 You're the best!

Sincerely,

Jennifur

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Definitely replace the intake manifold gaskets while the intake is off. With 20+ years on them they are due. Vacuum leaks start and water can even get in during heavyxrain and hydrolock an engine in a 4th Gen LS Camaro or Firebird due to the hood and cowl design.

After 18 years mine were in poor condition.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

Those connectors.....yes they are the same size...and 3 pin......but notice the cutout ....its different in each plug ....I dont think any GM plug is the same to avoid mis plugging

and ALWAYS use GM/acdelco/delphi sensors ......the cheaper price of a generic is not worth the hassle of a failure

AIR delete saves weight off the front end ( the pump ) and associated hoses and wiring.....EGR delete keeps exhaust gases out of the intake.....deletion of those will trigger a code which can be deleted

the AIR pump motor is on the drivers side under/by the headlights....remove pump ....follow hoses and remove....the AIR solenoid is on the drivers side ... top the valve cover rear....unplug wiring and cap the vacuum hoses ....follow hoses to exhaust manifolds ( if stock ) you can buy plates to cover the openings

EGR....remove egr selonoid and hose up to the intake mani....there is a plate made to cover the hole in manifold ....i forget the GM P/N....but others make one too....and another plate to cover hole of solenoid in exhaust manifold ...think WS6 store sells these plates

find you a good tuner.......even a pretty stock engine benefits from a tune....ask me how i know

I had a borla system ....the loudness wore me out after a while so i can imagine the loudmouth

the LS6 VC is a little more involved.......the block needs to be clearanced ....but nothing hard to do....plenty of threads cover that mod to see if you are interested.......it was worth it to me

pdxmotorhead

Lately most of the sensor stuff I see on rock are AC/Delco or Delphi.. I'm good with that..
I avoid the "standard" or odd generic stuff.. Shop smart and read the info tabs.. Good to go.

BTW standard markup in the part industry is 30% at the counter. 20% at the distributor.
Depending on the town you live in.. Rent Matters

Jennifur

I wanted to thank you all for your helpful advice, I got the new throttle body and intake gaskets, I had to put the intake on before I went on vacation so no water leaked in so while I was waiting for the gaskets to show up I put the intake on and torqued it down the appropriate way with multiple passes and with the old gaskets and sure enough like you all said, Vacuum leaks out the ying yang, RPM was bumped up to 2500-4200 RPM's it would NOT come down, I cleaned out the IAC, and the throttle body multiple times and it turned out that the vacuum lines in the back of the intake were to blame as well as the gaskets (Carb Cleaner verified both sides of the intake were leaking air in for it would stumble when I shot some carb cleaner between the intake and the heads. So when I got the new gaskets when I got back from vacation, I pulled it all apart, I redid the Y for the vacuum lines behind the intake and had to use a few zip ties to ensure the hoses were tight around the air tube nipples they went on to ensure they had a tight seal. The coolant temp sensor kicked off a code again so I have replaced it twice and I used a teeny screw driver and tightened up the connectors in the pig tail and sure enough boom problem solved. I guess from the previous guy and me taking the connector on and off 1000000000000000000 times the female metal connectors opened up and created a poor connection to the 3 pins on the coolant temp sensor. Now instead of reading negative 38 degrees on my computer monitor with live data stream, it reads correct 185 to 210 or so. Its perfect now. So the knock sensors are new, the wiring harness for the knock sensors are new, the coolant temp sensor is new, the intake has been thoroughly cleaned, scrubbed, blasted stripped painted airbrushed and new gaskets all around, new MAP sensor, the vacuum lines rerouted and nice n tight and all connectors connected properly, all my O rings for the fuel injectors are new, the fuel line has been sanded, scrubbed, polished and shines like chrome, and now some more aesthetics I will do as time goes on but for now, we are running with no check engine lights anymore, so now I will take it back to get its inspection stickers tomorrow so I can breathe a sigh of relief so im not driving around illegally anymore, and enjoy the car.
Next is 2 high flow cats and cut the Y pipe to install the cats and pull a vacuum on the AC system and make sure its going to hold a vacuum so I know I can load it up with refrigerant and see how well the AC system works cause honestly middle of summer with windows down just SUCKS. You MUST have a working AC system for a driver so you dont sweat to death all day and night. Just can't show up for a date or something sweating to death.
The latest issue Ive run into is the radiator cap pressure cap is spewing a teeny bit of anti freeze out of the cap, So I got a new one from NAPA and its junk, some 5 dollar part works like a 5 dollar part and still leaks so i made sure the steam hoses and the overflow hose is clear with compressed air, I filled it with the dex cool stuff mixed 50?50 from the concentrate. I have a pressure tester but since its leaking at the cap that is not going to do much but I did test the cap itself with the adapter in the STANT kit and i guess the tester does not hold pressure cause it just lets any pressure right out so I took one of the caps off our old C3 corvettes and i dont know if its still leaking or not. But I do have 2 gallons of 50/50 dex cool and 1 gallon of water in the trunk just so I dont have any issues i cant handle out on the roads cause overheating and stranded would suck. cheap insurance to carry around a few gallons of water and coolant.
Also the stereo is the last item on my list. So all in all as soon as I get my inspection stickers tomorrow, I will be relieved and then can do the exhaust, AC and stereo and I will have a really nice inexpensive driver that is reliable.
Again thank you all for your help, suggestions and advice, its paid off 100 fold so I thank you all very much. Greatly appreciated

Thank you

Jenni