hey all

my step dad said to change my spark plugs he might need to replace the inlet manifold gasket is tht tru?
he said theres alot u have to take off to get to them

also i have a leaking rocket cover and screwd oil cap :(

getting close to 200,000kms so thought its time to do all this stuff

but yer how much would a inlet manifold gasket be?

thx

Think the inlet manifold gasket is a metal one so won't need replacing if it is. There's heaps of info about the rocker cover gasket fix etc, doing a search will turn this goldmine up.

The inlet manifold/plenum gasket is a steel one - so I am told it doesn't really need changing. I asked at the dealer Spares counter in Dubbo and it was only $7- so I got one for each of our cars anyway.

If you are close to 200K then you are getting close to a Timing Belt change - that's a big job, requires a bit of knowledge and tensioning the new belt correctly requires a special tool. I got an expert to do this for my car, and plan for same guy to do 2 more for us.

You'd also expect to change the rear platinum spark-plugs (which you are doing), but its important to check if any oil is leaking from rocker cover onto the spark plug insulators (below the top of the rocker cover, in the tube where spark plugs are poked down into the head). Oil leaks will soften the spark plug insulators making them swell and possibly break up. If this is the case, you need to buy Spark Plug Tube seals which are changed when rocker cover is removed. Aftermarket kits of Rocker Cover Gasket and 3x Plug Tube Seals are available, or the bits can be bought individually from Mitsi or others. The cheapest Rocker Cover + Plug Tube Seals kit I could find was from a NSW regional parts shop who trade on EBay as Ultra Cheap Auto - was $22- for each engine bank (that was for one rocker gasket and 3 seals - 2 kits required to do complete engine).

Oil cap - you can buy a new seal from Mitsi - just a flat round rubber ring, probably $5-$10 tops. Unless the cap itself is buggered some other way.

Rocker covers can be distorted by tensioning bolts too tight, as two layers of tin make up the groove the gasket sits in. Search forums for lots of info and good tips about these jobs!! Some excellent mechanics on these forums, including the bloke who did my timing belt/plugs/rocker covers/plug tubes!!

thanks heaps for all the info guys
yeah timing belt will have to be done soon i replaced my alternator/air con belt not long back
yeah ill have to get a new seal or cap from mitsi in adelaide as our dealership hear went in with sumone else and now dont stock parts on site.yeah i rekon ill get the rocket cover gaskets replaced at the same time as the spark plugs might aswell kill 2 birds with one stone cause the rocket cover is leaking.
but after all this work it should be all good again! :)

thanks again