This weekend I changed the lower intake gaskets with the FelPro updated set, and while I was in there I replaced the factory injectors with the Delphi MPFI set. Wasn't too big of a job, but it took me longer than I wanted it too due to the fact that there is no good way to get to most of the stuff in the engine compartment. I was sitting on the radiator support and leaning over and it sucked reaching the stuff in the back. Once I got the intake reinstalled and buttoned down, I replaced the valve cover gaskets and put the coil and bracket back on. When I went to replace the distributor, it seated down against the oil pump but the rotor was advances about 1/8 of a turn past where I marked it. I couldn't figure out why, so I tried to adjust the oil pump shaft with a long screwdriver. I couldn't see it and in my fumbling around, dropped the damn screwdriver in the hole. Tried everything to get it out, before it got wedged. Well, off everything comes again. It actually may have been a blessing, as I only used the tube of RTV felpro gave me, and I don't think it made a good seal. So I bought a big tube of permatex and redid it. While I had the distributor off, I made several test runs to get the distributor seated, and on my marks. I noticed that you need to turn the rotor counter clockwise much more than you think you need to to get the distributor to seat on the oil pump and be the marks line up. Once I got everything back on, moment of truth. Let the pump prime, and she turned over about 5 times before firing right up. On subsequent restarts, she would fire and stumble then catch up. Did it really hard one time and threw a code. Code reader display wasn't working so I don't know what it was. It had been throwing a P0420 code before the replacement, and I had the cats but did not replace them due to time. I also forgot to replace the plugs that may have been fouled due to burning coolant in both front cylinders. I also cleaned alot of gunk and carbon from the intake plenum. The EGR tube was also fairly loose at the left exhaust manifold. As I didn't do the exhaust, I forgot about it and on the drive home had a really nice exhaust leak. I left the truck at home and went back to vet school the next day. Folks are taking it to a friend to do the cats for me. In reality she never really got warm as it is only about a two mile drive from the shop to my house. However, I did notice it was MUCH smoother at idle and no knock at startup like I had been getting for the past few weeks before the swap. It was clear the motor had never been apart. There wasn't much coolant in the lifter valley, it appeared most of the coolant had been blowing by into the intake runners. Think i caught it in time. Before the startup, I drained the oil and changed the filter and replaced the oil. Plan on driving it to the muffler shop and getting home and swapping. Then gonna flush the cooling system and go back with the all purpose all car green version. Sorry to be long winded, but wanted to explain just what I did. I had previously replaced the fuel pump about 2 years ago.
