Up comin project, need some help

[brenden]

Okay guys, I'm going to be replacing my LIM this weekend. I've never done this before but it seems pretty simple. For all you that have done this, do you have any insight or ideas that'll help me?

On a seprate not, Im wondering if there is a way top simply replace the inserts in my stock motor mounts? I was able to do that with my wife's focus but I'm not sure if there are aftermarket polyurethane inserts for our cars.

Thank guys!

-Brenden

[02NavyBlue]

Well I don't know they year of the car you have, there are different pointers for each.
Order coolant elbows as well, and valve cover gaskets/grommets if they haven't been done. Also a good time to change the thermostat. The lower intake kit comes with the thermostat gasket. Buy permatex thread sealant for the LIM bolts that go into cooling passages. You'll need to do the upper gasket as well, if you're 97-03 inspect the upper intake for cracks around the EGR port. If it's due for a tuneup, do it then as the wires will have to be partially removed.

Drain the coolant well before dissembling, maybe even use a vacuum on the blower mode to push coolant out where the thermostat goes to minimize coolant going in the engine. Don't use rolec disks on anything, a razor cleans surfaces well, followed by a rag and brake clean. Apply RTV in the 4 corners when laying the new gaskets. You get a new throttle body gasket with an upper intake kit, clean the throttle body as it's common to cause hard starting.

[Scottydoggs]

heres a good vid. they do lifter too, you just stop at the lim, and put it back together.

[99GT2dr]

Set some rags (aka old tshirt) in the lifter valley before you start scraping the heads, and clearing the inevitable dex junk out of the coolant ports. Clean the threads of the lim bolts well (either a tap, small flat tip, or razor will work), and use a can of brake clean to hit the bolt holes in the heads, q tipping them doesn't hurt either. Coat the bolt threads in some non hardening sealant (I used some plumber type stuff, forget the name). Probably not necessary, but I worked up to the final torque in 3 steps (5, 8, then 11 lb-ft).

Most important part is flushing your coolant out before you start, water in your oil is a lot less harmful than coolant in there, but using a shop vac set to blow on the tstat opening with the lower rad hose removed gets damn near everything out, you shouldn't get a drop in there after doing that.

[brenden]

Thanks guys! Looks like I'm heading back to the parts store... Wife isn't real happy but it all necessary.. or at least that's what I told her! lol