Intake Manifold Gasket

There are so many parts to a car that all their jobs can be confusing. Many may be curious as to exactly what role the intake manifold plays in keeping the car running smoothly. The intake manifold is responsible for drawing in air and fuel and funneling it from the car's carburetor to the cylinders. If you have a fuel injected engine then it is responsible for delivering air into the injection ports. The amount of air that is needed is measured and pulled from the manifold and into the vacuum. It is then combined with the fuel it is injected into the car's cylinders for ignition. The intake manifold gasket is under constant air pressure and must be strong enough to handle the pressure. When it becomes weakened and worn then the air will leak and this will cause poor use of fuel as well as higher emissions. This will also lead to a poor performance by the engine.

There are many components that work along side the intake manifold gasket to assure the proper amount of air to fuel ratio is sent to the cylinders. Any of these parts can malfunction and therefore cause the car to get less miles per gallon of gas. The emissions from the car become very gaseous as well which can be a signal that something needs to be repaired. When this continues for an extended period of time the engine will not be able to work properly and it may stop working completely. Some of the car parts that work along side the intake manifold that can also become damaged are the fuel injector, the intake valve and the computer system.

If you are suspicious that your intake manifold gasket is leaking or damaged then you may want to have it looked at by a professional to make sure that is the actual problem. Since there are so many other parts that can contribute to the same problem you want to be certain it is actually the intake manifold gasket. If you do not want to take your car to a mechanic in order to avoid labor costs then you can try to install the new gasket yourself. It can be done fairly quickly by someone who has experience working with cars but it is extremely necessary to get the new intake manifold gasket put back into place perfectly. You will need to make sure it is sealed and cemented down firmly to avoid any leaking air in the future. For someone who is inexperienced this project could take a full day or weekend to finish. There are a few other car parts that will need to be removed in order to reach the intake manifold gasket and this can be time consuming. Once the gasket is removed you need to make sure the area is cleaned before placing the new gasket on the car.

Unfortunately the intake manifold is rather delicate for the job it has to perform. Many of the older intake manifold gaskets are weaker than some of the newer versions that can be purchased today. You can find a new gasket that is made of a heavier material and that is able to withstand the constant air pressure without becoming damaged as easily. The intake manifold gasket must also be able withstand high temperatures from the engine block and keeping them away from the air delivered to the cylinders. The newer heavy duty intake manifold gaskets are better equipped a performing these tasks efficiently as long as the gasket is installed correctly. Once you have replaced your old intake manifold gasket and you still notice problems with the gas mileage or emissions then you either have a leak in the seal of the gasket or another car part is the source of the problem.