In order to better understand the function and form of the intake manifold gasket, let’s first examine the job of the intake manifold. Found on any vehicle with an internal combustion engine, the intake manifold sits on top of the engine and plays a key role in the combustion process.
Designed to run on three timed components, air mixed fuel, spark, and combustion; the internal combustion engine relies upon the intake manifold to help it breathe. Featuring a series of tubes, the intake manifold ensures that the air coming into the engine is evenly distributed to all the cylinders. This air is used during the first stroke of the combustion process.

The intake manifold also helps cool down the cylinders to prevent the engine from overheating. Coolant runs through the manifold to the cylinder heads where the coolant absorbs the heat and reduces engine temperature.

This brings us to the intake manifold gasket. Typically made from aluminized steel coated in a carbon-based rubber compound, the intake manifold gasket seals the intake manifold to the engine. High-quality intake manifold gaskets, such as Fel-Pro®, are constructed as one-piece with reinforced edges and linings around each port or runner opening. They must be resistant to decay caused by oils and coolants. The performance of your engine depends upon the quality of the intake manifold gasket.

If you notice any of the following symptoms, it could be a sign that your intake manifold gasket is wearing out. Consult your professional mechanic for a definitive diagnosis and repair.

Coolant leaking from vehicle

Engine overheating

Green, red or yellow leaks under the car

Check engine light comes on

Engine starts to run rough

Learn more about Fel-Pro quality gaskets that are designed specifically for the repair environment, find your car part, or find where to buy your auto part today.

How To Care For Your Car: Intake And Exhaust Valves
Engine valves are small, but they play a huge role in keeping your car running smoothly. If there is an issue with the valves, such as bent or burnt valves, it must be addressed immediately to prevent engine damage.

What are the symptoms of a bad exhaust valve or bad intake valve? How much will it cost to repair bent or burnt valves? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and more.

What are intake and exhaust valves?

Intake and exhaust valves are the final component in the valve train system. They are made of hardened metal that must withstand the extreme conditions of the combustion chamber.

Intake and exhaust valves are responsible for controlling the flow of gases through the combustion chamber. Intake valves let air in, whereas exhaust valves let air out.

They are shaped to have a slim stem leading to a flatter face, with the intake valves often being larger than the exhaust. Each valve is designed to only move up and down, not side to side.

When a valve is closed, it sits tightly on the valve seat to stop the flow of air. But when it is open, it separates from the valve seat to allow air to flow through.

In many modern engines, each cylinder has two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder.

How to Tell Your Car Has a Bad Intake Manifold Gasket
The intake manifold gasket in your car’s engine keeps the various fluids from mixing and leaking. Learn here how to tell if your car has a bad gasket.

A car’s engine creates power through the combustion of air and fuel. In most modern, fuel-injected systems, the air and fuel mix together inside of the component known as the intake manifold. One end of the manifold consists of a single tube through which fresh air flows. The other end consists of multiple smaller tubes, each of which connect to one of your engine’s cylinders.
Between the intake manifold and the engine block sits the intake manifold gasket. The intake manifold gasket seals off the small gap between the manifold and the engine, preventing air, coolant, and oil from leaking. Over time, the intake manifold gasket endures a lot of wear and tear. Eventually it may crack or warp in ways that allow leaks to occur.
Unfortunately, many car owners fail to recognize the symptoms that they may be dealing with a bad intake manifold gasket. If you would like to improve your skills at diagnosing this common engine problem, keep reading. This article explains three common symptoms that you may have a bad intake manifold gasket.
1. Misfiring Engine
Engine misfires involve one or more cylinders that fail to produce combustion in a given engine cycle. In other words, although air and gasoline flow into the cylinder, the mixture fails to catch on fire. Instead, the uncombusted mix passes out of your engine through the exhaust system. As a result, misfires lead to poor fuel economy and other problems.
Misfires may stem from a large number of problems, including poor ignition timing, excessively worn valves, and corroded spark plugs. Yet damaged intake manifold gasket tend to be one of the most frequently experienced causes of engine misfires. A damaged gasket often fails to create an airtight seal between the manifold and the engine.
This seal failure allows air that should be entering the engine to escape instead. Such a leak alters the engine’s air–fuel ratio — one of the most important factors in promoting complete combustion. A bad enough leak may allow enough air to escape that combustion cannot occur at all.
2. Difficulty Accelerating
A leaky intake manifold gasket often makes it more difficult for your car to accelerate, even if the problem has not reached the point where it causes misfires to occur. Such power loss stems from the air leaking out of the intake manifold. Not only does this decrease the amount of air that makes it to your engine, but it also creates a vacuum leak for your entire air intake system.
A vacuum leak reduces engine air pressure, no matter how wide your throttle body opens. Thus, depressing the gas pedal often fails to generate the expected acceleration. Instead, your car seems to poke along at a fixed, sluggish rate.

How To Know Your Intake Manifold Gasket Is Failing and What To Do
If you think about it, there are things about your car that just don’t make sense. You’ve been told that more air is a good thing for power, that a cold air intake, more scoops, more vents, etc, are a great way to get more performance. Those are technically all true, but let’s walk that line of thinking back a bit by talking about a leaking or damaged intake manifold.

Can there be too much? The answer is that though more air is generally good, it’s important to know that unregulated air flowing into the engine can become a massive problem. Extra air coming into the engine that your car’s computer doesn’t know what to do with or where it came from leads to big issues for its air-fuel ratios which, you know, create the oomph that drives your ride.

So, a leaking intake manifold is bad. Damage to the component can mess with the coolant system and could cause stalling or worse. What is the intake manifold? Why is it important? Let The Drive’s blowhard editors drop some knowledge on you.

What are the Symptoms of Intake Manifold Failure?
Symptoms of intake manifold failure can be difficult to identify as such, so it’s important that you are familiar with problems that might seem relatively minor, but which could be an indication of significant intake manifold issues.

Difference in air-to-fuel ratio resulting in backfires and rough idlingF

Milky-looking engine oil

Coolant leaking onto the ground under the vehicle while it is stationary

Regular or quick engine overheating

How Much Will Intake Manifold Repair Cost at a Garage?

Although the cost of replacing an intake manifold will vary depending on the make and model of the car, many estimates have the cost of the part at around $300, with much of the cost of the job coming from labour and time spent on it. This can be a significantly higher sum – as much as $900 – and in some cars it may not be worth going ahead with the job.

Can K-Seal Fix My Intake Manifold?

If there is a coolant leak then, in most cases, using K-Seal, K-Seal HD and K-Seal Ultimate will help to quickly and permanently stop the leak, saving you a lot of time and money. Use our simple stockist search facility to find a bottle and get back on the road.

What is an Intake Manifold?

An intake manifold directs the mixture of air and fuel to the right cylinder to be combusted so it can power the engine. Additionally, it conducts coolant through to the cylinders in order to reduce the temperature of the engine. The intake manifold is attached to the top of the engine by the intake manifold gasket, which has to be monitored as it is susceptible to cracking under the heat and pressure and allowing coolant or oil to escape.

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