Would You Bother With Replacing This Gasket

[Kurtis]

The vehicle is my former daily driver. More of a backup car now, and girlfriends car. A 2003 Ford Taurus SES, OHV (Vulcan, VIN: U) motor. 141,000 Miles and counting.

This car is a particular monster when working on it. Murphy’s Law does not only apply, it dictates policy. So I choose my battles with it since I hate it because it gives me hell. Ironically I build cars for a living and only maybe once in a blue moon, see a car with this kind of luck attached to it 😆 . However, this gasket would have to be done at a mechanics as I go in for hand surgery in a few weeks. Either way I would need a new set of Torque Wrenches and if I buy those I am buying a decent CDI set. So it is a cost vs worth it scenario.

I believe this to be a leaking Lower Intake Manifold gasket, as well as a seeping Valve Cover Gasket. I would be replacing the manifold due to the obvious mishap on the T-Stat 😆 That right there is what I mean by this car is mean.

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[Andrew Phillips]

If the lower intake gasket has failed, it should definitely be replaced, and of course the leaking VC gasket as well. I think the parts/labor at a garage will probably a little more than, or at least break even with, the tools you would want to buy, but with your upcoming hand surgery, I can understand why you don’t want to jump into this job at this time and would want to send it in for the repair. If I were in your place, the repair is definitely worth doing, and I would send it out to be done. I hope all goes well with the surgery.

[Kurtis]

I got an unexpected bonus at work and may be able to have the best of both worlds. Got my wrenches.

Personally I would prefer to not have to deal with it at all 😉 BUT a friend of mine says it is the valve cover gasket that I am seeing and to just replace that. He claims if it was leaking at that spot I would be seeing coolant and not oil. I looked at my spare part and he is in fact correct about the positioning. I am going to clean it off, and see what reforms. Then fix what is broken.

Thanks again for your help.

[Andrew Phillips]

Cool. Good luck, hope the VC gasket is the only issue.

[EricTheCarGuy]

Yea, you have to pick your battles. It’s good you had a friend with that knowledge. Sounds like it saved your bacon. Keep us updated on the project and good luck with your surgery.

[Author]

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