Intake Manifold Gasket
An intake manifold is an essential component that ensures even distribution of air between cylinders. The intake manifold gasket prevents the air from mixing with the coolant inside the coolant chamber. It is located between the cylinder heads and the intake manifold. It seals the gap between these two components. The seal can be made of paper, metal, rubber or by combining these materials.
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The intake manifold delivers air-fuel mixture to the cylinders. If the intake manifold gaskets are faulty, then you could be staring at a serious problem. A gasket that is in good working position prevents the mixture of air and fuel from escaping through the gaps between manifold and cylinder heads.
As you might know, the internal combustion engine burns mixture if air and fuel to produce power which is translated into motion. Cold atmospheric air is sucked by the intake manifold and mixed with fuel from the carburetor. The intake manifold transmits this mixture to the cylinders. The vacuum in the cylinder sucks the mixture. The mixture flow causes heat and high pressure in the manifold runners. Therefore the gaskets should be able to handle this pressure.
Blow gasket is the most common problem in the intake manifold. Since the gaskets are very thin, they are susceptible to cracks. They are subjected to a lot of heat from the engine, so they get bad quite easily. When they do, they affect engine performance. It is recommendable to change the gaskets after about 50,000 miles of driving.
A leaking manifold gasket affects the engine performance since it allows hot air to flow into the intake manifold. This also causes transmission problems. Additionally, intake manifold gasket that is not working properly can adversely affect the whole combustion process.
Faulty manifold gasket allows hot air to blend with coolant which heats up. The coolant then evaporates causing a direct effect as it starts to low coolant levels. In addition, a faulty gasket will fail to maintain a suitable fuel to air ratio. This leads to combustion problems and straining the engine. The result is poor performance and fuel economy.
Symptoms of faulty intake manifold gasket:
- Leaking coolant
- The engine begins to stall
- Overheating in the engine
- Poor fuel economy
- Improper acceleration
- Check engine light
The main cause of this gaskets malfunction is the high pressure. Similarly, the fuel and antifreeze used in the engine can also affect this sensitive part. The quality and design of the materials used to make the gasket is also affecting the functionality of the gasket.
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