After a crapton of learning, I felt like I could do the IM gaskets, and eventually do the tranny with the help of a lift at my dad's freind's house.
For the IM gasket job -
From Amazon I got:
Vacuum hose (one running over the engine was toast) - ACDelco 15-30578
MAP Sensor (broke mine taking it off the plenum.. grr) - cheapo OE 09359409
PCV hose - ACDelco 93441238
Dorman 47007 EGR Gasket
Ignition Control Module - Standard Motor Products LX381T
Temperature Sensor - ACDelco 213-928
MPFI Spider - Standard Motor Products FJ503
From RockAuto:
180 degree thermostat - sorry Leeann - ACDELCO12T31D
Upper and Lower rad hoses - delco 26314X and 24342L
Bypass hose - delco 14155S
Knock Sensor - ACDELCO(213-94)
PCV Valve - ACDELCO19303069
Air intake sensor - DELPHI TS10072
Intake Manifold bolts - FEL-PRO ES72224
IM Gasket set - FEL-PRO MS98002T
Plus got a skip white distributor
It was a battle, but IM gasket job is done. Learned a lot along the way, and faced plenty of frustration too.
This thread was gold:
viewtopic.php?f=43&t=98353
Here's the summary I posted in there:
"Those PDFs were hugely helpful for me doing the IM gasket over the past week. A couple things to add from my experience:
- No rear bolt on my 97's alternator
- Getting the alternator back on was also hella difficult - lots of whacking and prying with a hammer and prys and screwdrivers eventually got it, but dang it took forever.
- Clutch fan sucks (awd doesn't have the nice convenient cross member underneath) - tool from autozone to hold it wouldn't work either for some reason. A big fricken screwdriver between the bolts eventually did the trick
-I actually couldn't figure out how to get the lower fan shroud off for a while. Just stick a flathead in each of the three holes/clips at the bottom and pry gently to free it
- Deep sockets are a must, medium and short are needed in different situations too - super conveniient
- Some of the things you're scared to yank on really do need to be yanked - I was scared to, but really had to lay into (or pry because of the crappy angle) the harness on top of the plenum/spider and the plenum (had to pry and push down hard on the top of the spider) to pop it off
- Cleaning stuff took fracking forever - needed like 8 cans of carb cleaner and a table that can get really dirty
- A razor scraper was really handy, but having the polishing disc thingy others have used would probably be a good investment
- Definitely have another person help you set the IM back on - it's heavy, and awkward, and the RTV smears even with a person helping
- Use bungees to pull AC hoses out of the way for sure
- There is fuel in the spider, if you turn it upside down it will leak out - same with coolant in the IM
- I marked the distributor, got a new skip white one, marked it in the same spot and popped it in easily
- Watch out for the A/C compressor - that was the worst part. With AWD's the bolt on the driver's side bottom (the one way back there) was inaccessible other than by reaching in and around at a certain angle from the top with the socket and putting it on the bolt (13 or 14mm, can't remember which), then getting the ratchet in there and fitting it on. All is totally by feel, you can't see the thing. Loosen it JUST A BIT after the ones on the front are off - little by little until the IM bolt is accessible, I wouldn't go any farther than that. Do it too much like me and it falls off and you'll have a lot of fun feeling around and trying to figure out how to get it back on correctly so all the other bolts will go in right.
- Rent a fuel pressure tester at your local auto parts store and after you put the spider back on, also put the gas lines back in, connect the battery, and prime the fuel pump with the tester in and check that it holds pressure and there aren't leaks anywhere on the spider. TRUST ME the slight annoyance of putting on the fuel lines just to take them off again is worth not having to disassemble later
I got really lucky I think - no seized bolts, not a lot of rust, no bolts broke off, didn't have to torch anything - but did break my MAP and pulled off the line of the back of the alternator and had the A/C debacle, so..."
Took some pictures along the way to if I needed help remembering how things went together - I could have used them as a reference once or twice putting it back together if my phone wasn't dead, but overall putting it together just makes sense and things go where they'd logically go. I Didn't have the bolt that held the throttle cable bracket to the throttle body, but that and the cap to the schrader valve on the fuel lines is the only thing I haven't found yet.
Pics aren't great, but there's too much text in this thread for sure:
Opened up the work area and gave myself some heat
Didn't know what this thing I was pointing at was - I had 4 rando o-rings from the gasket set - two I didn't need for the fuel lines into the spider (because it was a new spider), one for the MAP (I think), but I broke it and had to get a new one anyways, so didn't need that, and then didn't know where the 4th o-ring went. There was one on the backside of this thing that looked like it would have fit, but I had not clue what it was or how to take it off.
Once it was back together, and I pushed it out of the garage and put the driver's seat back in (don't forget the seatbelt clicker thing until after the rest is bolted down (like I did)).
Started it up and it was LOUD, and smoking, and just didn't seem right. I was scared and turned it off and was confused. changed the oil like I was going to. Turned it on again and smoke was pouring out the exhaust (It was like 15 degrees, so it was partially from the cold). The engine bay started to smoke a little too. I left it on for a while and tried to figure out what was up, but wasn't sure.
I turned it off, changed the oil again, and went to the internet. Didn't get an exact answer, but got some ideas. Plugged in my scan tool, and turned it on and saw on my phone it was idling at 4000 rpm. Whoa. So trying to fix this super high idle I pulled on the throttle twisty thing and it revved, then tried to push it the other way and the idle got a bit lower. Pushed hard the other way and something gave way a bit and the driver's pedal jerked and it was down to 2200 rpm without me touching it. Turned off the car, and from the front felt that the cruise cable was tight - undid it, started it again, and YES! it was quiet and smooth and I was stoked - it was at like 900rpm at idle - not sure if that's ideal, but I'm happy for now.
All the parts that weren't broken I saved to have in the van for later trips if things go wrong.
This is where I'm at now - going to figure out what's up with the cruise cable, then find time to do the tranny. I've already prepared by getting parts though.
For the tranny job I got -
Amazon:
Magnetic Oil Plug - Needa Parts 653096
Transmission drain plug kit - B&M 80250
RockAuto:
Flexplate - ATP Z166
Timing Cover - ATP103073
Transfer case gasket - FEL-PRO 72769
Oil Pan gasket - FEL-PRO OS30680R
2 Piece rear main seal - FEL-PRO BS40656
Transmission mount - WESTAR EM2839
Motor mounts - WESTAR EM2436
Delco fuel filter - ACDELCO GF652
Plus the used tranny from craigslist of course.
Going to do all this and hopefully eliminate the chance of any leaks on the bottom side of the engine for a long time (timing cover is already leaking a bit I found). Excited to finish this stage and be able to drive it for a few months with NOTHING GOING WRONG (knock on wood).
I don't know where this picture is coming from or how it got here... but if it's here, I hope you enjoy lol!