Engine Trouble, Part 2

Above you can see the three newly installed back ignition coils with the inlet manifold removed. 

In the center above you can see the back three tubes that carry air down into the engine.  They had plenty of black gunk on the inside.  I sprayed cleaner in there and used my old toothbrush to scrub it out.  At this point I cover everything and call it a night. 

T and I are up with the sunrise the next morning. 

We start putting everything back together in reverse order.  However, there is a PCV hose in the very back of the manifold that is impossible to get on by feel in the tight space.  I end up unhooking the other end of it.  Take the manifold back off and attach the hose (above) then put them back. 

T (and I) are half asleep.

Reconnecting the brake booster hose.

There is a paper thin metal gasket that goes between the EGR valve (exhaust reburner) and the inlet manifold.  You have to hold it while trying to get two bolts threaded in.  I am holding it in position and literally saying to T that you have to be careful not to drop it when guess what?  It disappears deep into the engine. 

We both try reaching around to feel for it and spend some time searching.  In the picture above you can just see one of T's fingers (just to the left of the top of the yellow light handle) as he is reaching up from below.  Then we finally find it and get it attached.

V and F come out to check up on us and V brings some hot tea. At this point T tells her that a nice job would be to fix helicopters. 

Tightening a clamp on the intake hose. 

Reattaching a cable bracket. 

It is a very clear day.  We take a short break and climb up on the roof to look out over the ocean. 

Ok, now it is the moment of truth.  We start up the engine and guess what; it starts up!  At first it smells bad like burning chemicals and wavers.  The gunk knocked loose and cleaner is clearing through the system.  We shut it back down and I tighten up the bolts.  Then start it back up again and let it run for a minute while I race the engine a bit and shift it through the gears.  The burning smell clears up.  I stop and check the bolts again.  Then T and I take it for a short drive around the block.  Smooth as butter!  It runs quieter and with less vibrations than ever before!  I take V for a bit longer drive to the grocery store.  It is like we have a new van.  Also, it is time for me to get to work so I take it down the H1.  It has run just fine all day since.

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Epilogue:

Here is my old "Dr. Best" toothbrush from Germany after cleaning the intake tubes.  (A lot of English words are used in advertising products in Germany.) 

Here are the old ignition coils.  The three on the left, which came from the back of the engine, have different labels on top than the three on the right.  Hmmm...

This pattern is easier to see in the old spark plugs.  The three up top that are darker and bluer came from the back.  At some point someone just changed the three easy to access spark plugs and ignition coils.  If you thought the ignition coils needed to be changed, and you didn't know a specific one to replace, why would you only change the three in front?  No wonder the engine was having problems.