Cayenne 3.6 V6 Intake Manifold Removal DIY

[shonuff]

Cayenne 3.6 V6 Intake Manifold Removal DIY

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This DIY tutorial covers how to remove the intake manifold on the 3.6L V6 Cayenne. Removing the intake manifold gives you access to several parts of the engine that you may need to service.   Disclaimer: Perform at your own risk. This is for reference only, I am not responsible for any damage/injuries that may occur from this procedure. Please do not attempt if you are not comfortable with doing work on your car or working around the fuel system. Work in a well ventilated area as you w

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• Author
  shonuff
• Category
  Cayenne (9PA, 9PA1) - Common Fixes and Repairs
• Submitted
  03/09/2018 08:31 AM
• Updated
  03/09/2018 10:00 AM

 

[TyS]

Great write-up and thanks for the contribution.  This would of saved me a lot of time a few months ago.  I attempted to change out a failed diaphragm valve in the intake on my 3.6, but couldn't finish the intake removal.  I had everything on your write-up removed except for last M10 triple square on the drivers side closest to the firewall, I just couldn't get it.  I ended up putting everything back together and bringing it to an indy shop.  I went from $75 in parts for a DIY to a $1,480 bill from the shop, so frustrating.  I'm sure this write-up will save many DIY techs big $.  Again...well done!

[shonuff]

Great write-up and thanks for the contribution.  This would of saved me a lot of time a few months ago.  I attempted to change out a failed diaphragm valve in the intake on my 3.6, but couldn't finish the intake removal.  I had everything on your write-up removed except for last M10 triple square on the drivers side closest to the firewall, I just couldn't get it.  I ended up putting everything back together and bringing it to an indy shop.  I went from $75 in parts for a DIY to a $1,480 bill from the shop, so frustrating.  I'm sure this write-up will save many DIY techs big $.  Again...well done!

Thanks, I get it. The first time I removed my intake manifold was for the same reason, failed PCV valve. I got a replacement diaphragm membrane for $20 and spent the whole night removing the intake manifold because there was no tutorial to follow. It was frustrating. I was slowly working my way around the engine trying to find all the mounting bolts and wiggling the intake manifold until it felt free.

When I put it all back together I had a slow gas leak due to the fuel injector seals. Coming from the BMW world where there is a tutorial for everything, I decided to document the process this time around to make a tutorial. Hopefully this helps others in the future who need to replace their PCV valve.


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[Sims5002]

I need help. I am at the part where you disconnect the lower fuel rail to remove the manifold. I have unscrewed the nut at the top. What is the right way to move the manifold without bending the fuel rail? I don’t want to damage anything. 

[shonuff]

1 hour ago, Sims5002 said:

I need help. I am at the part where you disconnect the lower fuel rail to remove the manifold. I have unscrewed the nut at the top. What is the right way to move the manifold without bending the fuel rail? I don’t want to damage anything. 

 

If everything is unbolted, you should be able to pull the intake manifold up from the passenger side and pivot it up from the drivers side. Once its up a few inches you have a little bit of space to wiggle it free from the upper fuel rail nut.

[Sims5002]

Sorry I am a novice but your guide has led me every step of the way. I have uploaded I picture of the rail the i unscrewed. The nut I unscrewed from the top is circled at the bottom. When I pivot the manifold from the passanger side, the rail doesn’t move much. Why isn’t it wiggling loose? Am I wiggling the right thing?

[shonuff]

Sorry I am a novice but your guide has led me every step of the way. I have uploaded I picture of the rail the i unscrewed. The nut I unscrewed from the top is circled at the bottom. When I pivot the manifold from the passanger side, the rail doesn’t move much. Why isn’t it wiggling loose? Am I wiggling the right thing?

 

 

You can kind of tilt the intake manifold towards the back firewall and free the fuel line after you’ve pivoted it up. It does take a little bit of wiggling/working it. It’s a flare fitting which looks like a cone that fits inside another cone. The fuel line flexes around a little which provides the resilience you need to pop it out.

 

You can pull the line down a little with your hand to free the cone from the upper fitting.

 

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[Jason Hopper]

I tried to do this and thought most of it was pretty easy. Until I tried to get the 3 large triple square bolts out across the bottom. First one was simple, second one was easy to loosen, but I couldn't get it all the way out because it was blocked by some black tube that runs horizontal to the intake in close.  I loosened it all the way out, but there was no clearance to pull it out. This part was not mentioned in your DIY write up, I'm wondering what year Cayenne you did this on? Mine is 2011 and it seems some stuff looks a bit different than in your pix. 

 

The third bolt near the back, I could never find it and I have a video camera snake. I have a cluster of electronics stuff in tight and low and was wondering if that was blocking access. Again, I did not see mention of this in the DIY. Took me about 15 min to put everything back after I failed at that point. I guess I might have to take it somewhere which is very frustrating. I haven't required a service to repair any vehicle I've owned in 20 years. 

 

Serious buzzkill. I have all the tools also I must be missing something about removal or my vehicle has some differences. 

 

Any ideas before I take this thing to get reamed out for a $25 part (ridiculous). Thanks for the write up. It was very helpful!

[shonuff]

Mine is a 2009 3.6L V6.

 

The black horizontal tube you're talking about sounds like the step where I said to remove the water hose bracket with a T25 torx bit. The bracket is a keyhole slot so once you remove the T25 screw you can slide the bracket towards the front of the car and release it. Once that is free the black tube moves out of the way giving you access to those triple square bolts.

[Jason Hopper]

2 hours ago, shonuff said:

Mine is a 2009 3.6L V6.

 

The black horizontal tube you're talking about sounds like the step where I said to remove the water hose bracket with a T25 torx bit. The bracket is a keyhole slot so once you remove the T25 screw you can slide the bracket towards the front of the car and release it. Once that is free the black tube moves out of the way giving you access to those triple square bolts.

So is that head of the t25 right on the arrow tip in your diagram, threads down? 

[Jason Hopper]

I am positive there are some differences. The fuel lines look different too compared to your images. I have a 2011 3.6Lv6. Didn't the V6 get a displacement increase for 20011? This is the Volkswagen vr6, right?

 

Correction, the increase from 3.2 to 3.6L came in 2008.

 

 

Edited January 3, 2019 by Jason Hopper

[shonuff]

So is that head of the t25 right on the arrow tip in your diagram, threads down? 

The T25 screw is threads up as in you’re unscrewing it down towards the ground.


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[John Gawrys]

Great write up. Using your instructions I was able to replace the valve cover (PCV Valve).  I was surprised that Porsche had the item in stock ($390).  I regard myself as a pretty good mechanic, but this job took me 16 hours to complete.  Spent hours trying to remove last m10 triple square.  I completely missed your step regarding the t25 holding the bracket and sliding toward front of car.  Fuel supply was also a pain.  My fuel pipe nut was not 9/16", I used a 18mm open end. T30 long is a necessity.  I ended up buying a set to torx t handles from harbor freight and trimming the T handle so I could turn.  Tough job, not for the faint of heart..  Good news is everything is back together and running fine. 

[Moe Ghoris]

Great write up, To remove the fuel pipe, I found it easier to use a 14mm brake wrench. Now attaching that fuel line back, is a pain in the you know what. Still working on it. I am even thinkin about removing the alternator for easier access... Any ideas?

 

[shonuff]

Great write up, To remove the fuel pipe, I found it easier to use a 14mm brake wrench. Now attaching that fuel line back, is a pain in the you know what. Still working on it. I am even thinkin about removing the alternator for easier access... Any ideas?
 

The fuel line is a flare fitting. It can be separated from the manifold and aligned into the flare first before the manifold is lined back up.

I understand your frustration. The first time around is a royal PITA. If you had to do it again, I guarantee it would go much quicker.


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[Jonathan Franson]

I am a pretty solid mechanic, and I have done lots of engine overhauls and timing belts, but this job pushed me to my breaking point. 

 

I was able to cook up the right combination of tools to get the driver's side rear triple square out, and removed the intake, and replaced all the seals. But for the life of me, I cannot get the intake to go back in place and line up the fuel rail. I attempted this for 7 hours before just giving up. 

 

First off, let me say, that the decision to put the fuel rail though the intake was completely unnecessary and maniacal. They could have just added a couple extra/separate bolts on the bottom of the intake and this job would have been 100 times easier. 

 

There seems to be no way to get  the fuel rail nipple to seat back into the pump, and get it back into the holes for the intake. It will only side into my intake holes just perfectly, and there is no way to line it up like that once its attached to the pump. I tried this countless times. I also cannot get the fuel line to go down the 1/2" to slip inside the pump sleeve if the fuel rail is inside the intake. 

 

So I feel like I only have a couple options. First would be to remove the pump, and try to install that separately, which seems like more of a pain. Or make a flexible high pressure fuel line between the pump and the fuel rail. That would make this job so much more simple. I am completely out of ideas, and for now, the Cayenne is just sitting in my garage waiting for completion. I will take any advice I can get. I can easily get the intake and fuel rail back in place with the fuel line sitting directly next to the pump port, but no way to get it inside. 

[Aurelien Du Pasquier]

On 5/22/2019 at 12:34 PM, Jonathan Franson said:

I am a pretty solid mechanic, and I have done lots of engine overhauls and timing belts, but this job pushed me to my breaking point. 

 

I was able to cook up the right combination of tools to get the driver's side rear triple square out, and removed the intake, and replaced all the seals. But for the life of me, I cannot get the intake to go back in place and line up the fuel rail. I attempted this for 7 hours before just giving up. 

 

First off, let me say, that the decision to put the fuel rail though the intake was completely unnecessary and maniacal. They could have just added a couple extra/separate bolts on the bottom of the intake and this job would have been 100 times easier. 

 

There seems to be no way to get  the fuel rail nipple to seat back into the pump, and get it back into the holes for the intake. It will only side into my intake holes just perfectly, and there is no way to line it up like that once its attached to the pump. I tried this countless times. I also cannot get the fuel line to go down the 1/2" to slip inside the pump sleeve if the fuel rail is inside the intake. 

 

So I feel like I only have a couple options. First would be to remove the pump, and try to install that separately, which seems like more of a pain. Or make a flexible high pressure fuel line between the pump and the fuel rail. That would make this job so much more simple. I am completely out of ideas, and for now, the Cayenne is just sitting in my garage waiting for completion. I will take any advice I can get. I can easily get the intake and fuel rail back in place with the fuel line sitting directly next to the pump port, but no way to get it inside. 

 

Hi Jonhattan,

 

I am in the exact same place you are. I reinstalled the intake and all went well except for that stupid flare fitted solid line which connects the lower fuel rail to the fuel pump. I spent the entire day trying to retighten those two  fittings, and got fuel leak each time, either on pump side or lower rail side. There is zero space to work there, so I can only use two fingers, and had to grind a wrench to make it fit there. I bent the hard line to make it fit better, but maybe that was a mistake... I also thought about making a flexible high pressure line to make the job easier. Let me know if you go that route or where up you end up. So close...It almost feels like this was designed by some sadistic German engineer to torture people trying to work on their Cayenne.

 

Aurelien

[Jonathan Franson]

I made progress today, but it meant a lot more work. I drained the coolant and removed the alternator. I also removed most of the high pressure fuel pump lines, but that didnt seem to be necessary. 

 

With the alternator and coolant lines out of the way, I was pretty quickly able to put the top side of the curved fuel line into the seat of the top rail. Then like the write up, I had enough room to reach under it and get the fuel rail back through the intake manifold. I did have to pitch the manifold up toward the driver side to get the right angle, but everything went back together with that little bit more room to operate.

[Jonathan Franson]

I attempted to upload some photos, but the site would not allow it. There is way way more room, and you can see everything easily. So, it is certainly more work, but I think in the end it will be less time, and hopefully remove some of the massive hangups people have been hitting. 

 

I am going to attempt to replace the coolant tee, since I removed all the lines anyway. 

[Aurelien Du Pasquier]

I made some progress too...the trick to reattaching the fuel line is to do it before the intake manifold is bolted back in, so as to have just enough wiggle room to get the fittings in tight and secure. Then, tighten the intake M1O bolts. I was doing well until an M10 bolt fell into the engine, now I can’ find it. This project has been a curse that I wish I never put upon myself...

[Aurelien Du Pasquier]

I rebolted everything, saw no gas leaks and was able to start the engine, but it runs very rough, cannot rev at all and cylinders 2-4-6 have misfire detected. I am assuming the pressure in the lower fuel rail is stil too low...Is that normal issue that will fix itself or do I have bigger issues? I’d like to hear how the car ran just after restart for those who have done this intake removal-reinstall.

[Aurelien Du Pasquier]

Well, I am happy to report that all is back to normal: the ECU did its job, engine runs and idles smoothly, and all the codes are gone. It took several minutes, a few restarts and some driving to get back to normal. Very happy so far 😎🥂

[Loren]

[Jonathan Franson]

A couple of notes on this. First, do not treat this as a 2.5 hour job, give yourself lots of time and do more of a mid life overhaul. Getting stuck and waiting on parts gave me time to clean my intake valves which were filthy. Lots of different methods on how to do this, but take the time. Also, the brake booster vacuum hose can be perfectly replaced with a Whirlpool Series 285664 drain hose for $17, cut to length and plug the Cayenne ends in to both ends. I also replaced all the plastic and rubber vacuum hoses. 6 ft of 3/8" high temp silicon hose was enough to do everything. I broke the plastic tee connector for the 1/4" vacuum hose, this is the same tee size as drip irrigation hose from home depot (under $2 for 10).  I would also consider replacing the coolant tee which goes to the alternator at this time. Removing the alternator and coolant hoses added maybe 40 minutes of extra work, but would have reduced my overall time by hours and reduced all my yelling and frustration. I think many people trying to get the last triple square bolt off the drivers side are actually looking at the triple square on the top fuel rail which is partially hidden behind the intake. If you have the coolant hoses out of the way, it is so simple to see and remove all 3 triple squares. Not an easy job, but I am happy everything is nice and new now.

[Aurelien Du Pasquier]

I agree that is definitely not a 2h job, unless you have all the parts in advance and have done it before. It was a 3 week-end job for me, but the upside is that I got to drive my 911SC for 3 weeks to work every day!