Newsouth has an interesting product.  It is an intake manifold gasket that insulates the manifold from the heat of your engine.  It works.  You can actually touch the manifold instead of having it melt your flesh off the bones.  It is an inexpensive way to reduce heat soak, one of a turbo's biggest enemies. 

• Power Gasket
• High temp silicon gasket sealer for O2 sensor or manifold gaskets

• Ratchet set - Hex bolt and allen key attachments
• Ratchet extension, 6 inches helps a TON use 10 if you can
• One of those things to pick up dropped screws (You'll drop some, trust me.)
• Screwdrivers
• Pliers
• Iron willpower to look at the gaping hole in your engine and say "I own you biatch!"

Click here to see the latest update in this story.....

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First off I want to point out that there's been a lot of message board posts about this.

I've been involved in just about zero of these other than my initial "I found out what was wrong" post on Club18t. I have seen the usual interesting characters both bash and defend my story.

To the bashers, go take your angst elsewhere OR try to give back to the community by helping people like this site does. Otherwise you're not doing any good. You might even find you like it as opposed to just flaming people who you don't know. But thanks because it was good for a laugh to read your silly posts. :)

This site has and always will be about helping people in the community. I applaud vendors and enthusiasts who are into that.

Newsouth has offered me a new Newsouth Plus series powergasket that I'm going to have installed by mechanics so that there is no doubt. Now I stand up for my install and for those that said don't use sealer then you're an idiot and you didn't read the instructions that came with the old powergasket. But I'm all for honoring the requests of a vendor that is willing to give me a higher quality replacement part after almost 2 years.

I can't state in more simple terms that Newsouth has always been professional and I'd do business with them any time. I think I may have gotten a bad part, it happens, but they are a great company and I can only hope that this new series of powergaskets will reaffirm that they only supply quality products.

So for those that have the original, and its working, congratulations because you shouldn't worry. For those that are interested but saw my pictures, the new one has higher temp ratings and should work fine. I will post pictures of it when I go to AP Tuning to pick it up.

And now back to the regularly scheduled HowTo:

Before the Install, Some Words....

This is a scary install unless you are 10000% confident in your abilities or just as stubborn as a brick like me.  Your engine will be exposed to the outside.  If anything falls in it you are s**t out of luck.  It took me a good 3 hours to do this.  I'd say much of that is because I did it alone and could have used an extra set of hands.  Remember, you are working on your engine.  Once you start there's no going back for the most part.  Please don't attempt this unless you are really really really sure you can do it!  Sorry about not having more pics, like I said I really needed an extra set of hands. :)

And away we go!  First take off the engine cover.

I tried to circle all the bolts, might be missing some but you get the idea.  Take the bolts off the front where the oil stick is first.  Helps to remove the tube with the two nuts so you have more room to work.  Then take out the bolts on that attaching it to the manifold, and the big silver bolt to the left of that.  Then remove the nuts that are holding the fuel rails (yeah, gasoline tubes!) to the manifold so you can move it around while trying to install the gasket.  The rails have clips you can unattach to give you room to fit the rachet in.  Also, unclip the electric things that plug into the manifold on top near the engine.  That will again give you more space for your tools to reach the hex nuts.

Now your manifold is off.  Have a smoke, beer, whatever it is you do when you just voided the warranty of a car.  :)  There isn't much room to work with here at ALL.  Just patiently work it out as far as you can without breaking anything and pull the old gasket off with pliars.  Be careful not to drop anything in the intakes or you are Screwed with a capital S.  Stickerboy from Club18t.com recommended that I put something over the holes.  I used folded up aluminum foil.  Once you get the gasket off and cover the holes if you are paranoid like me, you can lube up the new power gasket.

You can see the sealing stuff I used.  About $5 at a local autoparts store.  Don't use too much....  And seal both sides!

And now after a hellish ordeal trying to squeeze it in with less hands than I needed here it is.  Make sure you put it in right.... ;)

Please put everything back on correctly.....

Ok, it wasn't an easy install.  I can't stress that enough.  So turn on your engine and listen.  Mine wasn't on 100% (or I didn't feel it was, it didn't have any gaping holes into the intakes or anything) so I turned it off right away and retightened.  And dropped another screw of course.  heh....

Then I fired it up again, took it for a spin and the manifold was cold when I got back.  Quality part!