I haven't really heard about many of the UIM gaskets going bad but I have heard about the UIM themselves warping and whatnot. What was wrong with your UIM gasket?

I've just seen way more LIM gaskets go bad on 3800s then anything. It seems to be the most common problem on these engines.

 

the UIM gaskets go bad just the same as the LIM gaskets, but its usually the egr tube that cooks the plastic apart in the UIM. either way $800 sounds like just the UIM to me because the upper plenum is usually replaced by the dealers and I would do the same in my shop. To get the UIM and LIM done at the same time is best if they've never been done because its not much more labour to go that little bit further and the valve cover gaskets should get done as well.
Total price should be less than $1300 with all inclusions before taxes. I would also try to get the Fel-Pro gaskets that are made of steel and rubber opposed to the plastic and rubber originals. They are way better than OEM parts.

 

I was wondering if it had to do with the EGR tube going to the UIM. I've heard about the UIM warping due to heat but I guess I was ignorant to it hurting the gaskets without the UIM being damaged/warped.

 

A piece of my gasket looked like it melted and kind of broke away. Hard to describe but it was definitely bad, which was okay since I was doing the HV3 and had a new gasket anyway.

 

Man that was good timing for you then. How did you like your HV3?

 

Loved the change, did my gaskets, HV3, ER Rockers, Plog and Tune all in one day. It was a welcomed change

And the HV3 will only help much more later

 

I think I remember that now. Yeah, I can imagine that was a good change. That's a lot to do all at once, and give really good gains too.

 

haha yeah, I got hassled a lot for basically not top-swapping at that point lol

 

So is it normal to have to replace the mounting bolts when replacing the intake gaskets?

 

I reused