Hey,
I've removed the bolts so that the UIM/throttle body/elbow(all still joined together) can be moved around, lifted about an inch. But I have not seperated any of these parts. So far I cannot raise the UIM high enough to get at the thermo sensor, or remove it completely, something is still holding it down.

My Questions:

What lines/hoses have to be removed to get the UIM off?

ref (http://www.robrobinette.com/manifold.htm)
Is it really neccesary to remove the air pipes?

Is it really neccesary to remove the coolent hoses from the throttle body? If so, what should be done to make sure you don't spill coolant everywhere. Is opening the fill cap to release pressure enough, or should I drain some coolant first to keep from spilling coolant all over the engine? When I am done, and reatach the lines, should I burp coolant system?

ref (http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/i...m_removal.html)
Here he sais NOT to remove the throttle body, as there is a gasket there that would most likely need to be replaced(if you remove the throttle body). So is he saying, leave the throttle body attached to the upper intake manifold, and remove it all as one piece?


As background, I'm not mechanically inclined. I installed the downpipe/cheap bastard intake, change the oil/filter/plugs. But that is about it. Other than that I've had a shop do an engine replace/silicon hoses/radiator/starter.
Code 11(Air Intake thermo sensor) keeps coming on in my car. I ordered and recieved the sensor from Malloy Mazda(like $45).
It is located under the UIM. I can feel it, but I can't reach it well enough to replace it without removing the UIM, I think.
Thanks for hints on something so basic(and probably obvious to most)!
Troy

 

you need to remove all the pipes going to the UIM to get it off.

you dont really have to replace the o-ring between the TB and Elbow, but you should, but to make it easyer just take off the TB, and buy the $5 gasket

 

it is a bitch to get too and a bit intimidating. be careful you don't crimp any hoses when reinstalling and make sure all the hoses get reconnected.

 

So I ended up being able to get the UIM off and everything.

Big Picture: I removed the elbow, but left the throttle-body attached to the UIM(so as not to have to replace that gasket). I then ended up just removing enough to lift the UIM to get at the Air Intake Thermo Sensor, instead of totally removing it, but I was probably 2 bolts and a hose away from totally removeing it anwya.

Also, my vacuum hoses were very recently done in silicon, so I had no issues with cracking/splitting. Obviously, ymmv. Be careful, patient, look before you pull on anything.

Here is how I did it in detail(right or wrong, I welcome comments):

From the driver side of the car:
I unscrewed the worm gear on the clamp holding the accordian pipe going from the intercooler to the elbow.
I then pried off the accordian pipe.
I removed the 4 nuts holding the elbow to the throttle body.
I slid back the small spring clamp on the large vacuum hose attached to the elbow, then twisted and pulled the elbow to remove it from that hose.
Once free of the hose, it was completely free, and taken off and set aside.

From the passenger side of the car:
I removed the 4 nuts around the periphery and 1 long bolt from the top middle from the passenger side of the UIM.

Then I removed the vacuum lines to the nipples on the UIM.(one to my boost gauge, the other that goes to the valve towards the air intake).

Then I had to take off the lower of the bolts on the engine hoist point on the back of the UIM where I had added an extra gounding wire.

Then I did something I am unsure of:
I unclipped the electrical connectors, and 4 vaccuum hoses from the solonoids on the passenger side of the UIM, just under it in front. I think you could leave those all together and just unscrew the smallish rack holding them to the UIM. I carefully marked all the hoses for reassembly, but if you didn't have to, it'd be better.

Moving back to the driver's side:
I loosened a bolt holding the throttle body down on the front.

I removed the vaccuum lines from the UIM, carefully marking which one goes where.

Finally:
I picked up the UIM from the passenger side, tilting it toward the driver side and back toward the cabin, until I could unhook the Air INtake Thermo Sensor electrical connection.
Then I unscrewed the Air Intake Thermo Sensor using a small stubby adjustable wrench(opened all the way).
Then I screwed the new one in, reassembled in reverse order, and viola! Done.

Note: there was a crush washer stuck on the old sensor that I didn't notice till too late, and had to take everything apart a 2nd time, 'cause I hadn't put one on the new sensor, and it leaked there badly(made a nice whistling sound). I needed the crush washer.


Final Results: Car drive MUCH more smoothly, I PASSED emissions, and I learned something about working on the engine. groovy.

 

As answer to my original questions, I found it unnecesary to remove the air intake pipes, nor the coolant hoses, nor to seperate the throttle body from the UIM in order just to change the sensor. Though if you wanted to completely remove the UIM, it might be a different story.