OK, guys. After the grand tour of the local GM dealers (4) asking about failed UIMs and getting mostly blank stares, and not finding mounds of failed uppers on my front porch, I've been trying to figure out how we're going to climb this mountain.

It occurs to me that without 3-4 cores in stock, we're sunk. I have three requests by PM for sleeved uppers and I ain't got no cores. The problem is that most guys here have cars that are their daily drivers. When the upper fails, ya need one now, not 10 days later. Also, some of the problem is that not all cores are usuable. A few are too burned, and then there'* the warped throttle body flange problem.

So, how about this? If I have no cores and you need an upper, what happens? You buy one at the local auto parts store and install it, figuring you have 40-50,000 miles before the problem comes up again. And you're right, of course.

I've found the Dorman part (Dorman / Motormite PN # 615-180) online for as little as about $160 with freight, and it comes with gaskets. I've been thinking that perhaps I'm looking at this from the wrong end. What if I buy a few new ones, sleeve them, and keep them in stock, and add on my costs and a little bit of profit? I'm thinking maybe $250 plus freight.

What do you get for your money? Well, a new manifold, all ready sleeved, with a reduced diameter stovepipe (courtesy of Bill Buttermore) and the gaskets to do the swap. (I wouldn't do this swap without doing the LIM gaskets as well, and that would be up to the buyer to obtain). Also, no possible throttle body flange warpage, and probably best of all, speed of delivery.

The downside, of course, is the money. But I think most of us here with failed uppers have wound up gritting their teeth and buying a new, unsleeved one anyway, so, that make make this proposition smell a little better wallet-wise.

What I'd like from you guys is your thoughts, especially those of you who have gotten a manifold from me. If this solution had been available at the time, would you have gone for it?

And for those of you waiting or who had to go the OEM/ parts store routine because of time constraints, please let me know if this seems to make sense to you.

Thanks to all.

A new sleeved upper with a reduced diameter pipe and aluminum LIM gaskets is surely the very best practical solution currently available to remedy this nasty problem. New plastic, flat sealing surfaces, heat shielding, and an air gap of .090" between the pipe and the sleeve should keep things tight until the body rusts out.

Only the 95-early 99 guys with the .750" stovepipes will need the rd pipes. 99+ already are running .625" pipes from GM that will give them a .090" gap with an .875" x .035" wall sleeve.

Yes I would have gone for it.

You can get the Dorman units from AZ or Adavance Auto for $149. Sales tax would bring it back up but at least you won't have to stock much. The Dorman also comes with injector o-rings, PVC valve & oring, another $15 savings for the user.

Perhaps you could offer different 'packages' based on what you have available. I don't know what discounts you can get... those GM Alum.framed lowers were $59 here, might be worth including them also if you can save enough.