WHERE DOES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SIT ON A E46 2002 318i

You could take it to a machinery shop and have it machined but you would have to do both surfaces.

If my memory serves me right there is a pipe that does run under the intake and valley cover.

there is 2 of them they are below the intake manifold do both while your in there check the connectors on both of them as the wells that they sit in fill with water the intake is not that hard to remove

Does your oil look normal? If it has a milky look that means coolant is getting into it somewhere. Do you notice more than normal steam or white smoke coming from the exhaust? Those are signs of a head gasket leak or an intake manifold leak. Do you notice the smell of coolant when you open the hood? They are notorious for have intake manifold leaks. There is also a heater hose fitting on the intake manifold that is notorious for leaking. I would test the cooling system with a pressure tester. You may be able to rent one. They are simple to use. Just remove your radiator cap and install the tester and them pump it up to the PSI listed on your rad cap. Let it sit and look for leaks. Pay special attention to the intake manifold, water pump, all hoses and radiator. Are you noticing anything inside the cab like the windows always fogging up or puddles on the floor. That could be a sign of a bad heater core. Pump it up and let it sit for a while and watch to see if the pressure drops or you see a leak. You may have to start it after a while as sometimes water pumps will leak when running and not when off.

EGR VALVE SIT ON TOP INTAKE MANIFOLD IT HAS A SMALL PIPE RUNNING IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

3.8L Engine (most common) Upper Intake Manifold To Remove:

1. Drain the cooling system.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Negative battery cable.
   • Fuel injector sight shield.
   • Air cleaner intake duct.
   • Right spark plug wires from the ignition control module and reposition.
3. Relieve the fuel pressure.
4. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Fuel rail assembly.
   • Brake booster hose from the vacuum source manifold in the upper intake manifold.
   • Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve (EGR) wiring harness heat shield nut, bolt and the EGR heat shield.
   • Throttle body support bracket upper bolt.
5. Disconnect the electrical connectors from the following:
   • EVAP purge solenoid
   • Throttle Position (T/P) sensor
   • Idle Air Control (IAC) valve
   • Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor
   • Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor
   • EVAP purge solenoid vacuum line from the throttle body.
   • Accelerator and the cruise control cables with the bracket from the throttle body.
6. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Upper intake manifold bolts and stud.
   • Clean the upper intake manifold bolt threads.
7. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Upper intake manifold by lifting the back of the intake and sliding the manifold forward from the throttle body support bracket.
   • Upper-to-lower intake manifold carrier gasket from the upper intake manifold.
8. If the upper intake manifold is being replaced, remove the following:
   • Throttle body assembly.
   • Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor.
   • Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
   • Vacuum source manifold.

Upper intake manifold bolt torque sequence (3.8L engine)

To Install:

1. If the manifold was replaced, install or connect the following:
   • Vacuum source manifold.
   • Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
   • Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor.
   • Throttle body assembly.
   • Upper-to-lower intake manifold carrier gasket to the upper intake manifold.
2. Carefully place the upper intake manifold onto the lower intake manifold. Ensure that the alignment pins in the upper intake manifold align with the holes in the lower intake manifold. NOTE: Apply thread lock compound, to the bolt threads before assembly.
   
3. Install or connect the following:
   • Upper intake manifold. Tighten the upper intake manifold bolts in sequence to 89 in lbs (10 Nm)
   • Accelerator and the cruise control cables with the bracket to the throttle body.
   • EVAP purge solenoid vacuum line to the throttle body.
4. Connect the electrical connectors to the following:
   • Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor
   • Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor
   • Idle Air Control (IAC) valve
   • Throttle Position (T/P) sensor
   • EVAP purge solenoid
5. Install or connect the following:
   • Throttle body upper support bracket bolt. Tighten the bolt to 89 in lbs (10 Nm)
   • EGR valve wiring harness heat shield, nut and the bolt. Tighten the nut and the bolt to 89 in lbs (10 Nm)
   • Brake booster hose to the vacuum source manifold.
   • Fuel rail assembly.
   • Right spark plug wires.
   • Air cleaner intake duct.
   • Fuel injector sight shield.
6. Connect the negative battery cable.
7. Fill the cooling system.
8. Inspect for fluid or vacuum leaks.

Lower Intake Manifold (W/O Supercharger) To Remove:

1. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Upper intake manifold.
   • Generator brace.
   • Drive belt tensioner with the mounting bracket and the heater water bypass inlet pipe.
   • Exhaust gas recirculation EGR outlet pipe bolt from the lower intake manifold.
   • Radiator inlet hose from the water outlet housing.
   • ECT sensor electrical connector.
   • Right upper engine mount strut bracket.
   • Generator brace bracket bolts.
   • Generator brace bracket.
   • Lower intake manifold bolts.
   • Lower intake manifold.
   • Lower intake manifold seals.
   • Lower intake manifold gaskets.
2. If replacing the lower intake manifold, Remove or disconnect:
   • Water outlet housing bolt and stud
   • Water outlet housing
   • Gasket and the thermostat.
   • ECT sensor.
3. Inspect the flatness of inlet flanges.
4. Clean the intake manifold mating surfaces.
5. Clean the intake manifold bolts and bolt holes of adhesive compound.

To Install:

1. If removed, install the ECT sensor.
   • Tighten the ECT sensor to 18 ft. lbs. (25 Nm)
2. If removed, install the thermostat, the gasket, and the water outlet housing.
3. If removed, install the water outlet housing bolt and the stud.
   • Tighten the bolt and stud to 20 ft. lbs. (27 Nm)
4. Install or connect the following:
   • Lower intake manifold gaskets. NOTE: Apply sealer GM P/N 12346286 (Canadian P/N 10953472) or equivalent to the ends of the intake manifold seals.
     
   • Lower intake manifold seals.
   • Lower intake manifold.
   • Lower intake manifold bolts.
   NOTE: Apply thread lock compound GM P/N 12345382 (Canadian P/N 10953489) or equivalent to the two hidden bolts and ensure they are installed.
   
5. Tighten the lower intake manifold bolts in sequence to 11 ft. lbs. (15 Nm)
   
   
6. Install or connect the following:
   • Generator brace bracket.
   • Generator brace bracket bolts. Tighten the bolts to 37 ft. lbs. (50 Nm)
   • Right upper engine mount strut bracket.
   • ECT sensor electrical connector.
   • Radiator inlet hose to the water outlet housing.
   • EGR outlet pipe to the lower intake manifold.
   • EGR outlet pipe bolt to the lower intake manifold. Tighten the bolt to 21 ft. lbs. (29 Nm)
   • Drive belt tensioner.
   • Generator brace.
   • Upper intake manifold.
7. Inspect for leaks.

Lower Intake Manifold (W/ Supercharger) To Remove:

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Drain the cooling system.
3. Remove the supercharger.
4. Remove the thermostat housing.
5. Remove the EGR pipe at the intake manifold.
6. Disconnect the electrical connection at the temperature sensor.
7. Remove the intake manifold and gaskets.

NOTE: The coolant bypass tube will release from the intake manifold when the manifold is removed.
To Install:

1. Clean the gasket sealing surfaces.
2. Install the intake manifold gaskets.
3. Align the coolant bypass tube with the opening in the intake manifold and install the manifold. Tighten the bolts to 11 lb ft (15 Nm).
4. Install the electrical connector to the temperature sensor.
5. Install the EGR pipe to the intake manifold.
6. Install the thermostat housing.
7. Install the supercharger.
8. Fill the cooling system.
9. Connect the negative battery cable.

The starter is under the intake manifold , you must remove the air box , the throttle housing and loosen the intake boots to gain some access to the starter , make sure to disconnect the battery neg.cable 1st .

It's not too difficult . get a small chair to sit on to do the job.

Open both clips on each side of MAP sensor and pull right out, just press new one in, no reprogramming is needed. MAP sensor sit on top of intake.

Is it a vortec engine if it is your fuel injector may be the problem. Chevy ran one injector on the vortech engine it is under the upper intake manifold, it has 6 plastic hoses running to each cylinder under the manifold. if one of these hoses are leaking its dumping raw fuel into the manifold during hot soak. that fuel is getting picked up by intake air when trying to start. and flooding it out hence hard to start. gasoline evaporates rather quick so what fuel was in the manifold when you park for the night has evaporated by the next morning so no raw fuel for intake air to pick up easy start. Seen this problem many times. pretty easy fix but a bit pricey around $200

3.8L Engine

NOTE The 3.8L (VIN K) non-supercharged engine uses a two-piece intake manifold consisting of an upper air plenum which mounts the throttle body and a lower intake manifold assembly which houses the fuel injectors. The 3.8L (VIN 1) supercharged engine uses a similar lower intake manifold. The supercharger serves as the upper manifold.
Lower Manifold

NOTE Two bolts which fasten the lower intake manifold to the cylinder head are accessible only after the upper intake manifold is removed. These bolts are located in the right front and left rear corners of the lower intake manifold. Remove the upper intake manifold to service the lower intake.
The 3.8L (VIN 1) supercharged engine uses a manifold similar to the 3.8L (VIN K), but the supercharger serves as the upper manifold.

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. On 3.8L (VIN 1) engines, remove the supercharger assembly. Please see the procedure in this section.
3. Remove the upper intake manifold using the procedure above.
4. Remove the EGR outlet pipe from the intake manifold.
5. Detach the engine coolant temperature sensor wiring harness from the sensor.
6. Remove the lower intake manifold bolts and carefully lift off the manifold.

To install:


Fig. Lower intake manifold bolt torque sequence-3.8L (VIN K) engine

1. Clean all parts well with degreaser, especially the gasket seal surfaces on the upper and lower manifold pieces and between the lower manifold and the cylinder heads..
2. Install new gaskets to the cylinder heads and new seals to the engine block. Carefully lower the manifold into place. Apply thread-locking compound to the bolt threads. Make sure to install the two hidden bolts in the lower intake manifold. Hand start all bolts, then torque evenly to 11 ft. lbs. (15 Nm). Follow the toque sequence, starting in the center, then working outwards in a circle.
3. Install the remaining components in the reverse order of the removal process.

Upper Intake Manifold (Plenum)

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. On 3.8L (VIN 1) engines, remove the supercharger assembly. Please see the procedure in this section.
3. Tag for identification, then remove the right side spark plug wires.
4. Disconnect the ignition wires from the fuel rail.
5. Remove the fuel rail. Please see Section 5.
6. Remove the cable bracket from the intake manifold.
7. Remove the throttle body.

NOTE Two bolts which fasten the lower intake manifold to the cylinder head are accessible are accessible only after the upper intake manifold is removed. These bolts are located in the right front and left rear corners of the lower intake manifold.

1. Remove the upper intake manifold bolts and carefully lift the upper intake manifold from the engine.

Fig. Upper intake manifold and bolt torque sequence-3.8L (VIN K) engine
To install:

1. Clean all parts well with degreaser, especially the gasket seal surfaces on the upper and lower manifold pieces.
2. Install new gaskets to the cylinder heads and new seals to the engine block. Carefully lower the manifold into place. Make sure to install the two hidden bolts in the lower intake manifold. Hand start all bolts, then torque evenly to 89 inch lbs. (10 Nm). Follow the torque sequence, starting in the center, then working outwards in a circle.
3. Install the remaining components in the reverse order of the removal process.