I am in need of an intake manifold gasket for my 2002 5.3L Z vin code, the flex fuel engine.
The problem I am running in to is that Schucks and Napa show a different gasket for the T and Z vin. They don't show info on either to tell me if the gaskets are in fact different other then the price tags, one being $43 and the other being $65.
Carquest on the other hand only shows 1 gasket for $51.
The Chevy dealer in town has seperate gaskets listed, but their part # for the Z vin doesn't reference back with Schucks or Napa's computers, and they want $106 for it.

So to get to the point, are the intake gaskets the same for the T and Z vin? If they are different can I use the gasket for T vin on my Z vin engine? And if I need to use the Z vin part only, does anyone have a part # for Schucks, Napa, or Carquest so I can make sure I order the correct gasket?
Thanks

 

At work we always use the dealer gasket because it has been updated. Failure was common on the original gaskets which were orange. The manufacture remade the gasket out of a new material which are now green. Last time I check the aftermarket gaskets were still the old material.

 

Thanks for the reply. That could explain the $40+ price difference between dealer and parts stores.

I assume the difference between the T and Z vin codes has to do with the flex fuel engine, but is there really a difference in gasket material? There isn't any E85 around where I live and I wouldn't use it anyways if there were. So I am willing to go with the T vin code (cheaper) gasket if it is interchangeable. Would rather spend $43 on that, then $106 at the stealership.

 

Well it seems Schucks had a good substitute afterall. They had a FELPRO intake gasket set, part # MS 9816 T, that fit both the T and the Z vin code. It cost me $75 and has black rubber instead of the original orange or the current green.
I'll be diving into that job tomorrow. Any special tools that the Chilton's manual doesn't talk about or any tips to help it go smooth? First time pulling the intake on a 5.3L, so I'm all ears.