[dsraven]

when you get to assembly of the engine, replace the knock sensors or at least the wiring harness attached (that is how you get new grommets), then run a small u shaped bead of silicone around the uphill side, so it dams water away from the holes but allows water from the holes to escape downhill, and then remove the foam from the underside of the int manifold. water gets down in there, past the baked hard rubber grommets and then sits in the 2 wells that the knock sensors sit in. that eventually rusts out the sensors (as well as causes you issues before that when water shorts out the wiring, like every time you wash the engine) and then you gotta pull the whole thing apart afterwards for replacement.
pick yourself up an assembly manual, it will have drawings and dimensions on stuff you will likely need for your truck shortening project. as well, you probably have forgotten how some stuff is supposed to go back together again. that is why taking lots of pics of the dissassembly ritual is always a good thing, plus keeping hardware with parts removed and labelling the boxes. don't ask how I know......