Intake Leak

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masterhacker

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So I felt energetic today, and decided to change my intake manifold. Holy balls is that thing a pain to change.
when I pulled it off I found coolant in the valley of the engine, and i could see where on the passenger side coolant was leaking into the first cylinder (front pass side) which would explain why I keep finding sludge on my oil filler cap (oils clean, just on top of cap)

I think it would have been easier to swap the damn engine, and the fun part is that im still not done, its about 10 degrees out by me so i can only work on it for like 35-40 minutes before i get too cold and have to go inside for like 20 minutes to warm up. at least i finally have the new intake bolted on. I just need to put everything back together now

I came to the conclusion that a woman designed the engine compartment on expedition's, because women are the only ones with small enough hands to work in there

I didnt take any pictures cause i forgot, ill take a pic when im finished though
 

walnuts4x4

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interesting thought on women.....lol... but adding a body lift gives you 3 more inches in the engine compartment...lol
 

K5rnt

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It looks something like this.

a6cd0854-a39e-b081.jpg
 

trdragons44

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Been there done that twice. It is a pain in the ass but I got paid some serious $$. It gets easier the more you do it but doing it in the cold sucks.


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masterhacker

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you have no idea how much the cold sucks... at least im nearly done, hust have to put throttle body back on
 
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masterhacker

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I'M FINALLY DONE WITH THE POS, just have put the air box in permanently, and finish bleeding the soab. it freaked me out a little, i forgot to connect 2 vacuum lines and it wasn't starting too well. Took me about 6 hours not counting breaks to warm up every 20-45 minutes, I did it in my driveway, it was windy, cold and it fricking sucked. I need to get me a pole barn...
 
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smokinbk

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Doing this job right now, I took the hood off and stacked some 33" rims/tires up so I could reach in the engine. Not horribly bad, but I also have a barn and the weather is nice. How did the installation of the upper intake go, any problems with the lower gasket mounting? Thanks
Bryan
 

ardjaye4

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So I felt energetic today, and decided to change my intake manifold. Holy balls is that thing a pain to change.
when I pulled it off I found coolant in the valley of the engine, and i could see where on the passenger side coolant was leaking into the first cylinder (front pass side) which would explain why I keep finding sludge on my oil filler cap (oils clean, just on top of cap)

I think it would have been easier to swap the damn engine, and the fun part is that im still not done, its about 10 degrees out by me so i can only work on it for like 35-40 minutes before i get too cold and have to go inside for like 20 minutes to warm up. at least i finally have the new intake bolted on. I just need to put everything back together now

I came to the conclusion that a woman designed the engine compartment on expedition's, because women are the only ones with small enough hands to work in there

I didnt take any pictures cause i forgot, ill take a pic when im finished though


hello,
my 2000 expedition 5.4L is running sluggish,poor engine performance, the engine is surging, poor idle,hesitation and a failed emissions test. all this after i change all 8 coils, all 8 spark plugs, 2 fuel injectors, fuel filter, and o2 sensor. and now they say i need a intake manifold. should i change the EGR valve first?
Please help,
Vince
 
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ardjaye4

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Been there done that twice. It is a pain in the ass but I got paid some serious $$. It gets easier the more you do it but doing it in the cold sucks.


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hello,
my 2000 expedition 5.4L is running sluggish,poor engine performance, the engine is surging, poor idle,hesitation and a failed emissions test. all this after i change all 8 coils, all 8 spark plugs, 2 fuel injectors, fuel filter, and o2 sensor. and now they say i need a intake manifold. should i change the EGR valve first?
Please help,
Vince
 
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masterhacker

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You could try changing the egr valve, there is a sensor thing connected to it by a vaccum line ive been told that that can go bad also, also clean iac valve. Changing the manifold takes a while, if your doing it your self just take your time, take pics before hand to remember where everything goes, and torque everything to spec, I bought the dormon manifold cause that suposidly fixed the issues the ford one has

also do it when you have two days to do it. it took me a while
 
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03xpo

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i think i have the same problem on my 03 i found coolant in the oil...and the oil cap looked milky (coolant and oil) but it runs great
 

districk81

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I have a 2000 EB and finally got it on the road yesterday. its been sitting for 2 years. i did a air to coil spring swap. it rides great the problem is the first time i stopped after about 25 miles i noticed smoke coming from the engine and then smelled engine coolant. after further inspection i found the leak it is in the very front of the engine on the left (passenger) side there on the intake it looks like the front part of it, its metal not plastic i think its aluminum, any way its the only part of the intake that is metal and its up there in the very front. The right hand side is were the thermostat is located then it goes back behind the the alternator and the alt is actually bolted to it then it goes over to the left hand side and underneath there is were it is spitting out water. the valley is full of water and the fan is blowing water all over every thing on the left hand side. its not real bad like i could still drive it i just stopped every 7 to 10 miles and added water. it never over heated and it never took more than about half a gallon to refill the reservoir. like i said its been sitting for about two years because of the suspension so i just got it and i've never had a ford before. when i first found the leak i was like what the h#$% were is the radiator cap. needless to say i never found it. lol!!! I've talked to a couple guys at some local shops and all tell me that these triton engines with the plastic intakes are notorious for cracking and springing leaks. i thought it was a gasket they said wishful thinking its probably cracked either way its gotta come off. it looks like a h$%R of a job. has anyone else ever had this problem and could they please give me some pointers on it. Also i heard dorman has a good replacement intake and not to buy some pos off of ebay b/c they're trash. im working with a really limited budget so can't i just go get one from a pick a part.
 

daoud el-massri

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Good job I feel for you I changed my motor in the cold this winter also froz my but off . My motor is also hesitating under load it stumbuls dose not miss fire thou . I replaced coil each boots because I heard a tick when I started it up . Now I have no clough on what it could be . Have no check engine light on .
 

RollinKaos

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Need to do this to mine, leaking at the manifold quite a bit. I am not looking forward to it but I have done a lot of intakes on SBC engines so I think I will be all right. Any tricks to bleeding the cooling system? I have front and rear heating and wondering if there is any issues bleeding it . I am getting the Dorman intake as well, cant see replacing it with a part you know is going to fail again.
 

districk81

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it took me6 hours to change mine on my 2000 EB. seemed like it was easier to put back on than it was to take apart. went ahead and changed my spark plugs while I was at it. the old intake was busted over there by the coolant temp sensor right there under the crossover. now ever so often I get a rough idle so I think ive got a vacum leakim not sure
 
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