Inlet manifold
 

As the 260s is down just now I'll ask here. How big a PITA is it to swap an inlet manifold? My mechanic mate fitted the uprated heater hose some time ago and noticed part of the fixed connector on the inlet manifold was broken, means the connector is a few mm shorter than its meant to be. It took a lot of grunting and persuading but he got the hose to fit securely. That was about two years ago however this morning the hose came adrift dumping the coolant. RAC guy wasn't confident about refitting the hose securely so it meant the indignity of a flatbed home :mad:

I have two choices, at the time my mechanic mate spoke about the possibility of machining a part to fit the connector, reinforcing it and restoring its original length or I have a spare inlet manifold lying in the garage. Just how big a job would swapping the inlet manifold be :shrug:

Depending on your skill level I would have thought 3 hours would see it switched over.

If you look on YouTube there are a couple of video of people who have done the job.

The biggest problem will be if something is stuck or snaps as you remove it, my experience of US V8's are quite robust usually.

Copper grease all threads before you refit and make sure you correctly torque the bolts as manifolds can distort.

Thanks Steve, my mechanic mate is on hols so can't talk to him about the part he was talking about making. I'll wait until I can talk to him. The manifold I have is complete with injectors etc, dunno if that would make it easier or more difficult!

Easier, how about the injector rail ( the shiny part that feeds them) If that is also on the ''new'' manifold that will make it even quicker.

My guess your mechanic is talking about making a new tube to go where the bit has busted off, as long as it is a good fit and is Araldited in I am sure that will work but personally I would fit another manifold. Brand new manifolds are not that dear and you then know you have another clear 10 years.

This is what I have Steve, basicaly a complete inlet manifold with throttle body, injectors etc.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8610/1...db9fb9fb_z.jpg

I have the Rave2 disc which covers the V8, can't even find a mention of the inlet manifold let alone anything about working on them :shrug:

Hi Steve (me, "David" on Two-Sixties). Quite some info there for you ... if the site were alive. Just had mine swapped for exactly the same reason. Had it done but watched. Took a lot of time because of problems with the nuts in the EGR area and a loose EGR tube union detected and needing fixing. Some of the bolts are difficult to reach particularly in that area. You will need new gaskets. I got mine through RockAuto. Not expensive. You should also do up the bolts in the correct sequence. 24Nm and then go around at 29Nm IIRC. Repeat check when hot for the 2V motors, Ford say. Bit of a pain since you can't get to the rearmost bolt without partial disassembly in the EGR area. Removal of the clips holding the thick cable run makes it easier, particularly at the rear, except some of the clips often break! No big deal.

Personally I would put a question mark on the copper-grease that SCP440-Steve suggests, in view of the advice to torque the unit to a specific tightness which the grease will invalidate.

Sequence and torque figures here:

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/Detailed/651.shtml



David Bytheway

Hi Steve,

If you don't want to go to the effort of a swap, the pipe can fairly easily be repaired in about 30 mins using a hose fitting. If you cut the broken pipe off (hole stuffed with rag to stop debris getting in) flush with the shoulder on the top of the inlet manifold, you will see that there is quite a good thickness of material. It can be threaded it with a suitably sized tap and then you can screw in a hose barb. Use a suitable high temp goo to make sure it stays water tight.

Rich

Found that my stuff was too crumbly, maybe your's is better though. If you do go the swap it route and need to get gaskets from RockAuto ...
Since the Two-Sixties site is down you can't get to the discount code, so you can use mine which is valid up to June 4th. It is:
6019838443594279

David

Yes, the top of the pipe does go crumbly, that's why you have to cut it off flush with the shoulder/top of inlet. At that point there's a good few mm of wall thickness to tap a thread into.

Rich

Thanks for the advice guys.Its not so much a case of don't want to go to the effort, my health is pretty cr@p just now, my get up and go has got up and gone!