'04 4.6L intake manifold foam enclosure

[anaab]

Read every post I can find on the subject of instake manifold replacement and found only one reference to the foam lined enclosure under the plastic intake manifold.
The foam is encased in what looks like an ABS "box" that sits on the valley between the heads. It just slides onto the botton of the OEM intake but when removing the intake several pieces just fell of in my hand.
Once the intake was out there were several other pieces laying in the valley.
Anyone know what this beast is called and what it's function is? I hate to reuse the original but the dealer parts guy had no clue what I was describing.
When the new intake arrives tomorrow I don't want to have to wait a week to get a replacement.

 

[waskly]

it was removed it later builds, you don't have to put it back.

 

[anaab]

Installed the new intake last night. The replacement (OEM) came with the enclosure.
Still don't know what it does but it's on there now.

 

[esclamada]

It's called valley stuffer, it just suppresses the noise made by the intake manifold. The Dorman replacement manifold doesn't have it. I'm going to replace mine so I think I might have the same situation where it will be thrown away.


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