1999 Mounty 5.0 aka My Great Bad Idea

[allmyEXes]

Your intake sure is clean. Did you media blast it?

 

[97Sandbox]

I just used Easy Off oven cleaner and a stiff (plastic) bristle brush. Rinsed and repeated about 3 times then gave it a final spray and scrub with Simple Green to break up any residue before the final rinse.

Oh, and I used caulk remover to break up the globs of RTV the prior owner got all over and inside of the thermostat port.

 

[allmyEXes]

Looks like walnut hull blasting!

 

[97Sandbox]

I wish! That would have probably done a better job and more quickly.

I have access to sandblasting at work, but obviously wouldn't want to use that on aluminum parts.

 

[Turdle]

I do, but I use crushed Garnett, 70 psi 10 cfm

Never sandblast with sand. Bags of sand are labeled to not use for blasting. Silicosis

Use " blasting media"

 

[97Sandbox]

The stuff in our blast cabinets is a dark reddish grey, I wonder if it is crushed garnet.

 

[Turdle]

Yeah, probably. Aluminum oxide is similar color, a bit darker. I doubt they use that though, it's expensive and tears up equipment.

 

[97Sandbox]

Good news is the upper intake is back on. Bad news is I broke the PCV T trying to reconnect the hoses. I think it was just too cold.

Hopefully that's a standard enough item I can get one at O'Reilly's and save a trip to the salvage yard.

 

[Turdle]

I might have saved one or 2 of those. I'll look

 

[97Sandbox]

I should've grabbed one or two from the salvage yard the other day! Pretty sure it's a standard vacuum T though, getting a new replacement might be for the best.

 

[97Sandbox]

Dorman assortment had what I needed. Man, it's tough getting those hoses connected with the intake installed!

 

[allmyEXes]

What brand of crinkle paint is that on your valve covers? Yesterday I was at Wal-Mart and didn't see any.

 

[97Sandbox]

VHT. I think it's called "wrinkle plus" and I got it at a local O'Reilly. It looks better in the pictures than it does in-person (texture isn't super consistent), but it was quick and easy. I don't care too much because the valve covers are so buried under the intake.

 

[410Fortune]

I use brass tee
Hoses get connected to intake before intake is installed

 

[97Sandbox]

Yeah I had them connected before installing the intake but didn't realize the PCV hose on the driver's side needs to go under the fuel line. I popped that hose off, installed the intake, and when I went to put the hose back into the barb, the T broke.

 

[410Fortune]

Steep
Learning curve on these suckers
I have broken that tee more times then I can count
They got rid of the tee eventually and just ran one large line off the back, capped the front port.. that’s how I usually set these up, less hoses the better

 

[Blown]

Go man, go! I have usually struggled a bit working on my stuff, but man is it worth it when it all comes together.

 

[97Sandbox]

Thanks guys! I think all of you know, but I am still working furiously on the Mounty, just focusing on headers before I install remaining parts.

I have the accessory drive completely installed now. Once I'm done tack welding, the new condenser and old radiator will go back in. I'll be keeping the overflow tank, airbox, and CC module out until a passenger side header is in.

Lots of work to go on the headers, but once those are ready, I expect the rest will come together quickly.

 

[97Sandbox]

Things are slowing down a bit here, winter finally seems here to stay and our new baby came Monday evening. She and mom are happy and healthy.

While they sleep in, I'm taking over daily chicken duties which means I'm spending more time around the Mounty in daylight than usual.

I've gotten so used to seeing it on jack stands, I think I'm going to want to lift it once it's running and manual swapped. Probably just F150 leaves and TT for an inch or two.

Looking forward to lots of farm truck fun with this thing!

 

[EB4X]

Congrats on the new baby!
I like how Ford / Mercury went with what's referred to many as storm trooper look, white with dark grey /black trim / cladding. I have that with my WJ ...great look for a white vehicle imo....first time I've seen it on second gen, I guess it was only available on the Mercury version / Mountaineer.