Antifreeze leak from 4.6 intake?

[Number4]

It looks like the intake on my ‘04 4.6l (264k miles) is leaking antifreeze from where the thermostat house portion contacts the plastic.

There’s a little pool below it, then along the spark plug rail portion. Back drivers side top of engine has signs of antifreeze, which may just be from the fan blowing it back.

Pretty sure it’s time for a new intake, but looking to see if anyone else had this issue and it was a simple fix.

 

[drdoom]

Pretty sure I need one also. Just hitchin' a ride...

 

[Ex8]

It looks like the intake on my ‘04 4.6l (264k miles) is leaking antifreeze from where the thermostat house portion contacts the plastic.

There’s a little pool below it, then along the spark plug rail portion. Back drivers side top of engine has signs of antifreeze, which may just be from the fan blowing it back.

Pretty sure it’s time for a new intake, but looking to see if anyone else had this issue and it was a simple fix.

View attachment 434008 View attachment 434009 View attachment 434010

Had the same after i got mine Explorer with 145 000 miles on it. That s a leaking gasket because of corrosion of the alloy. I bought the new replacement Intake from Dorman via Rockauto. It s not expensive and basically not rocket science to change the intake. But ! pay attention to work carefully and in a clean surrounding, also clean your engine(bay) BEFORE you anything apart. It s also recommended to change the spark plugs then. Much more easy to do so with the intake of.

 

[1.8TTony]

Get a one piece aluminum intake manifold and never have to worry about that coolant leak again. My son bought a one-piece aluminum manifold for his many years ago, he's put at least 150k miles on it with no problems. I'll ask him where he got it from.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Get a one piece aluminum intake manifold and never have to worry about that coolant leak again. My son bought a one-piece aluminum manifold for his many years ago, he's put at least 150k miles on it with no problems. I'll ask him where he got it from.

only thing is dont they sap power? since they hold more heat as opposed to plastic. they remain hotter, so the air is hotter going in. guess pros/cons to both. for example many with the 5.0 use a phenolic spacer made of some plastic material in order to isolate both to keep heat down.

 

[1.8TTony]

only thing is dont they sap power? since they hold more heat as opposed to plastic. they remain hotter, so the air is hotter going in. guess pros/cons to both. for example many with the 5.0 use a phenolic spacer made of some plastic material in order to isolate both to keep heat down.

Yeah, you are right. They do retain and radiate heat. Maybe not a good idea to go all-aluminum, after all......... I'll see what my son says the reason for him buying the aluminum intake.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Yeah, you are right. They do retain and radiate heat. Maybe not a good idea to go all-aluminum, after all......... I'll see what my son says the reason for him buying the aluminum intake.

reliability vs power

the young folk in me says the latter, but the wise part says the former. i will say the aluminum ones do not crack like the plastics, and are more durable, however. its like oils, imo theres not quite 1 universally right answer, it depends on what you value

 

[1.8TTony]

Nevermind about the aluminum intake manifold.......My son said it costs over $1,000.....just go with a Dorman unit.

The reason my son got the all-aluminum manifold is because his engine has an aftermarket turbo charger and the boost pressure cracks the plastic manifolds.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Nevermind about the aluminum intake manifold.......My son said it costs over $1,000.....just go with a Dorman unit.

The reason my son got the all-aluminum manifold is because his engine has an aftermarket turbo charger and the boost pressure cracks the plastic manifolds.

geez, thats one expensive manifold!!!

i do see now, that makes sense now!!! now i get why the power from boost far outweighs that restricted by heat, which i imagine, isnt a whole lot.