Intake Manifold Firewall Bolt Stripped | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Intake Manifold Firewall Bolt Stripped

MistahYebba

Well-Known Member
Joined
June 29, 2015
Messages
275
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18
City, State
Clearwater, Florida
Year, Model & Trim Level
2005 Ford Explorer XLT
I am working on my 2005 Ford Explorer XLT to change the fuel pressure and temperature sensor which is under the upper half of the intake manifold.

Based on what I have discovered, there are 8 total T30 Torx head bolts securing the upper half of the intake manifold.

I managed to get off 6 of them easily.

Leaving 2 of them still, which got stripped.

One of them I was able to get out with a screw extractor...

The last one (#8) is the one in the very back near the firewall.

I think I gave it too strong of a crank and I must have not been perfectly centered on it.

I don't know my options, because there is much less room to work with than the other one that was stripped.

Suggestions?
 



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I'm in a similar situation with my '05 XLT. I just got the truck a short time ago after my Jetta got T-Boned and totalled, but I'm finding lots of things I don't like about this truck, like this. That back bolt was a total bear to get on to but the one just ahead of it has the head stripped out of it. I was once a professional Ford tech and worked between 2 dealerships for about 13 years. I still have all my tools, and good ones but holy cow! This has me scratching my head. I can get upper manifolds for around $100 so I may just break it apart and put another one back on once I get that sensor replaced..{kidding, naturally} ;)
 






Stripped the head or stripped the threads?
 






For me it's the head. I'm about to go out there and get serious with it though. Ford want's like $23 and some change a piece for those bolts......
 






Do you have a welder? You could weld a nut on top and use that to remove the bolt.
 






I do, both wire and stick; problem is the location of the bolt makes it inaccessible to either. This is a 2005 4.0L SOHC engine and this particular and that particular bolt was driver's side, 2nd from the rear; tucked way down deep under that plastic intake plenum. I ended up driving a 9mm 12 point socket down over the head, rocked it back and forth a few times and it came right out after that. Once I got it out though the problem was clear. Someone broke off a Torx bit leaving very little of the splines to get a bit on. I thought it felt a little strange but fishing a 3/8" and T-30 Torx through that little slot in the plenum was odd enough. I suspect what happened was they wore going after the fuel rail pressure sensor, broke the bit, said "to heck with it", buttoned it all back up and traded it in on something else. LOL ;)
 






I do, both wire and stick; problem is the location of the bolt makes it inaccessible to either. This is a 2005 4.0L SOHC engine and this particular and that particular bolt was driver's side, 2nd from the rear; tucked way down deep under that plastic intake plenum. I ended up driving a 9mm 12 point socket down over the head, rocked it back and forth a few times and it came right out after that. Once I got it out though the problem was clear. Someone broke off a Torx bit leaving very little of the splines to get a bit on. I thought it felt a little strange but fishing a 3/8" and T-30 Torx through that little slot in the plenum was odd enough. I suspect what happened was they wore going after the fuel rail pressure sensor, broke the bit, said "to heck with it", buttoned it all back up and traded it in on something else. LOL ;)
Any idea how to get the driver side one against the firewall out? (Don’t have a welder)
 






Any idea how to get the driver side one against the firewall out? (Don’t have a welder)
Read my previous. Drive 9mm 12 point socket over the head of the bolt. It will be difficult that far back with the hood on. Might consider removing the hood in order to get a square shot with a hammer. An air hammer would make it easier. Replacement parts are hard to find. Be careful.
 






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