What IS this part?

[Vette76]

Hey guys, I can't take off a part from my '02 SOHC V6 without scratching my head.

I just took off the right cylinder head and I found what I swear is a "pillow" that fits perfectly on top of the center of the engine block. It has tabs and fits perfectly around the intake ports of the cylinder heads. Am I to believe that this 'pillow' actually is suppose to stay in this cavity below the intake manifold and came this way from the factory? I unfortunately didn't take the intake manifold off so I'm not sure what the heck this thing is supposed to look like. It was packed with shop rags. I didn't even see this until I knocked the right head off about an hour ago.

I actually thought I had solved, once and for all, why my 02 is such a POS. I figured the guy who put together all the 02's finally hid his pillow inside my engine!!

I'm trying to figure out how to upload pictures. When I do, I'll actually load one up of this thing.

Thanks!

 

[waskly]

all the 02/03 and i think 04 have a pillow in the valley of the engine, i'm guessing its for the knock sensor.

later models it was removed from.

 

[Vette76]

Waskly, thanks for the help. I swear this thing was made with spit and tin foil. I used to think people were joking when they talked about the "canuta valve" or the "johnson rod" or the "muffler bearing" but I bet if I keep on taking parts off this thing, I might actual find all of them!

Thanks for the help.