Engine 2001 Mustang Gt - Intake Manifold Coolant Nipple Broke @ 121k Miles

wms004

Founding Member
Jan 15, 2002
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Los Angeles
Well, I thought this car was too reliable for it's own good. I was a mile from home when the coolant nipple broke off my intake manifold and sprayed coolant all over the engine bay.

I've ordered a new Ford Racing Intake Manifold from Late Model Restoration along with Trick Flow Intake-t0-head gaskets, and a new thermostat gasket.

I'll take some pics along the way as I go through the repair process.
 
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That really sucks, but that is how it happens usually. This is the perfect time to do spark plugs if you haven't already. I did the intake on my mom's 00 Grand Marquis a couple years ago before it started leaking. While I was in there I did new plugs and coils. The coil boots were starting to get swollen. Also replaced the heater hose tube, heater hoses, and all the other hoses at the same time. Just think, on your car anything rubber is 12 years old at least.
 
Yup, this can happen even to the manifolds with the aluminum crossover. And in my experience with it, when it breaks, it BREAKS. Dumps ALL of the water out in a matter of a few seconds. You'd better be close to somewhere you can fix it when it happens or you're SOL.
 
Thanks guys. The spark plugs are fairly new (I change them every 27k), but I do plan on replacing the coil-on-plugs w/in the next 10k.

So far I've pulled off:
  • Intake pipe
  • Coolant hose
  • Vacuum lines
  • Water pump pulley (needed to since it was in the way of the alternator bolt)
  • Alternator
More to come tomorrow..
 
I had just filled up with fuel when mine busted driver side next to the fire wall. _facebook_953399302_.jpg _facebook_-1152721314_.jpg _facebook_-1505133945_.jpg
 
I just had the same thing happen at 143,000 miles. I pulled out of a parking lot fairly aggressively one night and coolant shot up all over my windshield. It was the heater hose nipple that broke. I had to have it towed home. I replaced the intake myself with no trouble.
 
The 97 has had several intake failures... first was around 60k miles. I borrowed the car from my dad, got on the gas a bit after pulling out and the crossover tube cracked, spraying coolant everywhere. For a little while, I thought I blew the engine because of all the smoke (steam) behind me, and it didn't stop. He helped me limp it home and surprisingly, Ford replaced the intake no charge with a NPI aluminum crossover intake.

About 10 years later, that intake later on developed a crack at the heater hose nipple. At that time, I swapped a PI intake on.
 
Almost there, now. Snatch off the COPs, move that strut brace out of the way, disconnect the fuel line, and remove the 11 10-mm bolts on the manifold, and off she goes.

Here's a trick I've discovered after doing this a few times: get a fuel line disconnect tool ($5) and disconnect the fuel rail from the feed line(s) on the rear passenger side. Pull the manifold out with the injectors and fuel rails still on. The injectors are easier to remove and make a lot less mess when done outside of the engine bay.

Also, with 121k miles, there's a chance you'll tear one or more of the rubber O-rings on the fuel injectors when removing them. If it were me and it had that many miles, I'd replace all of them while I had them out. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...54_2402&rpl=1&categoryRedirect=02524&pt=02524 For $10, it's cheap insurance. Replacing them or not, wet them with some WD-40 when re-installing to keep them from tearing.
 
Almost there, now. Snatch off the COPs, move that strut brace out of the way, disconnect the fuel line, and remove the 11 10-mm bolts on the manifold, and off she goes.

Here's a trick I've discovered after doing this a few times: get a fuel line disconnect tool ($5) and disconnect the fuel rail from the feed line(s) on the rear passenger side. Pull the manifold out with the injectors and fuel rails still on. The injectors are easier to remove and make a lot less mess when done outside of the engine bay.

Also, with 121k miles, there's a chance you'll tear one or more of the rubber O-rings on the fuel injectors when removing them. If it were me and it had that many miles, I'd replace all of them while I had them out. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...54_2402&rpl=1&categoryRedirect=02524&pt=02524 For $10, it's cheap insurance. Replacing them or not, wet them with some WD-40 when re-installing to keep them from tearing.

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to try to pull out the manifold without moving the STB (we'll see if that's possible).

I need the 1/2" fuel line disconnect tool right? I hear they come in packs of 4 and at least 1 of them will work.

I'll definitely go with new O'rings too and use WD-40. Thanks again!
 
Here's one after the intake manifold was removed

intake+manifold+001.JPG


And with the Trick Flow gaskets in place..

intake+manifold+002.JPG


And with the new Ford Racing part and fuel rails in place...

intake+manifold+004.JPG


I finished the project and ended up with one "stranded" sensor coming off the harness on the driver's side by the firewall, one of those pinhole little ones.. I'll take a pic tomorrow to see if anyone can pinpoint what I missed.

Otherwise, on first start up, I experienced rough idle, shut it down, unplugged and re-plugged in all of the COP harnesses and injector harnesses, and 2nd start up sounded good. We'll see how she does on the way to work tomorrow.
 
This just happened to me a week ago. We repalced the intake, but now the car is a little rough. I can change gears but for example, on 2nd gear I want to floor it, it shakes and lacks power. What could be wrong ?
 

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With the car off, try unplugging and reattaching the injector harnesses and coil pack harnesses (looking for a nice click/secure feeling). Then start it up again. Let us know if that fixes it. Those harnesses can be sensitive.