Your son Justin is a good cameraman, far better than most UA-cam videographers. He doesn't have the shakes (comes from being sober) and keeps things in focus (ditto.) You can be proud of him.
I appreciate your vent for the day as I have the same feelings about automotive design engineers in so many situations. That's why the used to say FORD meant "Fix Or Repair Daily"
I want to personally thank you very much. I purchased a '98 F-150 with the 4.6L engine about 6 months ago and I would have given up on it if not for this video. I started by replacing coil packs, plugs, plug wires, injectors, fuel pump, and several sensors. When I saw the slush on the bottom of my oil cap I thought it had blown a head gasket. It turns out the problem the whole time was a leaking intake manifold gasket in 3 places including the crossover tube. So, Thank-you and you make great videos.
Ron, and Justin, thank you for the great video. My daughter has an ‘04 Expedition I passed down to her. The water pump went out, and she continued to drive it. I changed out the thermostat, hoses, and water pump. All good, right? No!!! The antifreeze was getting low in the expansion tank daily. I thought maybe there was air in the system I didn’t bleed. Then, when I drove it I could smell that sweet, hot antifreeze odor. Did some looking, and found it was leaking at that manifold corner on the opposite side you referenced in your video. I did saw a piece of black plastic laying in the valley under the manifold in antifreeze but thought nothing of it. Figured it was trash. I used compressed air to clean out the antifreeze to have a fresh place to investigate before I started the engine. That’s when I saw it flowing from that area (right side of the manifold). With the info you provided I’m wondering if that small piece of plastic I saw was a broken edge from the manifold. I’ll check in the morning with an inspection mirror. I do you believe you set me on the right path!!! Thank you.
I got 4.6 engine on my 1997 Ford Expedition when I was changing out the spark plugs and the original plug cables just the other day I noticed some coolant green fluid on there and a lot of corrosion. You video helped me figure out my next steps. Seems like the work on this old is never ending but with 72k miles and in great interior and exterior shape for it is worth it for me. Thank you sir!
Wait until you hit 320k on the orig motor & tranny like my 1-owner 98 Eddie Bauer 4wd. Suddenly you realize you haven't had a car payment in 21 years. Makes the cost of maintenance & repairs irrelevant. See you at 400k.
Thank you SIR.for breaking it down...i.m on my 3rd manifold fix...07 ford f150 .bought this truck new...NO MORE FORD TRUCKS FOR ME....1200.00 dollars a pop
Great video. I just wanted to add that I have a 98 F150 5.4 Triton V8 with the two valve configuration. My intake manifold is all aluminum and does not have those two secondary gaskets held on with a 3 - 8 m m v
98 Expie 5.4......our aluminum intakes are more valuable than our cats to the 1999+ Series plastic intake crowd. 😂 320k - 1 owner truck. I'm just now having to replace my intake gaskets...not bad for a 25 yr old truck.
Ron, I agree with you regarding the difficulty getting to the bolts on the underneath of the thermostat crossover part of the intake manifold. I do disagree that it could have been redesigned with the bolts going in from the top. The reason I disagree is that if the bolts were made to go in from the top, the nuts to hold the bolts would have to be made to be contained within the plastic part of the manifold and I think it would be too fragile and you would likely twist the nuts out of the plastic when removing. Of course making the entire intake out of metal would have resolved the issue entirely. Great video!
Engines are extremely well designed by teams of smart people who are under tight budgets and ridiculous government constraints on weight. Engine gaskets really aren't supposed to last 25 years like I need them to. I don't think the engineers were tasked to consider problems at the 20+ year mark when most (not me) would have a new vehicle again.
Just found this video and it’s the best one yet. My 08 f150 4.6 started leaking and misfiring 3 years ago and JB welded it and it worked. It is now acting up again but I’m gonna do it again bc I’m not changing that intake. Thank you sir
Hey Ron, I have a 2002 Ford F-250 5.4L 2V CCLB 4WD with 227,400 miles on the clock. I noticed the tell tale signs too. Coolant pooling under the air Intake, wetness on the crossover tube, coolant dripping from the Bell Housing, coolant in the tailpipe, yeah it was a mess. I ordered a Dorman, because there were no Ford Manifolds in the country during December 2022. I was getting the Night Terrors thinking about the Dorman failing after all the work needed to take out and put in. Called Ford again and found one in Indiana!!! Shipped, delivered (to Florida) and we replaced about 2 weeks ago. Working great so far, yeah, there was coolant in the valley, typical piece on original Ford Manifold had cracked allowing coolant to leak. Replaced the plugs, some of the boots and cleaned the valley good. Thanks for the video!
Thankyou for the videos you have been a big help! I agree with you about the knuckle head engineers who probably never turned a wrench a day in their lives, I'm in the process of taking a broken spark plug out of the#4 cylinder on a 2001 2 valve 5.4 and I'm not a engineer but I see a lot of stuff that could be designed different so wish me luck!!!
Thank you very much sir you and your son are awesome for making this video, straight to the point ,I was afraid to work on my truck and change the gaskets but with your guidance I'm going to tackle this project.thanks again you are a life saver.god bless you and your family.🙏💯👍
Thanks for the video lesson, real helpful. My triton is leaking coolant left side under the heater tube. Sick of making repairs on used vehicles but new ones are too $$. Interesting on the jb weld 'rigging' - I'm just going with a whole new manifold from Amazon since I have to take the whole thing off anyway.
Man thank you so much. You saved me so much time. I thought I needed to rework my heads. Found the same exact thing as you described in our 2000 Excursion 5.4L
I'm currently in the process of doing this to my 2008 F150, 4.6. Great tip on the gasket that located underneath the thermostat area. I still have my intake off, and I will definitely look at that gasket tomorrow. Since I had the upper intake removed, I went ahead and replaced the valve cover gaskets. That's another job in itself.
One of the best videos yet on the cause/repair of the mysterious coolant leaks on Ford's 4.6 engines! Similar to GM's notorious leaks on their 3.8 V6 engine's poorly designed manifolds, I found that the ungraded aftermarket parts are the way to go...had good luck with Dorman parts on many a 3.8 leak repair! (But this 4.6L repair is a whole lot more involved labor-wise.)
@@SandCarServices Dorman is hit or miss I work in parts and have found several dorman parts that actually say ford and other makers on them and some that actually say made in USA. I used dorman with great success only because I know which parts are good and which to avoid. I have had to replace the intake twice. The first because the crossover was plastic and I noticed a crack In the thermostat housing and the second it started leaking on the passenger side.
Thanks. Just got a leak from the thermostat housing on my Crown Vic.....I think I'll just replace the whole intake and save myself having to do it twice. lol I take it that the Dorman intakes are junk.....without brass inserts for the coil pack screws, etc.....so it would be better to get a Ford Intake....?? Keep up the great videos.
Realized I was having this issue. After thinking it was oil (dummy) I took apart my valve cover to replace that gasket... but it was fine. I eventually realized it was dirty coolant, thought maybe the intake man gasket was leaking but after close inspection I saw it was the thermostat housing where some run out was coming from... popped the top housing unit off and noticed no gasket or gasket maker seal was there. Someone most have replaced the therm before I bought it didn’t seal it and got frustrated and sold the thing because it was low power from the spark wells being drowned lol. So 2000 f150 xlt 4.6L thermostat seal missing, leaking coolant under pressure down the drivers bank flooding the spark wells. Fix was to add a gasket sealant to housing. Easy
Cool video , really informative I have a 2008 Ford F-150 STX, I noticed that the top of the intake housing that's seen in the video that it definitely have something to do with thermostat on the driver side so the top and facing it to the left with the hose connector I'm noticing a lot of build-up antifreeze out through the top left side of top motor
For anyone wondering - our Mitchell labor guide says 4.8 hours to do this job so it's somewhat labor intensive. If you have the aid of an air compressor and pneumatic tools you can cut the time down quite a bit.
Awesome video I've been looking for this exact situation because mine is doing this exact thing a lot of people told me it was the rubber over the back of the hood and I tested that theory and it didn't Pan out so thank you very much
Question: Can a leaking intake gasket cause coolant to leak into the #4 cylinder on a 2000 ford 5.4 two valve engine. It cranks and runs bit after a minute or so light grey smoke comes out of the exhaust, watch your vids alot, you are the best I've seen on the internet..Thanks..
I just performed this repair with JB weld mine had this exact issue the wall that holds the gaskets in place had been blown out broken from the inside I carefully built a wall back up using JB weld and then a small Dremel tool to very carefully cut out the valley for the gaskets let it cure very well and it worked well but I took my time and did it carefully and it's still working well today
My 2000 f150 5.4 i bought new shot craps at the cross over at 285,000 miles. I installed the Dorman 615-188 myself a yr ago and to be very honest,i was impressed with it..no problems. As for the self tapping screws i like them better. Before installing i put a dab of grease on them and using a 1/4inch drive ratchet put all the screws in all the way and backed them out...made installing brackets and coil packs easy...no reason to over tighten them. If people are stripping them out,they probably don't need to do the install. I used a 1/4 ratchet inch drive on all of it. *Do Not Use Air Tools*Follow torque and sequence instructions that come with it. I also used the thermostat that came with it. I noticed No loss of power-No noise...couldn't tell any difference between it and OEM....runs smooth. The old plugs had 7000 miles on them but installed a new set while everything was off and easy to get to. The bypass tube under the old intake looked good so i left it alone,they are Not easy to remove even with the old intake off. You Will Need a torque wrench that measures in inches and pounds...*Do Not Skimp On This*...and play it by feel. All brackets,fuel rails,air intake fit perfect. I spent all day taking it all off separating it all on the bench and cleaning what went back on and cleaning around all the ports surface. Spent 1/2 day the next day putting it all back together taking my time. If you try to hurry...don't do this job...you will probably be disappointed in the end results. The intake was 112 $ at o'riley's plus tax and comes with instructions and torque diagram.
Thanks for the video Ron (and Justin). I've got an 04 Expedition with the Triton and I was admittedly dreading doing this fix. I appreciate you guys breaking it down step by step. Its always a process, but now it looks like it will just be a weekend or so. Thanks again.
Great info and sad I didn't find this video back when I was starting my DIY trip through a '02 5.4L intake manifold job. Used an SKP since it met OEM and had good reviews unlike Dorman, added grey RTV gasket maker where there were gaskets and even put it inbetween the plastic plenum and aluminum piece along with tightening the bolts for it (they weren't tight and caused a leak).
Great video, just bought the 5.4 expedition and it’s in real good shape, but that exact point is leaking, looks I’ll be able to get to know my truck real well fixing those gaskets! Hopefully that back wall is still intact, thanks for the help!!
I wish I was able to go to your shop. I had that exact problem but they took me to the cleaners and had to replace instead of doing the welding and fixing the part.
It's very time consuming. But can be done. If you have another vehicle, and don't mind parking your truck for like 1 aweek, then go for it. I say a week because I work, but if you're retired, then it should take about 2 days to complete. Day one will be taking stuff off, day 2 will be putting everything back.
Hey Ron, just had this issue with my truck the motor hydrolocked and I have coolant in cylinder 1, I’m trying to order the thermostat housing seal that you showed in the video and can’t find it for the life of me, not sure if I’m looking for the wrong thing or if I have to make my own gasket, this video is very very helpful and I thank you very much, keep up the great work👍🏻
Just had this done on my 2007 f150 4.6. It's still in the shop, when put back together they had trouble starting the truck, had to use quick start.. when running it's blowing out white smoke... a code came up ignition coils #5,#6,and #7... when they had the intake manifold off,, they blew out the coolant where the spark plugs sit... they had rags in the cylinder holes for protection.... you think the spraying out the plug area got inside the cylinders and is causing the white smoke?? It's Saturday, have to wait until Monday.
Kory Beckwith yes yes yes! Ford f'd up a totally good engine when they came up with a plastic intake manifold. Plastic gets hot from coolant...plastic melts and warps when hot....common fucking sense!! More proof Ford are a bunch of low IQ morons!!
I've got a leak on that cross over and the d rings don't come with the manifold gasket set so where do I get them what are they called and a part number the video was a lot of help thank you
This may be a silly question but ...I think you have a good knowledge of these vehicles with so much hands on experience. I have a 2003 F250 5.4 L - 2 valve with 118,00 miles and the engine has not given me a single issue, not even a check engine/ code! It has started up everyday since except for a fuel pump failure a few years back. With this intake seemingly so prevalent, is it only a matter of time it fails and do you recommend replacing the gaskets as a preventative measure? It's usually good not to repair unless its broke, but I will if necessary. Just glad it's not a 3 valve! Also thanks for an informative video!
Awesome video. Have question my daughter truck f250 5.4L started leak coolant from the housing. Would it best to buy the OEM intake with housing or would the aftermarket be ok to use just in case its broke inside
For the looks of it it sems like ill be doing some repair on my 01 f150 5.4,i see some coolant coming out from the corner close to the thermostat,not alot but we will se,good vid by the way.
I have a 1999 f150 5.4 triton having a coolant leak in the back of the motor I think that it coming from the metal tube going to the heater core.Question can I by pass that tubing by running a heater hose from the front of the motor back to the heater core.
I don't think so if its the steel line that comes up off the back of the head on the passenger side? That pipe goes underneath the intake manifold to the back of the water pump
Two years ago, I traded in an 01 f350 5.4. The engine had a misfire in #3 cylinder that had no code. I also noticed the coolant reservoir darkening. Not knowing what to do, I took it to the dealer and they recommended a new engine. I believe the intake gasket was the real problem all along. The odd thing I thought was the engine wasn't burning coolant, but the oil was getting in the coolant system.
much appreciated ! intake is off and im making sure i dont make a mistake not going far enough with 'while we're at it' additional replacements etc. hmmm i might want to just get a new manifold for insurance i dont need to do this ALL OVER AGAIN should the plastic manifold fail or has an invisible defect
Have you ever tried to drill out the bolts that are for the cross over and retap new in from the top saving from having to take the whole thing off?let me know what you think about this idea please
Hi Ron, maybe you can give me some advice please, I just replaced the intake manifold on my Ford E250 2007 work van, my money maker for this same problem, the transfer tube gaskets where leaking thats it no misfires and not a large amount of antifreeze was being lost. The van had no codes. Now I have a big problem I am leaking antifreeze where I can't see it and it is alot worse than before the replacement of the manifold. I also am getting p0300 random misses and a cylinder 4 miss confirmed. I brought it to my local Tower Ford where the master machanic took on the job. All ford parts where used, what the hell has possibly gone wrong it does have 282,000 miles but ran beautifully before this repair, please don't say it was my Trump sticker on my bumper. I hope i'm not going to have to replace the block.
I have a 2008 p71 with this very problem. I am planning to replace the manifold. However, I want to make sure I get the proper one. I contacted ford and they no longer carry a different one for the civilian or police. I was told by the parts guy the newly available one is civilian. I also know there is a Dorman replacement available but read bad reviews both in quality and loss of performance on the p71. there is a Ford Racing M9424P46 Intake Manifold but it says that it is for 1999 to 2004. I am kind of stuck on how to proceede I do not want to invest all the time and money replacing this intake only to find out I lost some performance or it will not match up correctly. I wish there was a way to talk to you by phone for quick advice. Keep putting out these great videos Thank you they are very helpful.
Great video Ron...pretty much confirmed my suspicion that the intake manifold will need to be replaced. My 5.4 is leaking coolant from the passenger end of the coolant crossover. You indicate this is a "suplementary" video, but I can't find the video you reference that shows removal and (I hope!) replacement of the intake manifold. Pointer?
Hello Ron, I truly appreciate your videos and sound advice. I have a 2003 Expedition 5.4 Triton, I have replaced the thermostat about a year ago, recently the water pump and intake manifold. After a few minutes driving I get a spike on the temp gauge for about 10 seconds before returning to the normal position, thankfully it remains there for the journey. I have also replaced the reservoir cap to no avail. It seems to point to the thermostat, any other ideas before I change out again? Also wanted to get your opinion on a 'failsafe' version of the thermostat.
Hey Ron Thanks for sharing this video with me. i have e350 5.4 triton also. i did an overhaul on the engine. I now find oil mixing with water but my heads have been checked at the machine shop and they are ok. what do you recommend?
First video I found addressing the issue. I've got a 2010 f150 with the same issue. I've just been trying to figure out how to get the damn crossover tube out, now that I know I have to take half the damn engine out I'll probably delay a bit if I can. Ugh.
It is not the engineers were unsupervised but were told by Ford to make it impossible to do for the shade tree mechanic and make them take it to a Ford dealer and charge 1500.00 (guessing) to fix it. Planned Obsolescence.
Thank you for your videos. Bought a 2002 expedition at auction and the auto repair shop wants to charge me more to fix this than I paid for the truck. I noticed that you have the fuel rails still attached to the manifold but other sources say to remove the fuel rails. Do they cause problems with removal?
What does something like that run for? Labor.. Or if you have to change the intake too..$$$$$$ Price for each. I'm have that problem too leaking antifreeze on the right side of the engine.... and miss firing..
What do you call that gasket between the manifold and thermostat? the D ring gasket, what to ask for when purchasing these two gaskets ? Or do they come with the gasket set?
Thanks for your 5.4 intake video focusing on the crossover gaskets. I have my 5.4 Triton intake out cleaned and ready to be reassembled. I got the intake manifold gasket from Autozone yesterday and I have a Dorman unit which has o ring-type gaskets at each opening instead of the strip with the blue raised rubber seals. Can I successfully install the new strip with the blue raised rubber seals ? If so, do I have to remove the orange Dorman oring-types? Or do I return the gasket I have and wait a couple days for new orange seals? Thanks.
Yes all is true!! My 02 Mustang GT 5speed car has 4.6 every where this man said leaks happen are truly correct!! My car leaked for years but leaked very little , finally got the nerve up n money saved for parts if needed to do job!!! No biggy Just took longer to clean up the engine for new gaskets then the actual work
Wow, I have an e150 with the 4.6 and just got done putting new plugs and coils in. A nightmare on the passenger side. I have a leak too but think it's the heater crossover pipe. I don't see water in the valley pan but did have some water in 2 spark wells on the passenger side. Luckily I can get too the rear of the engine easily. Not sure how the intake manifold comes off in a van. There's not much headroom. Adding to my comment, I found the water leak. There is an heater hose connector on the front of the intake manifold. A 5/8 inch nipple about 5 inches long and it has a pinhole leak about 2 inches from the end. Sprayed water directly on the fuel rail on the passenger side bank of plugs. I put a temporary fix of heater hose clamped over the pinhole, and no more leaks. Ford says they don't sell the tube, have to buy whole manifold,,, ridiculous, right? You can buy aftermarket but not same configuration, but should work. Still 45 bucks for a 5 inch piece of pipe with a press in fit. So don't remove less your sure the new one will fit. At least for now, no leaks. And especially, I found out my upper manifold is cast, not plastic. So should not crack or break loose.
Where do you find your replacement manifolds? I have a 97 f150 with a 5.4 that is dumping coolant out of where the heater core hose connects to the manifold. A problem that magically appeared 35 miles after getting a blown spark plug replaced. Cant seem to find a replacement either ford or aftermarket. Not really wanting to roll the dice on a junkyard part but haven't found anything else. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Love the informative videos btw.
Ron has a point about going to the dealer. The factory manifolds have brass inserts for bolting the t-body and coils to. Without these, you will very easily strip the mounting holes. I haven't found a single aftermarket one that has inserts, so going Ford is paramount. HOWEVER, if you are VERY careful, you can find junkyard or ebay factory intakes for cheap.
Is it possible to reinstall the crossover bolts face up? I was just working on my spark plugs (P0300 cylinder 3,4, and 7 leak). Not sure that its coolant leaking into the wells as it's just oily smelling sludge... but I'm about out of DIY fixes until I take it into a shop
I have 02 with passenger side c.r leak.. im hoping its juat a gasket. Im hoping i dont need to replace the intake. Who ever owned it before used alot of stop leak in it until I replaced T stat and thats when it started leaking on pass side
Thanks for the Vid. And from what I got out of it. You said that I don't have to pull the WHOLE manifold to cure the leak from the crossover for 5.4 Triton ? Being that I noticed I don't have an apparent exhaust leak. Passed emissions and all. But, I do see a small leak of coolant to the opposite side of the thermostat in the front. And I'm getting that the bolts can be removed from the top and bottom of the crossover ?
Your son Justin is a good cameraman, far better than most UA-cam videographers. He doesn't have the shakes (comes from being sober) and keeps things in focus (ditto.)
You can be proud of him.
I appreciate your vent for the day as I have the same feelings about automotive design engineers in so many situations. That's why the used to say FORD meant "Fix Or Repair Daily"
Ford stealerships are riddled with corruption and cheating customers.
Ron you just might be 1 of the greatest of all time
I want to personally thank you very much. I purchased a '98 F-150 with the 4.6L engine about 6 months ago and I would have given up on it if not for this video. I started by replacing coil packs, plugs, plug wires, injectors, fuel pump, and several sensors. When I saw the slush on the bottom of my oil cap I thought it had blown a head gasket. It turns out the problem the whole time was a leaking intake manifold gasket in 3 places including the crossover tube. So, Thank-you and you make great videos.
Were you getting a random misfire?
Ron, and Justin, thank you for the great video. My daughter has an ‘04 Expedition I passed down to her. The water pump went out, and she continued to drive it. I changed out the thermostat, hoses, and water pump. All good, right? No!!! The antifreeze was getting low in the expansion tank daily. I thought maybe there was air in the system I didn’t bleed. Then, when I drove it I could smell that sweet, hot antifreeze odor. Did some looking, and found it was leaking at that manifold corner on the opposite side you referenced in your video. I did saw a piece of black plastic laying in the valley under the manifold in antifreeze but thought nothing of it. Figured it was trash. I used compressed air to clean out the antifreeze to have a fresh place to investigate before I started the engine. That’s when I saw it flowing from that area (right side of the manifold). With the info you provided I’m wondering if that small piece of plastic I saw was a broken edge from the manifold. I’ll check in the morning with an inspection mirror. I do you believe you set me on the right path!!! Thank you.
Ford prototyping team "won't this be hard to work on?"
Ford engineers "yeah, but that won't be our problem."
Nope...........this will ensure that these fools bring it to us to charge them $1000 to fix something that could have been done for $200!
I'm a very competent mechanic but don't have too many of these under my belt as they say, thank you for the insight. It has been highly enlightening.
I got 4.6 engine on my 1997 Ford Expedition when I was changing out the spark plugs and the original plug cables just the other day I noticed some coolant green fluid on there and a lot of corrosion. You video helped me figure out my next steps. Seems like the work on this old is never ending but with 72k miles and in great interior and exterior shape for it is worth it for me. Thank you sir!
Wait until you hit 320k on the orig motor & tranny like my 1-owner 98 Eddie Bauer 4wd. Suddenly you realize you haven't had a car payment in 21 years. Makes the cost of maintenance & repairs irrelevant. See you at 400k.
Здравствуйте, у меня тоже форд экспедишн 1998г.в, но впускной коллектор из металла
Thank you SIR.for breaking it down...i.m on my 3rd manifold fix...07 ford f150 .bought this truck new...NO MORE FORD TRUCKS FOR ME....1200.00 dollars a pop
Great video. I just wanted to add that I have a 98 F150 5.4 Triton V8 with the two valve configuration. My intake manifold is all aluminum and does not have those two secondary gaskets held on with a 3 - 8 m m v
98 Expie 5.4......our aluminum intakes are more valuable than our cats to the 1999+ Series plastic intake crowd. 😂 320k - 1 owner truck. I'm just now having to replace my intake gaskets...not bad for a 25 yr old truck.
Thanks, Ron. This is what's wrong with my 2003 Grand Marquis leaking right at that gasket in between the thermostat housing and the intake manifold
It’s about time someone post a good video. Great job guy
Ron, I agree with you regarding the difficulty getting to the bolts on the underneath of the thermostat crossover part of the intake manifold. I do disagree that it could have been redesigned with the bolts going in from the top. The reason I disagree is that if the bolts were made to go in from the top, the nuts to hold the bolts would have to be made to be contained within the plastic part of the manifold and I think it would be too fragile and you would likely twist the nuts out of the plastic when removing. Of course making the entire intake out of metal would have resolved the issue entirely. Great video!
Engines are extremely well designed by teams of smart people who are under tight budgets and ridiculous government constraints on weight. Engine gaskets really aren't supposed to last 25 years like I need them to. I don't think the engineers were tasked to consider problems at the 20+ year mark when most (not me) would have a new vehicle again.
Just found this video and it’s the best one yet. My 08 f150 4.6 started leaking and misfiring 3 years ago and JB welded it and it worked. It is now acting up again but I’m gonna do it again bc I’m not changing that intake. Thank you sir
Hey Ron, I have a 2002 Ford F-250 5.4L 2V CCLB 4WD with 227,400 miles on the clock. I noticed the tell tale signs too. Coolant pooling under the air Intake, wetness on the crossover tube, coolant dripping from the Bell Housing, coolant in the tailpipe, yeah it was a mess. I ordered a Dorman, because there were no Ford Manifolds in the country during December 2022. I was getting the Night Terrors thinking about the Dorman failing after all the work needed to take out and put in. Called Ford again and found one in Indiana!!! Shipped, delivered (to Florida) and we replaced about 2 weeks ago. Working great so far, yeah, there was coolant in the valley, typical piece on original Ford Manifold had cracked allowing coolant to leak. Replaced the plugs, some of the boots and cleaned the valley good. Thanks for the video!
Thankyou for the videos you have been a big help! I agree with you about the knuckle head engineers who probably never turned a wrench a day in their lives, I'm in the process of taking a broken spark plug out of the#4 cylinder on a 2001 2 valve 5.4 and I'm not a engineer but I see a lot of stuff that could be designed different so wish me luck!!!
Thank you very much sir you and your son are awesome for making this video, straight to the point ,I was afraid to work on my truck and change the gaskets but with your guidance I'm going to tackle this project.thanks again you are a life saver.god bless you and your family.🙏💯👍
Thank you for your videos! I've learned a lot. Did a job on my Expedition with busted spark plugs and now it's running like a champ.
Thanks for the video lesson, real helpful. My triton is leaking coolant left side under the heater tube. Sick of making repairs on used vehicles but new ones are too $$. Interesting on the jb weld 'rigging' - I'm just going with a whole new manifold from Amazon since I have to take the whole thing off anyway.
Hi ron this is ron up in the upper Michigan having the same problem on our truck good video very helpful thanks
You are awesome for putting these videos out for all of us. Thank you.
Your are best thanks for all your help I do have the problems
Man thank you so much. You saved me so much time. I thought I needed to rework my heads. Found the same exact thing as you described in our 2000 Excursion 5.4L
Your video gave me the opportunity to be able to work on my own truck. And for that I am very greatful.
Just watched your video and you answered my question about my coolant leak. I now know what to do. Thanks
FYI, it was what you said, Ron. Again, on the opposite side of your example. Got the new part, and putting it all back together. Thanks again!!!
love when people know how to speak clearly
good job buddy
I'm currently in the process of doing this to my 2008 F150, 4.6. Great tip on the gasket that located underneath the thermostat area. I still have my intake off, and I will definitely look at that gasket tomorrow. Since I had the upper intake removed, I went ahead and replaced the valve cover gaskets. That's another job in itself.
Great heads-up on the two gaskets when removing the 6 bolts underneath
Excellent video, thanks Ron and Justin.
From Austin Texas.
One of the best videos yet on the cause/repair of the mysterious coolant leaks on Ford's 4.6 engines! Similar to GM's notorious leaks on their 3.8 V6 engine's poorly designed manifolds, I found that the ungraded aftermarket parts are the way to go...had good luck with Dorman parts on many a 3.8 leak repair! (But this 4.6L repair is a whole lot more involved labor-wise.)
And I have found the Dorman manifold for the Triton engine suck. I wont install them anymore! Thanks for the compliment
@@SandCarServices good to know that Dorman product is no good on the 4.6....They worked well for me on Buick 3.8 v6.
Dorman used to be a good company but like most they are using China as source and that's a problem.
@@SandCarServices Dorman is hit or miss I work in parts and have found several dorman parts that actually say ford and other makers on them and some that actually say made in USA. I used dorman with great success only because I know which parts are good and which to avoid. I have had to replace the intake twice. The first because the crossover was plastic and I noticed a crack In the thermostat housing and the second it started leaking on the passenger side.
Not to mention the GM 3100 lower intake manifold and distributor gasket Leaks! Did one of them on my Grand Prix it was quite a challenge.
Thanks. Just got a leak from the thermostat housing on my Crown Vic.....I think I'll just replace the whole intake and save myself having to do it twice. lol I take it that the Dorman intakes are junk.....without brass inserts for the coil pack screws, etc.....so it would be better to get a Ford Intake....?? Keep up the great videos.
Realized I was having this issue. After thinking it was oil (dummy) I took apart my valve cover to replace that gasket... but it was fine. I eventually realized it was dirty coolant, thought maybe the intake man gasket was leaking but after close inspection I saw it was the thermostat housing where some run out was coming from... popped the top housing unit off and noticed no gasket or gasket maker seal was there. Someone most have replaced the therm before I bought it didn’t seal it and got frustrated and sold the thing because it was low power from the spark wells being drowned lol.
So 2000 f150 xlt 4.6L thermostat seal missing, leaking coolant under pressure down the drivers bank flooding the spark wells.
Fix was to add a gasket sealant to housing. Easy
Cool video , really informative I have a 2008 Ford F-150 STX, I noticed that the top of the intake housing that's seen in the video that it definitely have something to do with thermostat on the driver side so the top and facing it to the left with the hose connector I'm noticing a lot of build-up antifreeze out through the top left side of top motor
Ron would this coolant leak from a cracked intake manifold cause the truck to burn white smoke.
I watched your video and it was about the same thing that was wrong with my moms truck. Thank for the helpful videos. Keep up the good work.
great video thanks, this help me save costs with keeping my old truck on the road
For anyone wondering - our Mitchell labor guide says 4.8 hours to do this job so it's somewhat labor intensive. If you have the aid of an air compressor and pneumatic tools you can cut the time down quite a bit.
Do not use air tools on installing.
Thanks Ron for answering my call and question! You're awesome!!
Your welcome
Awesome video I've been looking for this exact situation because mine is doing this exact thing a lot of people told me it was the rubber over the back of the hood and I tested that theory and it didn't Pan out so thank you very much
Thank you for the video I have a 03 Expedition with the same problem I wish I come to you but I live in NC
Question: Can a leaking intake gasket cause coolant to leak into the #4 cylinder on a 2000 ford 5.4 two valve engine. It cranks and runs bit after a minute or so light grey smoke comes out of the exhaust, watch your vids alot, you are the best I've seen on the internet..Thanks..
I just performed this repair with JB weld mine had this exact issue the wall that holds the gaskets in place had been blown out broken from the inside I carefully built a wall back up using JB weld and then a small Dremel tool to very carefully cut out the valley for the gaskets let it cure very well and it worked well but I took my time and did it carefully and it's still working well today
My 2000 f150 5.4 i bought new shot craps at the cross over at 285,000 miles. I installed the Dorman 615-188 myself a yr ago and to be very honest,i was impressed with it..no problems. As for the self tapping screws i like them better. Before installing i put a dab of grease on them and using a 1/4inch drive ratchet put all the screws in all the way and backed them out...made installing brackets and coil packs easy...no reason to over tighten them. If people are stripping them out,they probably don't need to do the install. I used a 1/4 ratchet inch drive on all of it. *Do Not Use Air Tools*Follow torque and sequence instructions that come with it. I also used the thermostat that came with it. I noticed No loss of power-No noise...couldn't tell any difference between it and OEM....runs smooth. The old plugs had 7000 miles on them but installed a new set while everything was off and easy to get to. The bypass tube under the old intake looked good so i left it alone,they are Not easy to remove even with the old intake off. You Will Need a torque wrench that measures in inches and pounds...*Do Not Skimp On This*...and play it by feel. All brackets,fuel rails,air intake fit perfect. I spent all day taking it all off separating it all on the bench and cleaning what went back on and cleaning around all the ports surface. Spent 1/2 day the next day putting it all back together taking my time. If you try to hurry...don't do this job...you will probably be disappointed in the end results. The intake was 112 $ at o'riley's plus tax and comes with instructions and torque diagram.
Thanks for the video Ron (and Justin). I've got an 04 Expedition with the Triton and I was admittedly dreading doing this fix. I appreciate you guys breaking it down step by step. Its always a process, but now it looks like it will just be a weekend or so. Thanks again.
Very informational keep it up Mr. Ron
Great info and sad I didn't find this video back when I was starting my DIY trip through a '02 5.4L intake manifold job. Used an SKP since it met OEM and had good reviews unlike Dorman, added grey RTV gasket maker where there were gaskets and even put it inbetween the plastic plenum and aluminum piece along with tightening the bolts for it (they weren't tight and caused a leak).
Great video, just bought the 5.4 expedition and it’s in real good shape, but that exact point is leaking, looks I’ll be able to get to know my truck real well fixing those gaskets! Hopefully that back wall is still intact, thanks for the help!!
I wish I was able to go to your shop. I had that exact problem but they took me to the cleaners and had to replace instead of doing the welding and fixing the part.
I no longer fix them its replacement only because to many of the repairs came back broken. So dont blame the shop always
Had a slow leak in the “V” in my 2002 Ford 5.4l. Appreciate the video. Now to decide if I want to attempt this. Lol
It's very time consuming. But can be done. If you have another vehicle, and don't mind parking your truck for like 1 aweek, then go for it. I say a week because I work, but if you're retired, then it should take about 2 days to complete. Day one will be taking stuff off, day 2 will be putting everything back.
@@sgt.hollowpoint6968 we got rain coming this week, but the week after I’m going for it. Going to be very Meticulous and label as I go...lol
This helped me soo much! Thanks for posting this video. Exactly what I needed.
Hey Ron, just had this issue with my truck the motor hydrolocked and I have coolant in cylinder 1, I’m trying to order the thermostat housing seal that you showed in the video and can’t find it for the life of me, not sure if I’m looking for the wrong thing or if I have to make my own gasket, this video is very very helpful and I thank you very much, keep up the great work👍🏻
Some seals are not available any longer.
Thanks, Ron. And Justin.
Very good explanation of a Triton motor intake issue---I learned a lot Ron!
Great info. Keep the videos up very helpful. Did my 1997 5.4 #8 insert after watching your video on them. Have 8k on it and still running.
+Cyndi Thoreson thank you
And thank you for the information you are amazing. looking at a 2001 f150 that is misfiring. But ran great before that.
When you replaced gasket, did it take care of the misfire problem. Mine just happened and curious to see if that resolved when you replaced gasket?
Just had this done on my 2007 f150 4.6. It's still in the shop, when put back together they had trouble starting the truck, had to use quick start.. when running it's blowing out white smoke... a code came up ignition coils #5,#6,and #7... when they had the intake manifold off,, they blew out the coolant where the spark plugs sit... they had rags in the cylinder holes for protection.... you think the spraying out the plug area got inside the cylinders and is causing the white smoke?? It's Saturday, have to wait until Monday.
If i did this job as as a diy project, i think i would buy a aluminum intake manifold to replace the plastic one. What are your thoughts on that?
Kory Beckwith yes yes yes! Ford f'd up a totally good engine when they came up with a plastic intake manifold. Plastic gets hot from coolant...plastic melts and warps when hot....common fucking sense!! More proof Ford are a bunch of low IQ morons!!
No aftermarket for aluminum that I can find.
Any part numbers for this?
I've got a leak on that cross over and the d rings don't come with the manifold gasket set so where do I get them what are they called and a part number the video was a lot of help thank you
This may be a silly question but ...I think you have a good knowledge of these vehicles with so much hands on experience. I have a 2003 F250 5.4 L - 2 valve with 118,00 miles and the engine has not given me a single issue, not even a check engine/ code! It has started up everyday since except for a fuel pump failure a few years back. With this intake seemingly so prevalent, is it only a matter of time it fails and do you recommend replacing the gaskets as a preventative measure? It's usually good not to repair unless its broke, but I will if necessary. Just glad it's not a 3 valve! Also thanks for an informative video!
Awesome video. Have question my daughter truck f250 5.4L started leak coolant from the housing. Would it best to buy the OEM intake with housing or would the aftermarket be ok to use just in case its broke inside
O.e.m. only
What do you typically charge to replace the head gasket and plugs on that exact truck ?
For the looks of it it sems like ill be doing some repair on my 01 f150 5.4,i see some coolant coming out from the corner close to the thermostat,not alot but we will se,good vid by the way.
Thank you To teach me how I can fix my own car
Great info Brother and i like the details. Very Helpful. Keep up the great work.
I have a 1999 f150 5.4 triton having a coolant leak in the back of the motor I think that it coming from the metal tube going to the heater core.Question can I by pass that tubing by running a heater hose from the front of the motor back to the heater core.
I don't think so if its the steel line that comes up off the back of the head on the passenger side? That pipe goes underneath the intake manifold to the back of the water pump
Thank you
Two years ago, I traded in an 01 f350 5.4. The engine had a misfire in #3 cylinder that had no code. I also noticed the coolant reservoir darkening. Not knowing what to do, I took it to the dealer and they recommended a new engine. I believe the intake gasket was the real problem all along. The odd thing I thought was the engine wasn't burning coolant, but the oil was getting in the coolant system.
much appreciated ! intake is off and im making sure i dont make a mistake not going far enough with 'while we're at it' additional replacements etc.
hmmm i might want to just get a new manifold for insurance i dont need to do this ALL OVER AGAIN should the plastic manifold fail or has an invisible defect
Hey Ron what will cause oil to get inside #7 spark plug hole? I have a 2008 Ford F-150 FX2 4.6. Thanks
Check for valve cover gasket leak
Thanks Ron
Have you ever tried to drill out the bolts that are for the cross over and retap new in from the top saving from having to take the whole thing off?let me know what you think about this idea please
Hi Ron, maybe you can give me some advice please, I just replaced the intake manifold on my Ford E250 2007 work van, my money maker for this same problem, the transfer tube gaskets where leaking thats it no misfires and not a large amount of antifreeze was being lost. The van had no codes. Now I have a big problem I am leaking antifreeze where I can't see it and it is alot worse than before the replacement of the manifold. I also am getting p0300 random misses and a cylinder 4 miss confirmed. I brought it to my local Tower Ford where the master machanic took on the job. All ford parts where used, what the hell has possibly gone wrong it does have 282,000 miles but ran beautifully before this repair, please don't say it was my Trump sticker on my bumper. I hope i'm not going to have to replace the block.
🍻
I have a 2008 p71 with this very problem. I am planning to replace the manifold. However, I want to make sure I get the proper one. I contacted ford and they no longer carry a different one for the civilian or police. I was told by the parts guy the newly available one is civilian. I also know there is a Dorman replacement available but read bad reviews both in quality and loss of performance on the p71. there is a Ford Racing M9424P46 Intake Manifold but it says that it is for 1999 to 2004. I am kind of stuck on how to proceede I do not want to invest all the time and money replacing this intake only to find out I lost some performance or it will not match up correctly. I wish there was a way to talk to you by phone for quick advice. Keep putting out these great videos Thank you they are very helpful.
Good info. Thanks to you and your son.
What is the torque specs for those 6 8mm bolts
Great video Ron...pretty much confirmed my suspicion that the intake manifold will need to be replaced. My 5.4 is leaking coolant from the passenger end of the coolant crossover. You indicate this is a "suplementary" video, but I can't find the video you reference that shows removal and (I hope!) replacement of the intake manifold. Pointer?
Hello Ron, I truly appreciate your videos and sound advice. I have a 2003 Expedition 5.4 Triton, I have replaced the thermostat about a year ago, recently the water pump and intake manifold. After a few minutes driving I get a spike on the temp gauge for about 10 seconds before returning to the normal position, thankfully it remains there for the journey. I have also replaced the reservoir cap to no avail. It seems to point to the thermostat, any other ideas before I change out again? Also wanted to get your opinion on a 'failsafe' version of the thermostat.
Hey Ron Thanks for sharing this video with me. i have e350 5.4 triton also. i did an overhaul on the engine. I now find oil mixing with water but my heads have been checked at the machine shop and they are ok. what do you recommend?
Did I see a crack on that thermostat housing when you were seeing it back on there?! Or was it just grease,oil,dirt or something else?
@5:50, what is the proper name of the single gasket? Thank you in advance
They fixed this later on. On my 11' Expedition 5.4, you can change the crossover tube gaskets on the engine.
Lol little to late...
First video I found addressing the issue. I've got a 2010 f150 with the same issue.
I've just been trying to figure out how to get the damn crossover tube out, now that I know I have to take half the damn engine out I'll probably delay a bit if I can.
Ugh.
It is not the engineers were unsupervised but were told by Ford to make it impossible to do for the shade tree mechanic and make them take it to a Ford dealer and charge 1500.00 (guessing) to fix it. Planned Obsolescence.
shame on them
Just quoted $1700.00 on my '02 5.4L 235k miles
Thank you for your videos. Bought a 2002 expedition at auction and the auto repair shop wants to charge me more to fix this than I paid for the truck. I noticed that you have the fuel rails still attached to the manifold but other sources say to remove the fuel rails. Do they cause problems with removal?
Not at all
Good question. I'm facing this problem
What does something like that run for? Labor.. Or if you have to change the intake too..$$$$$$ Price for each. I'm have that problem too leaking antifreeze on the right side of the engine.... and miss firing..
Thanks for posting! Helps alot on my problem! Great! Job.....
What do you call that gasket between the manifold and thermostat? the D ring gasket, what to ask for when purchasing these two gaskets ? Or do they come with the gasket set?
Thank you Ron!
RON THANKS FOR VIDEO Can you please tell me best replacement manifold besides DOORMAN I hear bad things about them thanks from Michigan
Great video, how do I order the gasket rings.. or what do I search under? Thanks.
+Joe Barber
They should be listed under "cross over gaskets" they are different part numbers for different years so they did change. Hope that helps
Ron Williams your a real one! Thanks
Great stuff guys
Thanks for your 5.4 intake video focusing on the crossover gaskets. I have my 5.4 Triton intake out cleaned and ready to be reassembled. I got the intake manifold gasket from Autozone yesterday and I have a Dorman unit which has o ring-type gaskets at each opening instead of the strip with the blue raised rubber seals. Can I successfully install the new strip with the blue raised rubber seals ? If so, do I have to remove the orange Dorman oring-types? Or do I return the gasket I have and wait a couple days for new orange seals? Thanks.
Yes all is true!! My 02 Mustang GT 5speed car has 4.6 every where this man said leaks happen are truly correct!! My car leaked for years but leaked very little , finally got the nerve up n money saved for parts if needed to do job!!! No biggy Just took longer to clean up the engine for new gaskets then the actual work
Thank you Ron, Appreciate your information.
Very informative now I know what I got to do
Wow, I have an e150 with the 4.6 and just got done putting new plugs and coils in. A nightmare on the passenger side. I have a leak too but think it's the heater crossover pipe. I don't see water in the valley pan but did have some water in 2 spark wells on the passenger side. Luckily I can get too the rear of the engine easily. Not sure how the intake manifold comes off in a van. There's not much headroom.
Adding to my comment, I found the water leak. There is an heater hose connector on the front of the intake manifold. A 5/8 inch nipple about 5 inches long and it has a pinhole leak about 2 inches from the end. Sprayed water directly on the fuel rail on the passenger side bank of plugs. I put a temporary fix of heater hose clamped over the pinhole, and no more leaks. Ford says they don't sell the tube, have to buy whole manifold,,, ridiculous, right? You can buy aftermarket but not same configuration, but should work. Still 45 bucks for a 5 inch piece of pipe with a press in fit. So don't remove less your sure the new one will fit. At least for now, no leaks. And especially, I found out my upper manifold is cast, not plastic. So should not crack or break loose.
Where do you find your replacement manifolds? I have a 97 f150 with a 5.4 that is dumping coolant out of where the heater core hose connects to the manifold. A problem that magically appeared 35 miles after getting a blown spark plug replaced. Cant seem to find a replacement either ford or aftermarket. Not really wanting to roll the dice on a junkyard part but haven't found anything else. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Love the informative videos btw.
Ford dealer in Temecula
Ron has a point about going to the dealer. The factory manifolds have brass inserts for bolting the t-body and coils to. Without these, you will very easily strip the mounting holes. I haven't found a single aftermarket one that has inserts, so going Ford is paramount. HOWEVER, if you are VERY careful, you can find junkyard or ebay factory intakes for cheap.
Is it possible to reinstall the crossover bolts face up? I was just working on my spark plugs (P0300 cylinder 3,4, and 7 leak). Not sure that its coolant leaking into the wells as it's just oily smelling sludge... but I'm about out of DIY fixes until I take it into a shop
I have 02 with passenger side c.r leak.. im hoping its juat a gasket. Im hoping i dont need to replace the intake. Who ever owned it before used alot of stop leak in it until I replaced T stat and thats when it started leaking on pass side
Good day! Can you recommend what type of oil to use in a 1990 460 big block? As well as the differential please. Greatly appreciated!
Thanks for the Vid. And from what I got out of it. You said that I don't have to pull the WHOLE manifold to cure the leak from the crossover for 5.4 Triton ? Being that I noticed I don't have an apparent exhaust leak. Passed emissions and all. But, I do see a small leak of coolant to the opposite side of the thermostat in the front. And I'm getting that the bolts can be removed from the top and bottom of the crossover ?