I have a 2000 f150 H.D. with a 5.4. Was wondering if it is a direct swap from the plastic intake manifold to the 99's aluminum intake manifold. I can get an aluminum one for cheap and was thinking of smoothing out the ports and putting it on my truck.

 

HI!... Yes it will bolt right on. Make sure you get the aluminum TB ELBOW too.

 

Thanks Neal, just ran outside to look, I noticed what looks like my heater hose. On my plastic one, it runs way up front of the intake, but the aluminum one is on the back. Will I have to route my hoses the 99 way or do I have to drill out a spot for a neck to attach the hose up front?

 

HI!... The "99" has the heater hose fitting in the rear of the intake manifold on the passenger side.

You can see the heater hose fitting in the lower left of the pic below :

 

the plasic intake manifolds dont hold heat nor conduct as much as the aluminum ones.. therefor te plastic ones have a denser air charge and makes more power than the aluminum ones. also the plastic intake manifolds have a smooth bore not a rough one with casting imperfections like the aluminum ones

 

Do they have an aluminum crossover? That was a big recall on the Mustangs because of cracking.

 

Yep, Yep, and Yep, there is nothing wrong with the plastic intake, plastic is a great insulator, even the Pushrod, carb'd hot rods run Phenolic (plastic) spacers between the carb and intake manifold to help keep heat from reaching the float bowls. Unless you plan on porting, and removing the casting flash, extrude honing, etc. the aluminum won't net you any performance difference, and may actually hinder it a bit

JMHO

Josh

 

HI!... There is no H.P increase to run the plastic (CRAP) intake manifold over the aluminum. The aluminum has the advantage of being able to port and gasket match. The aluminum can be repaired easily and modified if need be. The plastic can't. You couldn't pay me to run a plastic intake manifold if there was a choice between the two.

 

I've read the plastic ones break (another forum) and won't hold up in a highly upgaded motor -People choose the aluminum over the plastic because sometimes it's a b^tch telling when they crack- these are people who's been around these motors for awhile tho...

 

I can completely understand using the aluminum from a longevity standpoint, I re-read your original post and saw that you did mention smoothing out the ports, the aluminum would be much better from that standpoint. I have also read elsewhere that the casting imperfections in the manifolds can actually help fuel atomization in the intake track, that could be an advantage of the aluminum intake, I'm sure its negligable but every little bit can help.

 

 

First let me start by agreeing with you guys on wanting to use an aluminum over a plastic. I would agree that the plastic has a benifit of smooth bore and reduced temp. But on many fords including this 5.4 they do not hold up well. Usually when another problem ,or high milage exists. As for the aluminum manifold and imperfect casting yeilding atomiazation benefits, NO. Thats on a carbed engine where the fuel also runs thru the intake, and yes there is a GREAT benifit from that. In the past hotroders tried smoothening their HP aluminum intakes, just to end up with a pretty peice of scrap metal. Some still claim that if you just smoothen the upper halfs of the runners it helps. I just port-to-contour. Meaning open a little, try to eliminate the casting lines, round out any sharps. I use a carbide on a die grinder, I never sand after, only wire brush it out clean (a round wire brush) like an over size pipe cleaner.

These aluminum spider-like intakes probably do not get hurt much in the way of performance from heat. Because they are very open. I've run many a 5.0 in other Fords, and the upper aluminum manifold is a heat sink from hell!!

 

Thanks for all of your input. I think I'm going to try the aluminum intake. Its not that hard of a swap and if it doesn't work or if I lose gobs of power (which I don't think I will) I can just switch it back. I think all I'll need to buy is the weird curvy hoses that attach at the back of the aluminum intake, and gaskets. I just want to try something not alot of people have tried. I'll most likely wait a few more weeks till it gets warmer out since I don't have heat to work with!!

 

That exactly what I plan to do next , already did the TB and elbow,

Except , I planned on finishing it up with 400 - 600 grit, Red Rouge and maybe a little Jewlers polish with a buffer on a worm drive..Mann that stuff makes all the difference in the world with a buffing wheel.. Is that to much?

 

Try these for a higher polished finish -http://www.standardabrasives.com/eca...=en&section=na
I use a die grinder, but a fast drill motor should work - wd40 as a lubricant.