Well, I bought it

 

I ended up getting the 1999 aluminum Ford intake off ebay. this is what I got:


replacement pipe for the bent one on it (dorman):






and the lower (dorman):

 

Got my upper today. Good thing I ordered the new pipe from rockauto. The pipe on it was actually cracked halfway through where that bend is. Probably actually seperated during shipping


EDIT: Dangit, forgot to order a new knock sensor

EDIT: got the lower today. what is the huge hole in the front?


any lube or adhesive I should use on the new pipe when I go to put it in? what is the correct orientation of it?

 

so has no one here actually put an aluminum upper and lower on a non-1999 model?

seems like everyone here recommended this, but now that I got it, there is 0 support of these components

that hole should have a block off plate or a tuning valve, but if I just through a tuning valve in there to cover the hole, I will probably fail smog because the techs will think I have something that is not hooked up

@ this point, there is hundreds of dollars of unusable parts sitting in the garage and a non-useable truck outside

 

Sorry for the late reply, I hurt my back really bad last week and have been knocked out on painkillers.

Most people don't have the aluminum lower, just the upper but I have seen them used before.

Does Dorman not include a block off plate? You could make one or use an intake runner control valve like you said. I'm not sure about failing smog, I doubt you can see it with the intake installed. I have owned several 97-03 F150's and none of them had a intake runner control valve.

I found an old pic of one that has been ported and it has a block off installed on it.


For the coolant pipe I don't think I used any kind of lube when pressing it in. Just be careful when pressing it in because it is thin metal and is easy to bend.

The pipe should be oriented like in the pic below.

 

Dorman's website is showing that there is only the manifold, an o-ring, and a gasket:
https://www.dormanhdsolutions.com/p-...old&origin=YMM

as is what RockAuto also told me:
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...414628&jsn=576

I contacted both Dorman and RockAuto during this. Dorman told me via email that the block off plate should have been included, and Rock said, no it wasn't. Rock was unable to provide me with what to do for the block off plate as they are not mechanics.

looks like I am back to the drawing board on this thing.....

 

Can Dorman send you a plate?

 

I have no idea. I have tried asking them flat out about getting it, and haven't received a response other than it should have been included. But neither their page or rockauto's page says anything about coming with the block off plate. Dorman was who said it did.

I have not been able to find any mention of a block off plate for that manifold from anywhere else either.

Also, looked at where that tuning valve thing goes, there would be no way to just put that on there and have it not connected. the smog technicians out here in CA would flag me for that instantly, and probably nail my failure with a tampered note, making all techs after that super suspicious and want to examine things even more -- the valve would clearly be visible straight underneath the water crossover tube in front of the manifold

a homemade block off plate may look suspect as well.....

 

rockauto's site is misleading, it says "Intake Runner Control Valve Port Can Covered With Plate." That leads you to believe said "plate" would be included. They need to update the description.

 

All you have to do is prove to the smog inspector that the 2001 5.4 did not have a IMRC.

 

How would I prove to the tech that the 01 doesn't have an IMRC? (What does that stand for?)

someone else @ dorman replied today, saying they don't have a block off plate for that

looks like I am going to have to make one out of aluminum. How thick should I go? What about gasket? Is that what that O ring is for that came with the lower? Honestly thinkin like 3/16" I don't want it to warp. And want to stay with aluminum in case it heat cycles with the lower, so I don't have 2 different metals

 

Intake Manifold Runner Control.

The Intake Manifold Runner Control (IMRC) is an electrically actuated system consisting of a motorized actuator with an attaching linkage for each housing on each bank. The linkage attaches to the housing butterfly plate levers. Each IMRC housing is an aluminum casting with two intake air passages for each cylinder. One passage is always open and the other is opened and closed with a butterfly valve plate. The housing uses a return spring to hold the plates closed. The motorized actuator houses internal switches to provide feedback to the powertrain control module (PCM), indicating linkage and plate position.

Below approximately 3000 rpm, the motorized actuator is not energized. This allows the linkage to fully extend and the butterfly valve plates to remain closed. Above that figure, the motorized actuator is energized and the attaching linkage pulls the plates into the open position. The system is designed to give the engine the best characteristics over its operating rpm range by combining two intake manifolds in one. At lower rpm, the intake manifold runners are longer, for greater torque and engine smoothness. When more horsepower is demanded at higher rpm and greater throttle opening, the IMRC plates open and the intake manifold runners are shortened.

 

I don't think it is the imrc then. The part I am talking about isn't the part with 2 arms. It is an enclosed unit with a 2 wire plug. Looks like a long fan blade once it goes in



here is the imrc:

 

That essentially performs the same function.

 

Aluminum and Gray RTV has been ordered