Hey all I've got a 2003 f150 with the 5.4l. I love this motor and have abused the heck out of the 2 ( I've owned a 2000 f150 that died with 212k and my 03 has 130k on it)

that I've owned. But with both of them I've had an issue with the intake blowing out at the crossover for the heater hose, which leakes coolant everywhere. Anyone know where or how I can get an aluminum intake instead of the stupid plastic ones? If so please let me know.

 

Ebay for the upper. Or a wrecker. They only had them on the 99. And you need to get the PI ports.

I went with ebay, but needed to remove and press in a new hard heater line @ the back of the manifold

I did this to my 2001.... lots of custom stuff. Also aluminum lower from doorman. Replaced my plastic

Bypassed the metal heater hose running under the manifold with a soft firebird hose, custom bolts for upper to lower, shorter, all threaded bolts I made for the manifold to block, as oe are too long because the plastic is thicker than the aluminum. Custom block off plate for the lower, as it doesn't use some huge valve thing the 99 has.

http://imgur.com/a/jzfK8Gw

http://imgur.com/a/9FxF42n

http://imgur.com/a/4frBe2c

 

^^^^ what he said....

 

Ok sweet thanks all

 

I have a huge thread on this somewhere on here

 

if I find it I'll probably use the living daylights out of it.

 

Let me know if you have questions.

I found that while tons of people online told me to do it, not a lot of them had actually done it.

The info I had found was vague, and when I asked for help, few actually knew what was next. This whole process was a lot of custom fabrication. Took me 9 months. I even threaded M8 bolts, that were not previously all threaded. Lots of issues, it's done now though. And I abuse the heck out of my truck

 

Hey there!

I've a similar thing going on. I've got a '99 f150 that I swapped a motor from an '03 into some years bock. Now the plastic intake of the '03 is shot and I'm swapping the aluminum one from the old 99 motor onto it.
I have them both sitting here for a bit longer if you need any comparisons.

I have a question for Jimbo though, why the need to change the metal heater coolant tube running across the block? Does the aluminum lower intake interfere here? The stock 99 intake has a plastic lower plenum, which is different than the 03.

Thanks!

 

I replaced the hard tube underneath because it was recommended here. The reason. Is the push fit of the tube to the back of the water pump outlet. That tube us problematic, prone to rusting, and not accessible. The firebird hose is clamped on, and if it ever fails, can be pulled off with the manifold still on. The lower of the oe 99 manifold is plastic. Dorman makes an aluminum lower. The 01 uses a full 1 piece plastic manifold.