Any tips on lower intake removal? Injector rails and heater hose connections 1999-03

[LTDzak]

Greetings all -

My 1999 (99) Windstar is getting coolant into cylinder number 6 (right front) and I suspect either a lower intake gasket leak or a cracked head (was getting Code P0306 with a misfire). The EGR port for just that cylinder was the only one completely plugged. Some antifreeze evident at the middle intake to lower intake port seal on that one cylinder.

Have the upper and middle intakes off and am starting to tackle the lower. The injectors are each disconnected electrically - where is the Schreader valve to discharge fuel pressure? Could not find it by tracing the lines back.

Separately, how does one remove the heater hose line just above the T-stat? It looks like some sort of quick disconnect fitting, but the whitish plastic insert doesn't seem to want to press inward, turn or move. Is a special removal tool required?

This happened just two weeks after I r&red the power steering rack, and replaced the ABS module with a low mile junkyard part, which now functions properly w/no ABS light. Starting to question my own environmental philosophy that ones car should be kept running for as long as possible . . .

[12Ounce]

Unless you have had a extreme high heat event, your head gasket may have failed ... the head bolts stretched a bit ... but I doubt the head is cracked. It sounds as though you are on the way to remove the heads ... and do a "top end", at least .... so you will want to find a shop that specialzes in cyl head repair ... they will reface/reseat/replace valves and guides as necessary as well as give the head a thorough inspection. I like Dover for this kind of work.

I have rebuilt my '99 and now have 110k + miles on the repair. I'm considering going through it again at 150k miles or so ... just to see what everything looks like and to get new gaskets and seals throughout. It still runs well but the gaskets and seals are beginning to age and harden.

I believe in running a car as long as repair parts are available ... or I'm just sick of it! So far the Winnie has been a good ride ... especially for vacations.

That particular hose quick-disconnect can be trying. You may want to stop in at a radiator shop and let them show you how .... or some old mechanic/geezer ... like me.

[12Ounce]

... and BTW, when I removed/reinstalled my lower intake for the first time ... one of the retaining bolts just did not refit very well into the female hole in the head. So this was waiting for me when I removed the lower-intake the second time miles later. I had the female hole repaired (insert) by the cyl head repair shop ... of course, I had to draw their attention to the need for repair. I ended up converting this particular set of screws to studs for easier installation of the intake lower.

Just be aware that this area can be damaged .... and repaired!

[LTDzak]

Thanks 12ounce. Any idea where the Schreader valve is to depressurize the fuel line?

Does the injector rail pop off the injector tops, or does each injector top clip have to be undone (or do the injectors pull up out of the intake).

Ended up carefully Dremeling the "bite wings" off the heater line retainer clip and getting the hose off intact. Hopefully there's a way to get a replacement clip on there without needing to pull/press back on the metal pipe coming from the manifold.

My big concern is that I may have damaged the rod or rod bearing on that cylinder due to hydrolocking (just put fresh rod bearings in about 6 months ago even though they didn;t really need it). Interestingly, the one time I drive the car with obvious external antifreeze leak/bad misfire, after about 2 miles the smoking went away and the minor misfiring stopped. That is why I'm thinking cracked head, but hoping for just a bad lower intake gasket.

[12Ounce]

Oh, I forgot those questions. Is this a 3.8? If so, (at least on mine) the Shraeder valve (bicycle tire) is located just above cyl #6 ... just below and behind the EGR flow sensor.

I removed and scrapped the clips that hold the injectors to the rail. I wish Ford had used a bit more lubricant on the upper and lower O-rings on the injectors ... they can be very hard, the first time, to pop out or the rail or out of the intake (or heads, I've forgotten which). Once you get them loose, some petroleum jelly will make them much easier to work with hereafter.

Because the lower intake is "wet", it is likely the leak source ... not the head. At least, we can hope.

You may understand why I tend to leave the reservoir cap a bit loose .... so the stopped hot engine, cooling down, is less likely to have high pressure coolant forcing its way into areas it shouldn't be. But then, most of my driving is at 2000 feet, or less, .... so I can get away with a loose pressure cap.

[12Ounce]

.... and BTW, there are aftermarket repair kits avail for those heater hose disconnects.

[Waxhaw]

I just replaced my transmisson and that plastic fitting and lock on the heater hose by the thermostat was a pain for me too. The plastic fitting broke and I used a dremmel to cut the metal crimp off, pulled the broken peice out, trimmed the hose, removed the plastic lock and reinstalled the hose with a hose clamp. The tube doesn't have a flare on it but it is holding so far.
LTDzak, I should have gotten the dremmel out sooner!

[LTDzak]

Thanks 12ounce and Waxhaw. Finally getting back to this after work had me on the road. Just pulled the lower intake and have a lower intake gasket failure along the lines of what was described here:

http://www.engineparts.com/solutions/SS-CQ-F-10.pdf

The primary intake port on the suspect cylinder was filled with antifreeze.

Trying to decide whether to just replace the gasket, or pull the cylinder head and evaluate further.

Although the car was only driven a few miles in this condition, it has at least 3 times been cranked over part way against hydrolock. All the other intake manifold antifreeze leaks I've encountered over the years have been external, not internal.

[12Ounce]

I would remove all plugs and crank the engine over to get rid of excess coolant. Then I would do just the intake gasket .... re-assemble and check it out. ... to include a compression test after running a bit.