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Re: Lower Intake Manifold

abyssius

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 27, 2008
Messages
64
Location
Long Island, New York
Re: Lower Intake Manifold

Can a Lower Intake Manifold on a standard Duratec V6 be rebuilt? Especially, to repair apparent vacuum leaks at the IMRC rod passage?
 
I have never in a billion years heard of there being a leak through the rod passage. Are you sure you just dont need new lower and upper gaskets?
 
I have never in a billion years heard of there being a leak through the rod passage. Are you sure you just dont need new lower and upper gaskets?

Already did UIM/LIM gaskets, TB Gasket, EGR Gasket, IAC gasket, PCV, couldn't get rid of P0171,P0174. If you have the patience you can read the whole saga in this thread: http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=46723

Unfortunately, I'm stuck in this situation where a repair shop is claiming that is in fact what is wrong with my car.

In any case, in response to Mils P0171, P0174, this shop so far charged me $95.00 to troubleshoot and $400.00 for a RTV application procedure they claim to have done many times before, which apparently didn't work since these codes seem impossible to turn off. I'm stuck in a situation right now, where I've returned the car twice to them. They have it in their shop right now - and I don't really know what to do next.
 
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I have never in a billion years heard of there being a leak through the rod passage. Are you sure you just dont need new lower and upper gaskets?

It's been posted 2 times so far of them failing on the owners cars. :shrug:

You can get them replaced....it costed around 6.41 for 1 IIRC.
 
Thanks for the reply, Harry. Do you mean "failing" due to vacuum leaks? And, I'm not sure what you mean by a IIRC?

Okay..the bearings cost 6.41 a piece.

Yes those bearings at the rods ends...were the culprits. Which caused people to have idling issues from the lim rod bearing leaking air. Causing the engine to pull air passed it.

It's not a common issue at all....which is why svttour stated he has never heard of it. Because it's really that rare for this problem to occur.
 
svt spec means the lim on an svt contour is different from a regular duratec. i.e larger. so svt spec means lim SPECific to svt cars.

So does this mean it won't work with my car?? Would the ports on the heads match up with the ports on the LIM? Would my stock injectors be compatible with the LIM?

This sounds like an interesting modification, if I have to invest in a new LIM. However, it doesn't sound so straightforward.
 
Okay..the bearings cost 6.41 a piece.

Yes those bearings at the rods ends...were the culprits. Which caused people to have idling issues from the lim rod bearing leaking air. Causing the engine to pull air passed it.

It's not a common issue at all....which is why svttour stated he has never heard of it. Because it's really that rare for this problem to occur.

The mechanic is claiming that the leaks are occuring at ALL the LIM throttle locations.

BTW, Advance Auto parts offers a "Intake Manifold Vacuum Retainer Bushing" http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Intake-Manifold-Vacuum-Retainer-Bushing-Dorman_17191140-P_2350_R|GRPENGPAMS____

The mechanic told me that was just a clip to hold the rod. I'm wondering why would they include "vacuum" in the part description if it did not directly affect the vacuum?
 
Search for "LIM bearings" you will find a thread by dukeofsho. Read through his thread about replacing the LIM bearings. PM him because he probably has some extra bearings he can sell you.
 
The mechanic is claiming that the leaks are occuring at ALL the LIM throttle locations.

If that was the case, then you would be having multiple misfiring codes. Since that isn't the case..in this situation. I would highly disagrees.


The mechanic told me that was just a clip to hold the rod. I'm wondering why would they include "vacuum" in the part description if it did not directly affect the vacuum?
That link is exactly what he described. It is to lock the bar into place.
 
My advice is to just buy a used LIM they're cheap and easily found. And ... never go back to that mechanic again , he sounds both dishonest and incompetent.
 
Thanks to all for great information

Thanks to all for great information

If it weren't for you guys, I'd be out of my mind right now. I repair/configure computers and networking equipment for a living - and it would never occur to me to charge someone for a repair that I was not able to complete, or to charge someone for a 'fix' that I didn't really do.

I offered this shop the same benefit of the doubt that I expected from my own clients. I was a professional mechanic from 1971 to 1980, before I went back to college and earned an electronics degree, so I can sympathize with auto repair shops. However, I must confess that I've found over the years that the auto repair industry has become inherently dishonest. Every time I venture to a private repair shop I detect an air of "misinformation". It's almost as if they require largely ignorant customers to be successful.

I bought my Mystique brand new, so I got ten years of warranty coverage for repairs which I didn't really have to pay for - and I always brought it to the dealer for repair. In retrospect I wished I paid more attention to the inner workings of this car over the years. Now, I'm trying to playing catch up and consequently got "hosed."

I've been PM'ed by a local CEG member who has been most helpful, and offered me a 2000 Cougar UIM/LIM. If this will work for my car, and the price is affordable, I'll probably purchase this setup. I;m not sure if my MAF sensor will be compatible with the UIM, but I'm assuming that the LIM is the same. I just hate to think that they got away with over $500.00 of my money when work is super slow for me right now.
 
Not a problem what so ever.

We never really got a diagnosis of what problems are occurring.

If you spend some time and explain what symptom you are having...we might send you in the right direction. Possibly removing the chance of having to play this guessing game on what parts will work.

I honestly understand you have a vacuum leak. What has he done so far to the car to correct the problem?

Do you have a high idle?..haunting of the car? Hesitation....the engine feels like it's losing power etc etc.
 
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