Engine New lower intake manifold mating surface question

[91GTstroked]

Hey everyone,

I just purchased a nos lower intake manifold. I noticed that the mating surface is different in one area. It's not smooth. Is this going to cause a sealing problem?

I'm going to be using fel pro ms 9334 gaskets.

 

[nickyb]

I wouldn't accept that as a new factory part. I would have bought a used one cheap and had it glass beaded and extends honed for way less then that now .
But im a frugel old focker.

 

[91GTstroked]

I wouldn't accept that as a new factory part. I would have bought a used one cheap and had it glass beaded and extends honed for way less then that now .
But im a frugel old focker.

I'll probably return it, but I'll have to eat the shipping. I have 3 other lowers. I'll probably just get one sand blasted and powder coated with the upper intake manifold.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I’d have to lay a gasket across that to check, but if it does seat on that then yes that will leak.

Is it the raw casting and a raised surface? I’d be tempted to toss that on a lathe and even it out or take it to a machine shop.

However I’d think OE lowers are pretty common. I’ve seen some clean ones for sale here and there.

 

[91GTstroked]

I’d have to lay a gasket across that to check, but if it does seat on that then yes that will leak.

Is it the raw casting and a raised surface? I’d be tempted to toss that on a lathe and even it out or take it to a machine shop.

However I’d think OE lowers are pretty common. I’ve seen some clean ones for sale here and there.

Yes raw casting. It's not really raised much.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Yeah that’s a leak path

 

[91GTstroked]

Yeah that’s a leak path

Yup.

 

[91GTstroked]

Question guys,

I also have this lower intake manifold. It's got different webbing marks and a brighter aluminum look. Guessing this style didn't come from a foxbody mustang?

 

[Mustang5L5]

It did. That’s how the original lower on my ‘88 looked. I still have it kicking around somewhere.

Long time ago someone was putting together a list of the vendors who cast the original intake manifold. There were a bunch. One vendor did it with the webbing you have on yours. I forget all the info from that thread as, from what you can imagine, not many people cared.

There should be some vendor casting identifiers somewhere on there. I forget how many there were.

 

[91GTstroked]

Awesome . It looks so bright compared to some others I have laying around. This is the numbers I found.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Post #6 maybe?

S

Thread 'Do the 86 and 87-93 lower intakes have the same part number? Need help ASAP!'

Jul 30, 2004

I have a stock upper and lower intake, the lower has an E6 part number, I know the 86 and 87-93 intakes are different but is it just the upper that is different or is the lower different too? I might have the lower sold, so I need to know asap! The upper has the HO under where the plate would be, so it's a 87-93 right? It dosent have the E7ZE part number though. These stock intakes are confusing.

• Speeds8erM-1
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

 

[85GTStangGuy]

I just purchased a nos lower intake manifold. I noticed that the mating surface is different in one area. It's not smooth. Is this going to cause a sealing problem?

That's definitely a no-go. It's either a casting flaw which didn't provide enough material for cleaning up, or a machining error.

This is the numbers I found.

That's it... Alcan. They would be the company that cast the manifold. Dunno if they would have been the one that machined it though.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I think they just do the raw casting. Another company likely did the finish machining.

And yes, the lowers are all an E6SE part number up to 1995. Ford stuck them pretty much on everything with a 302 back in that era. It’s technically a Thunderbird engineering number.

The uppers were different for 87+ mostly for the larger TB bore.


If he tempted to talk to a machine show and see what they would want to just take off that raw portion and not face the rest of it. Not sure it would be worth it however given how plentiful oe lowers are. I’m sure there are plenty of clean ones out there.

 

[91GTstroked]

I worked on cleaning this one up. Turning out pretty good. I'll be using this one. I can't seem to remove the thermostat housing surface. It appears to be stained from the gasket. But it seems smooth and clean.

 

[85GTStangGuy]

If he tempted to talk to a machine show and see what they would want to just take off that raw portion and not face the rest of it.

Don't think that is the right approach.

Being as the raw portion appears to be a void, and not a raised section, any "cleaning up" of that area is just gonna make the void larger.... making things worse by further decreasing the gasket-to-manifold sealing interface, imo.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Don't think that is the right approach.

Being as the raw portion appears to be a void, and not a raised section, any "cleaning up" of that area is just gonna make the void larger.... making things worse by further decreasing the gasket-to-manifold sealing interface, imo.

I was under the impression it was raised up. If it’s a void I agree 100% with you

 

[AeroCoupe]

if it’s a void weld it up and then cut it down. Not hard at all.

 

[91GTstroked]

I ended up returning it. Cleaned up my original one that didn't turn out to bad.