Shop says they can't locate a crossover pipe for 98 cobra?

[tmoneyballin]

So my coolant stopped flowing to my engine on Thursday, so I brought it to the local all in one shop (not mustang or engine shop) and they said that my crossover pipe transfering coolant to the head was rotted out and that was the source of my leak and therefore lack of coolant flow. I told the guy to order the part which he claims was in the neighborhood of $300 and I follow up with him this morning and he says Ford discontinued the part and he can't find it anywhere and his only idea was either welding the old one, or trying to find one off another junk yard cobra...which could result in a similar problem due to the age of the part.


I wasn't sure if you guys have run into this problem before, or if you have any ideas where I can get a replacement part?


Thanks

 

[tmoneyballin]

I also want to add a little more surrounding the incident...

I left work and was driving for about 15 mins, mind you I was 5 mins from home, when I could hear my car making a different exhaust note and the rpms were unsteady - I looked down and saw my engine was HOT, not pegged to the H, but it was definately there....so I pulled over right away, opened the hood and I could see a little smoke coming up from the drivers side of the engine.

I panicked thinking "Sh*$%" I may have just blown a head gasket or something, but I was also telling myself - hey this engine couldn't have run on hot for more than a couple minutes, maybe its something else....

Pop the radiator cap off and stick my finger in to touch the coolant - which is luke warm if not cooler than the 90 degrees outside the car...and then I am a little relieved that this may not be as serious as I feared...I let the car cool for 2 hours and drove it a mile up the street to the shop, the next day he comes back with the bad crossover pipe...

My questions for him were: A. Is there any sign of a blown head gasket - which he said he wouldn't be able to tell until he fixed this part B. Is there any other obvious damage like a cracked intake or anything, which again he had no answer for.

What I did learn, which hopefully explains everything, is that the crossover pipe was on the drivers side of the engine and was (most likely..) spraying coolant on the engine which could produce the smoke I saw when I opened the hood.

I called to my other "go to" shop around my neck of the woods and he said he knows the manager of the shop I took it to and the manager is pretty resourceful so he couldn't help on my quest at all....

Still looking for advice - do you guys think I should be really concerned about other (potential) damage too? Thanks

 

[tmoneyballin]

ohh and MPS said they have the same problem, no solution there...they don't have any in the junkyard...I called my local mustang repair shop and he said he might have one kicking around, but would have to look - but he said welding it may not be a bad solution given the cirsumstances...

So I guess we are to the point of whether welding this pipe is an acceptable "fix" - unless you guys can come up with anything else...

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

the 1996 to 1998 cross-over tube was discontinued by Ford sometime ago, you can use the 1999/2004 tube but it only has 1 bung for the ECT sensor and not a place for the temp sender for the gauge in the dash, which you can either do wthout or drill and tap into the new tube for one.

part # for the 1999 up to 2004 N/A DOHC tube is XR3Z-8548-AD, price is @$100.00

 

[tmoneyballin]

Thanks Randy,

I just talked to the guy and was going to bounce that off him, but he said actually once they cleaned the corrosion out of the tube, it was okay and really it was just bad o-rings and the corrosion working the tube away from the engine. Still good to know on that part for future reference, because I am sure if I keep the car a couple more years this will come up again!

Thanks again man - I am just happy it cost me $200 instead of $450 - not to mention I needed a coolant flush anyways!