Progress Thread Therapy Car-- Freshening Up the Lower Intake

[pats91]

I got the lower intake cleaned up about as much as I'm going to at this time last night. I could buy brushes and continue to clean and polish, but honestly everything under the hood is in need of a complete refresh, so it feels pointless to spend the time and energy to make it shiny. It looks way better than it did. When I got the car I had to replace the thermostat housing as the one on the car had rusted through in spots on the neck. I replaced it with a cast iron unit from RA. The new one, even though I painted it, is already rusting and looks bad. I was thinking about replacing it, but I dont want another cast iron unit if I can help it or a chrome unit. I dont like the chrome ones because I think they look cheap. I got on LMR and all they have are the units that I dont want, and they are sold out of the OE Ford units. I checked RA and they have OE Ford units, but they want $180 for them! It's kinda hard to justify spending $180 for a thermostat housing. I'm going to keep looking around, but does anyone have any leads on a quality replacement unit? The OE Ford unit would be nice, but not necessary. I dont mind if it has the plug in it for, I'm guessing, a sensor. I'm really just hoping to get a stainless steel or aluminum unit.

I used a Dorman 902-1003 to replace my leaky OEM one. The quality is OK, but I had to "port" the inside, as there was quite a bit of casting flash in there. They are dirt cheap at around $10 on Amazon. I haven't had any issue with it leaking since.

Amazon product ASIN B01CS3JTGMView: https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-902-1003-Coolant-Thermostat-Housing/dp/B01CS3JTGM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12EJER2CWFHGU&keywords=Dorman+902-1003&qid=1636036869&sprefix=dorman+902-1003%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1

 

[Rdub6]

I got the lower intake cleaned up about as much as I'm going to at this time last night. I could buy brushes and continue to clean and polish, but honestly everything under the hood is in need of a complete refresh, so it feels pointless to spend the time and energy to make it shiny. It looks way better than it did. When I got the car I had to replace the thermostat housing as the one on the car had rusted through in spots on the neck. I replaced it with a cast iron unit from RA. The new one, even though I painted it, is already rusting and looks bad. I was thinking about replacing it, but I dont want another cast iron unit if I can help it or a chrome unit. I dont like the chrome ones because I think they look cheap. I got on LMR and all they have are the units that I dont want, and they are sold out of the OE Ford units. I checked RA and they have OE Ford units, but they want $180 for them! It's kinda hard to justify spending $180 for a thermostat housing. I'm going to keep looking around, but does anyone have any leads on a quality replacement unit? The OE Ford unit would be nice, but not necessary. I dont mind if it has the plug in it for, I'm guessing, a sensor. I'm really just hoping to get a stainless steel or aluminum unit.

If I remember correctly, I got my housing at Rock Auto. It was an off brand, and it had a plug, but it’s done the job so far.

 

[Olivethefet]

@pats91 Thanks for the link and the input! That unit seems to have some mixed reviews and some people have issues with the bypass hole on the housing not lining up with the lower intake. It is very similar to what I currently have. I might just take some time to clean mine back up and maybe this time I'll coat it with some clear to help protect it.

 

[Olivethefet]

@Rdub6 Mine is working fine. I'm just being picky about the amount of corrosion that I'm seeing knowing that it has seen very little action, and I did use premixed coolant. Thanks for the feedback though!

 

[Mustang5L5]

The Motorcraft neck was discontinued recently, which is why the prices have shot up. Used to be $50-60 or so.


I restored mine by filling the pitting with JB weld and just sanding it smooth.

 

[Olivethefet]

I cleaned on it a little more after this pic, but other than some minor stuff I think this is a good stopping point. I'm thinking about clear coating it, but worried about the clear yellowing or just making a bigger mess in general. Any words of wisdom on that thought?

Here is the upper and lower together. I know the work space is a mess. I really need to stop and clean up my shop.

One last thing. Any advice on cleaning the mating surfaces on the aluminum heads? I'm currently carefully using a razor blade to clean things, but this is pretty close to the best I can do. I'm afraid to get after it with anything powered. Is there a product that will soften things up? Tonight I'm going to get the vacuum after the valley and change out the towels in the valley. Maybe use cardboard or aluminum foil. I dont want to fill the engine with dirt...

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Paint the inta

I cleaned on it a little more after this pic, but other than some minor stuff I think this is a good stopping point. I'm thinking about clear coating it, but worried about the clear yellowing or just making a bigger mess in general. Any words of wisdom on that thought?

Here is the upper and lower together. I know the work space is a mess. I really need to stop and clean up my shop.

One last thing. Any advice on cleaning the mating surfaces on the aluminum heads? I'm currently carefully using a razor blade to clean things, but this is pretty close to the best I can do. I'm afraid to get after it with anything powered. Is there a product that will soften things up? Tonight I'm going to get the vacuum after the valley and change out the towels in the valley. Maybe use cardboard or aluminum foil. I dont want to fill the engine with dirt...

Paint them. Ram aluminum looks like ass on a plate.

 

[Olivethefet]

Paint them. Ram aluminum looks like ass on a plate.

Can't argue with you on this one Mike. It does look like ass on a plate. For the time being it has to stay looking like this. I have reasons. If things work out I'll tell you about it later. I just want to preserve it now for the short term. Later, yeah. It's all coming out and if I keep the intake it will get painted or powder coated to make it not look like ass on a plate.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I was talking in generalities. Every time I left an aluminum intake unfinished, it ended up dirty, fuel and oil stained in no time. you have the thing off. If you intend to have it powder coated later, painting it today won’t affect that process in anyway later, as they have to sandblast it before coating regardless.

 

[Olivethefet]

Thanks for the advice Mike! That is the input I was hoping for.

 

[Olivethefet]

I'm putting together an order on LMR for the stuff I need to get the car back together. This is the first time for me pulling the intake. Looking on LMR's site they sell two different Fel-Pro lower intake gasket kits. This one is for a stock "small" port heads.

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-MS90361/mustang-5-0-5-8-lower-intake-manifold-gasket-85-95

And this one, that is 3 times the price, is for "large" port heads.

https://lmr.com/item/M9439A50/1979-95-Mustang-50L-Lower-Intake-Gasket-With-Large-Intake-Po

The car currently has SVO aluminum heads on it. I would guess that I need the "large" port heads, but I dont have anything to compare mine to. I have decent calipers, so if someone out there can throw a number at me I will measure the ports on my heads. If I remember correctly the heads are SVO X303. Before anyone points out the obvious. The description says they fit Ford Performance X and Z aluminum heads. Digging into the motor like this is new territory for me. I'm not afraid to dig into it I'm just being careful and asking questions. I'm going to screw something up. I'm just trying to cut down on the number of screw ups!

 

[Olivethefet]

I'm not sure if I'll go through with it but I called a shop near me, about a hour away, and I'm going to take the intake to get a quote on powder coating. I'm also going to pull the valve covers. They look like at one point in their lives they were nice Ford Racing covers. Now not so much. We'll see. If I can get it all done for a couple hundred I'll probably go ahead and get it done. The more I think about it the more I think it will improve the overall under hood look. I'll be getting both halves of the intake done. The valve covers will match the intake. I'm thinking satin black. I dont want shiny. Just nice and clean. I'll let you know how it goes on Saturday.

 

[Monkeybutt2000]

Do it. A buddy of mine powdercoats,so I get great deals. He did my valve covers for $15. I'll try and dig up a pic.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I paid a guy $100 to do my upper. Didn’t know him so no buddy discount

 

[Olivethefet]

Apparently I'm a DA. I realized tonight that I didn't tighten the nuts up that hold the the dryer for the AC and one fell off. Does anybody know where to get a replacement?

 

[General karthief]

Look here:

I'm a jerk sometimes.

 

[Olivethefet]

I bet you have some in that coffee can. You can always find what you need in a coffee can....

 

[General karthief]

I gave up on coffee cans, they just don't hold enough 'stuff'
Now who needed that nut?

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I gave up on coffee cans, they just don't hold enough 'stuff'
Now who needed that nut?

That’s a rather personal question.

I use cleaned peanut butter jars for my unsorted hardware. They have lids and it is easier to see what is inside them that the tin cans.

 

[Mustang5L5]

It’s a 1/4-20 flanged nut.


Got some extras for my project but might be easier to go to hardware store and pick up some for 3 cents. A nylock nut might be even better