Coolant leak from back of Engine

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KEVIN8989

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I noticed my 96 LX 4.6 is leaking from this area, the hose looks ok but I’m not sure why it leaks. I really hope it’s something easy to fix.
 

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I'd say that spring clamp is going bad. Probably a slow leak started a while ago, building up that corrosion gunk and it's now to the point of being noticed. Some people like spring clamps, I personally hate them and remove them every chance I get because I've had multiple failures with them and I hate removing and installing them. I'd pull the hose off, clean up that end on the engine and inside the hose and install a new clamp.
 
That looks to be the nipple on the back of the intake. It's plastic, mine was fatigued and let loose on the way to work one day.
I'd take a good look at the plastic and that area when you clean it up and assess the condition of the plastic.
 
AdamG said:
I'd say that spring clamp is going bad. Probably a slow leak started a while ago, building up that corrosion gunk and it's now to the point of being noticed. Some people like spring clamps, I personally hate them and remove them every chance I get because I've had multiple failures with them and I hate removing and installing them. I'd pull the hose off, clean up that end on the engine and inside the hose and install a new clamp.
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I agree. It looks like the hose isn’t fully seated on the neck.

Remove, clean and inspect the neck and hose, if both are ok fully seat the hose and replace the clamp.
 
Amazon sells tools like the factory ones for ~15 bux now. It makes the factory ones easy to deal with.
 
That fitting is well known for breaking out of the manifold, and I always recommend cutting the old hose off, but it's probably too late for that to affect your manifold. 3 to 5, it pulls out as you try to remove the hose. :(
 
Problem is that OEM PI intakes are getting hard to come by. From what I read the Dorman (not that I would want one) does not work on the NPI heads because of their gasket design. I had that nipple blow out on my PI intake last winter. I hate these stupid plastic intake manifolds with coolant running through them.
 
Dorman has started making a pi intake? Does it suck in performance as bad as the npi manifold?
 
KEVIN8989 said:
I noticed my 96 LX 4.6 is leaking from this area, the hose looks ok but I’m not sure why it leaks. I really hope it’s something easy to fix.
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Like others said check the hoses. I had the heater hoses go out on both the MN12's I have driven. Both times expected it to be the intake. The hoses are getting worn by now, and by the pictures you posted they appear to be the originals.

It's too bad Motorcraft discontinued the PI intakes, also surprising considering how many Panthers and Mustangs are still around. From what I have heard over the years, the aftermarket intakes are not as good quality and their cheaper design isn't best for airflow.
 
At this point in time I’d eschew manifold replacement and instead go for repair(workaround). Plug the coolant port with a piece of aluminum caked with RTV and Knock out the freeze plug at the back of the head and use a DOHC outlet(aka crackpipe)
 
If you have satc, there'a a crack pipe piece from a 97 98 mark 8 that has the temp sensor bung in it; it makes it a bit easier. I didn't realize I had one intil I'd already modded the red cougar.
 
If I buy a 03 upper intake manifold will it bolt up to my 4.6? Is that all I need? What gaskets would I need? 96 or later?

Im not sure where to buy one, they are all plastic and they look the same.
 
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Switching to the PI intake requires rerouting heater hoses, RTVing in a spot on the heads because the gaskets don't fit properly, water pump removal depending on way you route hoses.

Unless the car has transmission modifications it's not worth it. You lose low end torque and gain top HP. With the factory tune shifting before 5000 rpm it may even make it feel slower.

I've used the Dorman intake before on other cars. It's an easy install and will work as well as the original on the car.
 
This is one of the best how-to's on installing a PI intake on an NPI if you determine your intake is bad and decide to go the replacement versus repair route. I felt the PI intake was a worthwhile upgrade.
 
Dorman has made a “PI” intake for decades, but it was really basically their npi intake with the revised port shapes. Dorman did redesign the intake at some point, but I don’t know if anyone has done any A-B testing to see if it’s an improvement or not, it still has shallow plenum/runners in the valley compared to a OEM PI but the runners are shaped way differently so maybe they don’t need to be? I have my doubts Dorman improved the Ford design but you never know. Maybe they shortened the runners :confused:

I disagree about the PI not being worth it, not in my experience, it knocked almost 4 tenths off my quarter mile on my 94 with the stock heads and cams. Of course that was replacing the aluminum boat anchor npi intake. The runner length between the npi and PI intakes are actually the same, the difference is the PI runners have a much smoother airflow path, softening the sharp turns of the npi runners, that’s why it’s deeper in the valley than the npi. If there’s any reduction in low end torque it’s not from runner length(actually it should go up with longer runners), perhaps a reduction in port velocity from the slightly larger runner diameter but I’m doubtful of that too. IMO the npi to PI torque/horsepower tradeoff comes from the cams, not the intake, but it’s not significant enough to really notice
 
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Is there any other oem intake manifold brand that’s better than Dorman?
 
 
The Jegs link you posted is the Ford PI Intake. Not a bad price either I paid $230 for mine back in 2018.

The LMR one is non PI
 
KEVIN8989 said:


I saw these ones, are they any good? I don’t know why the aftermarket part’s messed up the performance so much considering Mustang’s use them and usually they get higher performance stuff.
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The biggest market for them have(or had) been fleet operators, Crown Vic Taxis and such. Mustangs like you said get higher performance stuff, which means many Mustang owners go on to upgrade FROM the stock PI intake manifold to a Bullitt or roots blower or do an engine swap like a 4V or Coyote. Aftermarket Dormans do the job of keeping cars on the road, and that’s what the bulk of their clientele look for. Leaving a few horses on the table doesn’t really matter to the Chauffeur shuttling people to and from the airport.
 
It’s the same, there’s just one manufacturer of these, different vendors (including Dorman) attach their name to it
 
I don’t see a lot of successful pi intake swaps on non pi intake heads. I’ve heard a lot about leaks, so I’m a bit worried. 5.0’s seems to have way more support than 4.6.
 
LOL. Lazarus was modded at about 200k; it's over 500k now. Follow the directions about the rtv in the port(s),and it should last another shitload of miles.
 
KEVIN8989 said:
I don’t see a lot of successful pi intake swaps on non pi intake heads. I’ve heard a lot about leaks, so I’m a bit worried. 5.0’s seems to have way more support than 4.6.
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People are bad at following directions, if you apply it to the two spots on the coolant ports and follow the cure directions on the RTV tube there will be no leak. Others cite leaks without actual experience, they’ll just parrot what one dude on Facebook screwed up.

The basic 5.0 architecture has been around since 1962, it’s natural it has a lot more support, much like the SBC(1955). The modular has been around only since 1991 and while the shortblock is basically similar, even up to todays Coyotes, the head and intake configurations are so broad it’s been hard for any aftermarket manufacturer to commit to just one iteration given the production costs. “Modular” was a stupid name for this engine family, and always was.
 
Do I already have a Dorman intake?
 

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KEVIN8989 said:
Do I already have a Dorman intake?
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I think that’s a Ford recall intake, but I can’t see the Dorman tells from that area. Dormans have openings where you can see down into the valley between the 2&3 and 6&7 runners, all Ford designs are solid. Dormans also have some extra ribbing on the runners as well
 
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