1997 Intake Manifold Replacement

[Hill185]

Hello,
I have a low mile 1997 Crown Victoria that retains its original plastic crossover intake manifold. I'm looking to do a little preventative maintenance and replace with one that has an aluminum crossover. RockAuto lists a few manufactures for replacement, ATP, SKP, Dorman etc. For the older cars I assume the Dorman is the best bet? Any info is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Honestly the Dorman one ain't super awesome, but given it's being installed on a nPI 4.6, it'll perform effectively the same. Worth mentioning you may want to add a little blob of RTV where the alignment dowel holes are for the factory gaskets since the aftermarket stuff has integrated gaskets designed to work on the nPI and later PI engines, and larger seals used can create vacuum leaks over those dowel holes.

If you look hard enough, you might be able to find a OE Ford nPI intake online, either for Mustang or Panther application, they'll both work. The kit used was part number F8AZ-9424-AAA.

You will need to get your hands on the correct alternator bracket too, since the bracket is different between the plastic and aluminum crossover setups. Some of the aftermarket kits still include the bracket, some do not. The OE Ford kits usually included the appropriate bracket.

That said, you can also take the time to do the PI intake upgrade, since you can still get an OEM Ford PI intake. There's a few extra steps there, but you do get a better breathing intake, and I can expand further on that if you're interested.

[friskyfrankie]

This may help.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4ca7P0udl4

[Hill185]

Great info guys, thanks so much! Thank you Wolf for elaborating. Super useful! Thanks !

[Hill185]

Honestly the Dorman one ain't super awesome, but given it's being installed on a nPI 4.6, it'll perform effectively the same. Worth mentioning you may want to add a little blob of RTV where the alignment dowel holes are for the factory gaskets since the aftermarket stuff has integrated gaskets designed to work on the nPI and later PI engines, and larger seals used can create vacuum leaks over those dowel holes.

If you look hard enough, you might be able to find a OE Ford nPI intake online, either for Mustang or Panther application, they'll both work. The kit used was part number F8AZ-9424-AAA.

You will need to get your hands on the correct alternator bracket too, since the bracket is different between the plastic and aluminum crossover setups. Some of the aftermarket kits still include the bracket, some do not. The OE Ford kits usually included the appropriate bracket.

That said, you can also take the time to do the PI intake upgrade, since you can still get an OEM Ford PI intake. There's a few extra steps there, but you do get a better breathing intake, and I can expand further on that if you're interested.

wolf, can you enlighten me on your knowledge of switching to a PI intake? After reading about the Dorman intakes, and the lack new old stock Non-PI intakes, I think I’d like to do the PI upgrade.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

wolf, can you enlighten me on your knowledge of switching to a PI intake? After reading about the Dorman intakes, and the lack new old stock Non-PI intakes, I think I’d like to do the PI upgrade.

Sure! There's a few things that have to be done to ready a nPI engine to swap to a PI intake, which luckily are not hard to deal with.

There's a few part number variants of the PI intake since it came out in 2001, but it all almost has to exclusively deal with the coolant crossover at the front. The most common PI intake you can find is for the 2006-2011 cars (P/N 9W7Z-9424-A). Cost is usually just right, coming in usually around $250. The problem is the coolant crossover needs to be "modified" to work on an earlier car, since the 2006+ design has no coolant ports tapped, but the bosses are still present. You can drill out the bosses with a 37/64" drill bit and tap it with a 3/8" NPT tap. I recommend starting the holes with a smaller drill bit and stepping up from there.

For reference, this was a 2006+ intake where the ports were tapped for use on a 1999 Crown Victoria:


You might be able to find a slightly earlier revision where there will be at least one coolant sensor port tapped, but you'd still need to make another anyway since Aeros use two.

You'll also have to swap out the heater return pipe that runs under the intake. On an Aero you'll also need to take the fan and water pump off so you can swap the nipple the pipe connects to. You can drive the nipple out with a hammer and swap in the later style using a touch of RTV to help seal the deal (it is still press fit) and a socket on an extension to keep it centered. Then you can install the later PI heater return pipe. You will need to make a new home for the DPFE sensor since it bolts to the old heater return, but I found you could zip tie it securely to a main wire harness that runs directly behind the engine.

Here's that sensor "relocated":


There's also the matter of the gaskets. You absolutely want to use the PI gaskets, but there's a few small caveats. First you have to cut off the tabs for the PI gasket locators. They're on the opposite side compared to a nPI gasket. Secondly is the water ports, but that can be quickly solved by appropriate application of RTV at the front of the passenger side head and rear of the driver side head. The locating holes for the old nPI gaskets realistically should be filled with a daub of RTV as well.

For reference:


Arguably it just makes sense to run a bead through that entire area that's marked as "needs attention", or if you'd rather, an application around the entirety of the affected coolant ports. I used Permatex RightStuff 90 Minute gasket maker, and that has held up well on the converted car so far.

You may also find it helpful to make alignment dowels from all thread to keep the gaskets from shifting while setting the intake, or using a helper with a steady hand.

Otherwise, the general part of the job of swapping the intake, is otherwise the same. Pretty much the extra steps are swapping the heater tube and nipple, setting the coolant crossover up for an Aero, and setting up your gaskets correctly.


This handy link from ADTR is a complete "How To" on the PI Intake Swap: https://adtr.net/kb/ford-4-6-non-pi-...manifold-swap/

Some of it covers stuff seen on a Whale (like the crash bracket you won't have to deal with), but covers the step by step procedure and provides a useful list of all the parts you'll need to complete your job. If you need an appropriate aluminum crossover alternator bracket (the one for the all plastic one won't work), let me know, since I think I have a spare one for a 3G application in my garage.

[Hill185]

Sure! There's a few things that have to be done to ready a nPI engine to swap to a PI intake, which luckily are not hard to deal with.

There's a few part number variants of the PI intake since it came out in 2001, but it all almost has to exclusively deal with the coolant crossover at the front. The most common PI intake you can find is for the 2006-2011 cars (P/N 9W7Z-9424-A). Cost is usually just right, coming in usually around $250. The problem is the coolant crossover needs to be "modified" to work on an earlier car, since the 2006+ design has no coolant ports tapped, but the bosses are still present. You can drill out the bosses with a 37/64" drill bit and tap it with a 3/8" NPT tap. I recommend starting the holes with a smaller drill bit and stepping up from there.

For reference, this was a 2006+ intake where the ports were tapped for use on a 1999 Crown Victoria:


You might be able to find a slightly earlier revision where there will be at least one coolant sensor port tapped, but you'd still need to make another anyway since Aeros use two.

You'll also have to swap out the heater return pipe that runs under the intake. On an Aero you'll also need to take the fan and water pump off so you can swap the nipple the pipe connects to. You can drive the nipple out with a hammer and swap in the later style using a touch of RTV to help seal the deal (it is still press fit) and a socket on an extension to keep it centered. Then you can install the later PI heater return pipe. You will need to make a new home for the DPFE sensor since it bolts to the old heater return, but I found you could zip tie it securely to a main wire harness that runs directly behind the engine.

Here's that sensor "relocated":


There's also the matter of the gaskets. You absolutely want to use the PI gaskets, but there's a few small caveats. First you have to cut off the tabs for the PI gasket locators. They're on the opposite side compared to a nPI gasket. Secondly is the water ports, but that can be quickly solved by appropriate application of RTV at the front of the passenger side head and rear of the driver side head. The locating holes for the old nPI gaskets realistically should be filled with a daub of RTV as well.

For reference:


Arguably it just makes sense to run a bead through that entire area that's marked as "needs attention", or if you'd rather, an application around the entirety of the affected coolant ports. I used Permatex RightStuff 90 Minute gasket maker, and that has held up well on the converted car so far.

You may also find it helpful to make alignment dowels from all thread to keep the gaskets from shifting while setting the intake, or using a helper with a steady hand.

Otherwise, the general part of the job of swapping the intake, is otherwise the same. Pretty much the extra steps are swapping the heater tube and nipple, setting the coolant crossover up for an Aero, and setting up your gaskets correctly.


This handy link from ADTR is a complete "How To" on the PI Intake Swap: https://adtr.net/kb/ford-4-6-non-pi-...manifold-swap/

Some of it covers stuff seen on a Whale (like the crash bracket you won't have to deal with), but covers the step by step procedure and provides a useful list of all the parts you'll need to complete your job. If you need an appropriate aluminum crossover alternator bracket (the one for the all plastic one won't work), let me know, since I think I have a spare one for a 3G application in my garage.

Fantastic, thank you for the the info Wolf! This sounds like the way to go.

[sly]

Use a torque wrench on the coolant temp sensors so you don't crack the crossover. Yeah... I've made that mistake before.

[Hill185]

Honestly the Dorman one ain't super awesome, but given it's being installed on a nPI 4.6, it'll perform effectively the same. Worth mentioning you may want to add a little blob of RTV where the alignment dowel holes are for the factory gaskets since the aftermarket stuff has integrated gaskets designed to work on the nPI and later PI engines, and larger seals used can create vacuum leaks over those dowel holes.

If you look hard enough, you might be able to find a OE Ford nPI intake online, either for Mustang or Panther application, they'll both work. The kit used was part number F8AZ-9424-AAA.

You will need to get your hands on the correct alternator bracket too, since the bracket is different between the plastic and aluminum crossover setups. Some of the aftermarket kits still include the bracket, some do not. The OE Ford kits usually included the appropriate bracket.

That said, you can also take the time to do the PI intake upgrade, since you can still get an OEM Ford PI intake. There's a few extra steps there, but you do get a better breathing intake, and I can expand further on that if you're interested.

Hi wolf, I think I found an OEM non-pi intake, however the part number is F8AZ-9424-AA not F8AZ-9424-AAA



Would you happen to know if that would work on a 1997, that part number seems to be for ‘98-‘01, but I’d assume it would work on a ‘97? Thanks for all
your help!

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Hi wolf, I think I found an OEM non-pi intake, however the part number is F8AZ-9424-AA not F8AZ-9424-AAA



Would you happen to know if that would work on a 1997, that part number seems to be for ‘98-‘01, but I’d assume it would work on a ‘97? Thanks for all
your help!

The 'AAA' part was the complete kit a dealer or customer could get that included the alternator bracket and other things required to replace an intake on a car with the "as-fitted" all plastic intake manifold, since there were a few components that had to be updated with the aluminum coolant crossover.

As far as just the 'AA' prefix, I'm not sure, but if it's a 4.6 intake, it should likely be a non-PI intake since it's still using only a F8 date indicator. AFAIK, no 4.6 PI engine launched until 1999, and that was in Mustang, then Panthers in 2001.

Regardless, if it's a nPI intake with the aluminum crossover, you'll be good. The only thing that likely will be present that wouldn't be on a factory Aero all plastic unit would be the provisions for the COPs to bolt to. They affect nothing on an ignition wire car.

[Hill185]

The 'AAA' part was the complete kit a dealer or customer could get that included the alternator bracket and other things required to replace an intake on a car with the "as-fitted" all plastic intake manifold, since there were a few components that had to be updated with the aluminum coolant crossover.

As far as just the 'AA' prefix, I'm not sure, but if it's a 4.6 intake, it should likely be a non-PI intake since it's still using only a F8 date indicator. AFAIK, no 4.6 PI engine launched until 1999, and that was in Mustang, then Panthers in 2001.

Regardless, if it's a nPI intake with the aluminum crossover, you'll be good. The only thing that likely will be present that wouldn't be on a factory Aero all plastic unit would be the provisions for the COPs to bolt to. They affect nothing on an ignition wire car.

Awesome, I’m assuming it’s a non-pi intake as it’s listed to fit a 1998, again, thank you for your informative answers!