Intake manifold breakdown

[Nathan9338]

I’m newer to doing mechanical work for myself but I want to take apart my intake manifold in half on my 07 V6 and I don’t know how to do it. I have removed everything and labeled them not too lose any parts but it still is not coming apart in half. Does it even open up on the top or am I just doing it wrong? I want to clean the inside since I had a head gasket leak so I want to clean all my parts as I put them back on. The owners before me did not take care of the car very well which I realized after bought.

 

[MrBhp]

I wouldn't think they would come apart. I've never seen a plastic intake that does. But I have not, by any means, seen it all.

 

[Nathan9338]

Oh okay so I’m just being dumb then. There heated up oil build up that looks yellow inside of it so I didn’t know if it comes apart to clean it

 

[MrBhp]

You can still clean it. They just made it a pain. Start with Dawn detergent in hot water. Slosh it, brush it, stroke it, poke it. Just don't caress it. That would be weird. After you get a large part of the gunk out, switch to purple stuff and hot water. Wear good gloves!

 

[Nathan9338]

I will definitely be doing that! I do have another problem I just now ran into as I’m currently working on my car right now. I am taking off the rockers and decompressing the springs on my camshaft but two of them are getting blocked by the camshaft and I really don’t want to re time my car myself if I don’t have too. Do you know of or have a good video on how to manually turn the camshaft? I have tried to search it up and turn my drive belt myself but it won’t move at all.

 

[MrBhp]

Are you changing the cam?

 

[Nathan9338]

No the cam looks good. I’m trying to get under it to reveal the head gaskets. Both are blown and need to be replaced and it’s causing my car to guzzle coolant like a bottomless pit with no leaks from the thermostat housing. I have the new gaskets already just need to replace them.

 

[MrBhp]

You are going to lose timing taking the heads off. You should find out what caused the leak while the heads are off. If you want to watch some good videos look up Fordtechmakuloco.

 

[Nathan9338]

So either way I have to retime my car? I took a screen shot of that name so I’ll look into that name.

 

[Nathan9338]

I appreciate all the advice being new to this. Changing head gaskets is a pain Iv heard and am now understanding

 

[MrBhp]

I've never had the v6 apart. But I can't imagine you can remove heads and keep timing. Maybe some of the v6 guys can chime in. More research!

 

[Nathan9338]

Definitely! Thankyou for your help imma get back too it. If any v6 owners got any advice too lmk!

 

[JimC]

You can't remove the heads without affecting the timing. You will need a timing wheel.
And the passenger side has a timing chain on the back side as well.

 

[86GT351]

Oh okay so I’m just being dumb then. There heated up oil build up that looks yellow inside of it so I didn’t know if it comes apart to clean it

You can still clean it since you have it off. Use a good degreaser and water. let it soak and use a brush to really get corers. A Flexible wheel detailing brush would work for that.

 

[MrBhp]

Why would you need a timing wheel?

 

[Juice]

While I have not pulled heads on a 4.0, I do know the engine will need to be pulled for the one side with the cam sprocket in the rear of the block.

How did the head gaskets get blown?

 

[TexasBlownV8]

If you have a bunch of yellow 'baby-shit-like' gunk in the engine and some in the intake, it is likely from inadequate PCV/crankcase ventillation, especially if engine is modified in any way and the two valve cover hoses/lines are removed or plugged. This happens in cold weather and humidity.

 

[MrBhp]

If you have a bunch of yellow 'baby-shit-like' gunk in the engine and some in the intake, it is likely from inadequate PCV/crankcase ventillation, especially if engine is modified in any way and the two valve cover hoses/lines are removed or plugged. This happens in cold weather and humidity.

Or a blown head gasket.

 

[JimC]

Why would you need a timing wheel?

Everyone that I know who pulled the heads found that they could not get the timing set up without use of the timing wheel. Marking the cams didn't help.