1995 F150 XLT 5.0 302
I am ripping down the engine to change the head gaskets. I came across a part attached to the intake manifold that has seen better days and I want to replace it but I don't know what it's called. There is also some sort of assembly mounted behind the plenum that connects to the vacuum tree and has three large hoses coming out it. I am wondering what it is. Pics attached. Thanks for reading

 

The top picture is one of the outlets to your heater core/throttle body heat and the ECT sensor.

That bottom one is the thermacter control and takes air from the pump and injects it into the heads.

I did a quick look on Rock Auto and didn't see the water manifold so I don't know if it's something you might have to get at a yard. If it's not rusted out, I'd just clean it and re-use it.

 

Look at no.s 35 & 37 in the Left pane of this diagram:

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This is the equivalent part from a 5.8L, which you MIGHT be able to make work if that one is ruined & you can't find a direct replacement:


The 2nd part is the Thermactor Air Diverter valve (TAD - not to be confused with the vacuum solenoid also called TAD) . Read this & the NEXT few captions:

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This shows how to replace that ratty insulation on the evaporator cover:

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Thank you Steve83. You are so incredibly knowledgeable and a huge asset to this forum. I think I will be able to clean that piece in picture #1 and make it usable again. I will check out the links you provided also, just in case.

Forgive me for running a couple of new questions in this thread but it's on the same vehicle and same job so hopefully it's permissible:
Is there any benefit to putting in new push rods in the heads since I have them out? In my military days, we wouldn't change them out unless there was a reason---we just had to make sure everything stayed together (which I am doing). I seem to recall reading something online where it was recommended to do so but maybe I misread. I know the head bolts have to be changed and I have new Motorcraft bolts on the way.

My head gasket is by FelPro. Do I need to copper-coat it? It's been some time since the last head job I did but I recall spraying the gasket with a copper coating prior to installation.

 

Oh and yeah... the rat-chewed evaporator foil...thanks for the link on that. The AC finally gave up the ghost with a leak in the evap core (or so I am guessing as it froze up when I tried to run it). Remarkably, the system is still pressurized. I wasn't expecting that but when I started to remove the AC compressor instead of just wire-tying it out of the way, freon and AC oil began to hiss and spray out.

 

There is no advantage to splitting up questions about the same truck - even if it's a different job. It makes it easier for us to see what truck you're talking about, and its history. It would be even easier if all the truck's details were in your signature so we didn't have to go looking for them.

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Not if the originals aren't damaged or worn. My Bronco's have a million miles on them.Follow the FelPro instructions. If you can't find them with the gasket, check their website, YouTube, and other retailers'.Don't guess. If you can't diagnose it, pay a pro. It'll cost less in the long run to KNOW the truck's condition, rather than throwing unknown replacement (even new) parts at it. Freezing doesn't prove a leak; and it doesn't even suggest a leak where the freezing happens. ONLY the evaporator can freeze, regardless where a leak is.

I don't even know how you could determine that it froze since the evaporator isn't visible without substantial disassembly.See?The entire refrigerant system can be lifted out of the truck whole, without losing any refrigerant.

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That's not healthy, necessary, good for the environment, OR good for the truck/your wallet; so I hope you closed it back up immediately.

 

Freeze/froze is confusing terminology when dealing with AC problems.

Do you mean actual freezing or that the compressor is seized?

 

Signature is done. Thanks for the suggestion and I hope I put in enough information to help others in the future.

I appreciate the constructive points made and will heed them. I was completely unaware that the AC system can be removed without losing any refrigerant. I would remove the entire unit completely except Louisiana summers suck.

Sorry to be confusing. No, the compressor is not seized. The bottom of the evaporator core literally froze up like one would do in a house if it has a leak in it. I could see it on the AC pipe coming out of the bottom of the evaporator. I will look into this issue more after I am done with the head gaskets and rear main.

 

That's actually where it goes IN. And ice/frost there doesn't mean the evaporator is blocked by ice - it's naturally a cold spot, but the frost suggests the charge is low. DON'T ADD ANY. Let a pro evacuate, leak-test, and recharge it. If you add even SLIGHTLY too much, you can destroy the compressor & condenser in a heartbeat. And there's no point adding while it's still leaking - it has to be evacuated to fix the leak, so don't waste the time or money.

The VIN doesn't help us - it only helps YOU determine how the truck was originally built, so you can list everything in your signature. But it helps us help you if we can see EVERY option & mod in your sig. "All original" tells us nothing. List each feature.