2017 3.5L.

I change my engine air filter twice a year usually. But I live near a beach and lots of country roads. So I check it once in a while to see how it’s doing. Today I opened up the hood and there’s a round cylindrical object hooked onto the air box like usual but I notice there seems to be a wire missing. That’s odd right? So I go fishing in the hood for it and find it and reconnect it.

Then I start thinking …how long has this been disconnected. And why the hell is it? And also what is it?

it’s a 3.5 so there’s no MAF. but it’s proximity to the air box suggests it is related. Or maybe it’s just a convenient place to mount it. Either way I’m not as smart as y’all about this stuff. So I took a pic.

The only time someone touched this vehicle besides me doing oil changes was back in December when the cam phasers were swapped out along with the timing chain. I hope it hasn’t been THAT long.

Im sure someone here will identify this part rapidly and I appreciate you in advance!!!

 

My guess is a sensor of some kind having to do with turbo, since it is connected to a vacuum hose that attaches to the turbo inlet tube.

Interesting how some items can be completely disconnected with no change apparent to the driver.

 

wouldn’t even have noticed if I didn’t change the air filter

 

This is the vacuum generator for the brakes / IWE system. Not sure of the impact of being unplugged though...

It's actually kind of a big deal, according to the mfg... there were some press releases from Dayco about the design.
https://www.sae.org/news/2017/08/ven...-assist-system

http://newsletter.motor.com.s3-websi...uumSimple.html

The earlier Ecoboosts used a big mechanical vacuum pump driven by the camshaft, and they were known for leaking a lot of oil once the seal got tired. This is a great simplification.

 

well f….. that’s not great. Glad I plugged it back in

 

Just looked up what the vacuum generator for the brakes looks like. It’s silver. This thing in my truck is black and plastic. Kinda looks like the fill valve in a toilet.

 

You are thinking of the vacuum booster that the master cylinder is attached to?

This plastic part is the vacuum generator that supplies the vacuum booster.

If nothing stopped working, I wouldn't worry about it!

 

Exactly!! Good to see someone else knows of this as well.

 

Now that you mention that it’s part of the brake system - I have noticed that the brakes made an odd noise when I’d press the pedal at a drive through or something. Which now does not happen. I attributed it to needing new pads or rotors or something. Starting to think that’s because the vacuum wasn’t working right and that noise was it.