How do you remove extra vacuum fittings Explorer upper intake?

[gclauson]

Sort of a lame question- I've searched here and the Mustang forums but not found a clear answer.

What is the best way to remove the unused vacuum fittings from the underside of Explorer intakes? Heat? Vice Grips?

 

[Broncobowsher]

The few I have removed are simply pressed in steel nipples into the aluminum. A shot of penatrating lube the day before never hurts. But vicegrips and pull with a little rotational rocking motion.

Vacuum caps and just cover the ports is pretty easy as well.

 

[garberz]

I’ve found that those ports sometimes break when trying to remove them. The easiest has been to drill out the remaining fitting and tap the hole. Then plug with a brass pipe threaded plug.

Mark

 

[Steve83]

Just cap them - you never know when you might need a manifold vacuum source.

 

[gclauson]

Thanks for the replies and suggestion.
I have been worried about them breaking and causing me to spend hours drilling them out, so I think I'll follow the suggestions to just cap them. It is not as "clean" as removing, but simpler. I recall on other threads reading that the current parts store caps do not last, so I'll try to find some oem ones at the JY.

 

[hankjr]

i twisted most of mine out. a couple i had to drill out. i tapped all the holes. some i plugged, some i used inverted flare adapters and routed new hand made hard lines

Hank

 

[Rustytruck]

If you want to twist them out put the shank of a drill bit inside the tube so when you clamp down with the vicegrips the tube stays intact and can only close down to the drill bit size. Less likley to break that way.

 

[gclauson]

Hmmm... The idea of supporting the tube with a drill bit makes sense. I may try that on a spare manifold!

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[kurtboyd]

Which fittings are you referring to?

 

[DirtDonk]

All the metal-tube hose fittings of different sizes on the top, bottom and sides of a Ford upper intake. He's wanting Explorer specific advice, but all the Ford stuff like that has extra fittings that don't get used on a typical Bronco swap.
Most of us only use one (PCV), two (PCV and brake booster) or maybe three (PVC, booster and trans modulator) of them, but I think the Explorer upper has something like 8!

Paul

 

[Viperwolf1]

Don't forget one for the fuel pressure regulator and maybe one for canister purge.

 

[hankjr]

and EGR if you retaining that function. I ended up with four lines and two plugs i seem to recall

Hank

 

[onpier55]

I just called them.

 

[fordguy]

There is a photo/diagram someone made in photoshop. Don’t remember the thread. Does anyone recall?

 

[gclauson]

I decided to leave all the tubes in and buy silicone caps, after reading how the parts store rubber caps do not last very long.
I found these: https://www.verociousmotorsports.co...se-and-Fittings/Verocious-Silicone-Vacuum-Cap

 

[DirtDonk]

Great. Let us know how they work out down the road if you think about it.
But don't ignore them either, if for some unknown reason the engine starts to run a little rough in the future. Might not happen with those, but you know how "assuming" ends up sometimes!

Good luck!

Paul