Autolevel61

As some of you who have helped with another topic I posted here, my new to me e350 has some minor issues. I'm now getting an intake manifold fault code and have been told by a local Indy shop I need an entirely new intake. The cars barley worth what they want to do the job. Another post I read online says I can fix some sort of arm which is originally plastic from the factory but the replacement is metal.

Any advice here? Do I call it quits.

MBENZTECH

The best thing to do is to replace the whole assembly.... Fixing the outside lever does not do anything for all those plastic pieces inside the manifold that will also start coming apart. You can find them online for about 400-500.

AUTOdidact

What you get is always the OEM part from Pierburg (same plastic crap) - no reinforced aftermarket solutions available.

Autolevel61

Thinking I'll wait until it craps out. I don't have a check engine light yet any symptoms. Don't know if the car is even worth it?

cetialpha5

The proper way to fix it is to replace the manifold. There's actually some diy videos on youtube on how to do it. As others mentioned the Pierburg manifold is the OEM one and is about $610 from fcpeuro and that has a lifetime warranty. You could also buy various repair kits but that's a short term solution. The flaps inside the manifold will eventually break off and may cause engine damage as they will go into the engine when that happens. Still if you use the repair kit, it may be a couple years before that happens. When the intake runners aren't working right, the engine runs rough and gas mileage will probably suffer. Problems with air/fuel mixtures can also cook your cats.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...ierburg-516475

https://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/AC/18475-02721075.html

Autolevel61

This is helpful. If I can get 7 months out of the car I would be happy.

cetialpha5

Then you should inspect the car to see what part it needs. Just the lever is cheaper and can also be bought on eBay.

AUTOdidact

I think you even won't get a check engine light if plastic parts get sucked into the combustion chamber and bend your valves

Before purchasing this metal lever (which also isn't cheap), I would check the inside of the manifold. If some of the flaps are already broken, save the money. In this situation you would cause even more damage if you make the system move again.

PS: I think the outside lever breaks BECAUSE there already is a problem inside (too much resistence that finally kills the flaps).

Autolevel61

How can I see the manifold without making a huge mess and taking things apart??

cetialpha5

Watch the videos, I don't think you have to take too much apart to get at the parts to check if they're broken.

AUTOdidact

To check the lever at the back side of the intake manifold you only have to remove the air filter assembly.

To get a view inside without taking off the manifold you will need some kind of endoscope camera - cheap at Amazon.

Autolevel61

I have a camera where am i inserting?

AUTOdidact

After removing the air filter assembly and the tube that contains the air mass sensor, you can enter the intake manifold from the back.

The lever of course sits at the FRONT side of the manifold, sorry...

cetialpha5

Well the camera is to look at the condition of the flaps to see how bad they are and if they're about to break off. But I think that would hard to tell from just pictures.

Many people have reported fixing it by just replacing the lever, a few have reported back that there was additional engine damage at some point when bits broke off a while later.