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General >> Parts Wanted >> Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
(Message started by: DavidBE on Mar 1st, 2011, 4:50pm)

Title: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by DavidBE on Mar 1st, 2011, 4:50pm
Just got phonecall from the nearby garage who had to tow my 1997 2.3 Ultima Auto saloon away after I couldn't get it to start on Saturday.

They tell me the inlet manifold (which they did a repair to before) has cracked through again and this time needs replacing. Also all the insulation on all the wires in the engine bay wiring harness is disintegrating, so everything is just shorting out, and it's beyond anything but a complete replacement.

They say a new inlet manifold and engine bay wiring harness from Ford would be £900 or so, and maybe then £500 labour on top to fit them. That total would be more than I paid for the whole car over three years ago, and way more than I can afford on incapacity.

So I'm just wondering if anyone has a spare, suitable and functional inlet manifold and/or engine bay wiring harness available, and if so how much (including postage/delivery to Wiltshire, as I can't pick up anything from anyware).

I haven't actually decided to go ahead with having the car fixed, even if those parts are available at a reasonable price from someone here. Sadly I'd still be stuck with the garage labour charge. (Once upon a time I always fixed everything myself on my cars up to replacing engines, but now, with my broken back, I can't even bend over the engine compartment for more than 30 seconds without screaming. I find it a trial just checking the oil.) And we didn't think the car would last me beyond its next MOT in October, anyway, as it's liable to have developed rust, suspension etc problems by then that won't be worth fixing. So I haven't decided yet that it's really worth spending that large a chunk of my remaining savings just for seven months of one or two short outings for shopping a week. However, I would just like to see if it is an option at all - especially as the Scorpio driver's seat is ihe only one I've found that's comfortable enough for my back for me to be able to drive at all.

Thanks.

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by Highlander on Mar 1st, 2011, 4:56pm
£500 labour is excessive, it must be huge hourly rate to justify that.

Get a new garage!

manifold on ebay for £50 BUT it is 2nd hand so no guarantee

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/scorpio-ultima-2-3-inlet-manifold-/190506431549?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2c5b11743d#ht_500wt_1156

It is also possible to convert the 2.0 16v manifolds which are dirt cheap.

the engine looms can normally be repaired with new insulation if you were up to that?

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by 2ndgear on Mar 1st, 2011, 5:53pm
i converted my 2.3 to a 2.0 manifold its pretty simple
see pic here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36048854@N05/sets/72157626175192148/

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by 5stud on Mar 3rd, 2011, 10:40am
you have a pm

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by DavidBE on Mar 3rd, 2011, 5:06pm
Sorry - ony just managed to get my internet connection back ...


on 03/01/11 at 16:56:21, Highlander wrote:
£500 labour is excessive, it must be huge hourly rate to justify that.

Get a new garage!


That's odd. They've always been good before - never inventing new jobs, finding the cheapest alternative solution to things, not even charging me at all for some things. His figures for the labour were just guesses over the phone, not quotes; maybe he was just overestimating how long the jobs would take.

He really wasn't trying to talk me into spending a lot of money, as he knows I don't have it. The figures he was chucking at me were in the context of him justifying his recommendation to me, which was actually for me to scrap the car rather than have them do the repairs, even if i could find the parts cheaply. e.g. from someone on here. I'd just rather not scrap it if I can find an alternative.


Quote:
manifold on ebay for £50 BUT it is 2nd hand so no guarantee

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/scorpio-ultima-2-3-inlet-manifold-/190506431549?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2c5b11743d#ht_500wt_1156

Thanks, I'll have a look.


Quote:
the engine looms can normally be repaired with new insulation if you were up to that?


The garage tried patching up the insulation back last October, when I started getting electrical problems just at the time it was going in for the MOT. They said at the time all the insulation in the engine bay harness was in a bad state, but they'd do their best to patch it up as a much cheaper alternative to a new loom, but they couldn't guarantee it as the state of the wiring was so bad. Now they're telling me it's gone again, virtually all the insulation is just falling off, it's shorting all over the place, and is way beyond economic repair even given the price of a brand new loom from Fords (which he seemed to think was about £600!) And unfortunately there's no way I could do it myself; once upon a time I could have, but my back condition is very disabling now.

I was just wondering if any of the people on here who've dismantled a Scorpio for parts ever extracted the engine bay harness and still had it lying around available.

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by Highlander on Mar 3rd, 2011, 5:36pm
the 2.3 loom if i remember correctly is around £170 new? and the manifold around the same mark?
maybe someone who has bought a new one recently can confirm that?

having dismantled a few Scorpios ;) then timewise I wouldnt think it would take £500 to replace the manifold and loom but as a non user of garages maybe I'm out of touch.  

I definitely consider £1400 for buying and fitting both to be in the rip off category though.

I may have a couple of 2.0 16v looms which although slightly different can be made to fit

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by adam on Mar 3rd, 2011, 8:21pm
Yes, i'm with Highlander on the labour charge. Swapped many 2.3 inlets over. Quickest was  90 mins.Never repaired the looms always replaced. Would go for the 2.0 mod if you want to keep the car for any length. Also, change the thermostat while your at it.

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by Tompion on Mar 3rd, 2011, 8:24pm
And changing the loom is a quick job with the manifold out of the way.

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by DavidBE on Mar 6th, 2011, 4:20pm
Thanks for the guidance, all.

As I've been using this garage for 12 years, and they;ve always been very fair and reasonable, I'm going to assume that their reception guy I spoke to, who isn't actually one of the mechanics, hadn't actually checked with e.g. the mechanic there who used to work for Ford, and was just rather wildly guessing labour figures that were way over the top.

Member 5stud's offered to sell me both parts, so I think I'll proceed, and hopefully get the Scorpio back working soon.

Thanks again.

Title: Re: Inlet manifold & engine bay wiring harness
Post by 5stud on Mar 7th, 2011, 10:45pm
tip when removing the manifold take out the 2no torex studs then you dont have to bend the erg pipe



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