2004 engine

[Directedby]

See if you can find any differences.

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2

[Marauderman]

Valve covers--what color are they? Not black as our OEM's!!

[Directedby]

Valve covers are unfinished aluminium.

Ready for polishing.

[RoyLPita]

Are you looking for the "dual knock sensors"? What would be nifty is to find a pair of Cobra valve covers that have a signature plate on them.

Just my .02

[Mikeenh]

Looks to me that Ford is $aving the cost of painting the valve covers.

[Petrograde]

well, jeez,... they look like crap. :rolleyes: Polished would be nice.

[gja]

Yet another reason I am happy to own a 1st edition.

[Ross]

Big change---- mine came with green anti freeze, not yellow.

[03SILVERSTREAK]

Is there much of a diffrence between green and yellow ?

[Ross]

Darned if I know! Some '03 MM's came with green and some with yellow. Must have been some reason for a change, but I don't know enough about the differences in them to know what it is, or why the change was made.

[Petrograde]

Can any dealership guys enlighten us?

[joflewbyu2]

they cover the differences in the owners manual between the coolants. after seeing the differences that FMC is making trying to save every penny - i wonder what else changes that we don't see!

[RF Overlord]

The primary reason for the change from green to yellow coolant is the replacement interval...the yellow lasts a lot longer...one of the few things manufacturers are trying to do right is increase the maintenance intervals...like with 100,000-mile platinum plugs...Chevy even has a few motors that specify 10,000-mile oil changes...



a lot of higher-end European cars specify 8,000 or 9,000 mile oil changes OVER THERE, but 3,000 to 6,000 over here, not because the motors are any different, but because BIG OIL wants it that way... :rolleyes:

[fblumberg]

mines yellow..
like it took alot of vitamins....
f.b.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by gja
Yet another reason I am happy to own a 1st edition.

Amen!

[JohnnyB]

It's pathetic that Ford did not paint the valve covers. On a limited production vehicle, such as the MM, how much money are they really saving..... unless they did the same to all the 4.6 32V v-8's across the whole 2004 line up.

[Directedby]

Personally, I like the aluminium valve covers. Looking at the engine it makes it look bigger.

[RCSignals]

The valve covers look like brushed aluminum. I kind of like it. It's in keeping with aluminum valve covers of old musclecars

[TripleTransAm]

Cool looking valve covers... reminds me of the Boss 429.

[joflewbyu2]

the covers are NOT brushed aluminum. they are naked cast aluminum with no protection from corrosion. just an expense they saved.

[RF Overlord]

Well, that should make it even easier to paint them up nice, like whatshisname did...or that other guy, with the thing...you know who I mean...

[TripleTransAm]

Hmm, I wonder how much lighter those 2004 engines are without paint. LOL! All hail the 300C models! LOL!

I wonder if hot pink paint will stick to naked cast aluminum... hmmm....

[Constable]

I kinda like the look of 'em, too. Sure, they may be unfinished, but they do LOOK nice.

[RCSignals]

How about something like this?

[Warpath]

Originally posted by joflewbyu2@aol.
the covers are NOT brushed aluminum. they are naked cast aluminum with no protection from corrosion. just an expense they saved.

For aluminum, corrosion is the corrosion protection. Aluminum will corrode a little bit. Once it does, this thin layer of corrosion will prevent any further corrosion. It is not like steel or iron where it should be coated. Look at the front suspension lower control arms and front cross member. They are aluminum also and are not coated.

You can't expect Ford to loose $5 billion a year and not do anything about it. But, I share your frustration. I don't like it either when things start disappearing even though I may not have minded if it weren't ever there in the first place.

[RCSignals]

Ford isn't the only company that puts out new aluminum engines with unpainted aluminum valve covers. They were almost the only ones that painted them.

[crom]

Warpath, I beg to differ on your theory of aluminum corrosion. I've worked on aircraft for 19 years and they are predominately made of aluminum alloys. if you do not treat the surface corrosion(white powdery mounds) it will get worse and can lead to exfoliation and inter-granular corrosion. If you clean the corrosion of and treat the metal with alodine or anodize it, this process is actually a form of corrosion that is started and then stopped which will form a protective layer on the metals surface. This is just my experience talkind did not mean it as a flame towards Warpath. I think the valve covers should be painted/treated IMHO

[Directedby]

The MM intake is all unfinished aluminium as is the engine block. I have seen dozens of engines this way and corrosion does not seem to be a legit problem.

My 69 mustang has had Cobra aluminium valve covers since 1982 and after 21 years, thay look the same.

[RCSignals]

WD40 does wonders to get rid of that surface corrosion(white powdery mounds) from aluminum, if it appears at all

[Warpath]

crom - I'm no metalurgist. But, the film protective layer was how it was described to me in college. I am an engineer in the automotive field. We do not cover aluminum because it just isn't necessary. Sure, there are certain situations that will corrode aluminum beyond the film. But, they are not a normal part of the automobile environment (at least that I know of). Airplanes may be different. I don't know what the environment is for planes. They may require more protection especially considering what may happen if something happens to the aluminum.