2.3L ('02-'11) Not too comfortable with the plastic intake manifold, or the plastic valve cover

[Wowza]

As i said I'm not too comfortable with the plastic intake manifold, or the plastic valve cover. I looked around on here and some other forums and couldn't find anything about metal replacements. I was wondering if any of yall have found intake manifolds or valve covers that are metal. I'd greatly appreciate any information thanks.

I have a 2006 2.3l I4

 

[fastpakr]

What about them makes you uncomfortable?

 

[Wowza]

What about them makes you uncomfortable?

The fact that they are plastic. I drive my truck a lot, and on frequent long ventures as well. I am concerned about the integrity of these heat resistant polymers. To add to my concern, never have i seen a plastic valve cover in my few years of wrenching.

 

[snoranger]

I have a 2006 2.3l I4

They’ve lasted 16 years already... what are you worried about?

Here’s a Mack MP7 valve cover... It’s plastic, it’s 5’ long, it can last 1,000,000+ miles. I’m pretty confident that your long ventures don’t hold a candle to an over the road truck.

 

[Shran]

I'll just drop this thread from yesterday in here: https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/repairing-a-rotted-valve-cover-4-0-ohv.197810/

Would not worry much about it. Most if not all modern engines have at least some plastic parts and they seem to be working fairly well, so why fix it if it ain't broke?

 

[superj]

just don't get some made by whoever makes the jeep plastic intake and covers. theirs warp and leak.

 

[Wowza]

They’ve lasted 16 years already... what are you worried about?

Here’s a Mack MP7 valve cover... It’s plastic, it’s 5’ long, it can last 1,000,000+ miles. I’m pretty confident that your long ventures don’t hold a candle to an over the road truck.
View attachment 74999

Good point thanks for the comparison

 

[scotts90ranger]

All the turbo LS guys run the factory plastic intake manifold to silly pressures, I wouldn't be too worried about it, just don't throw too many bricks at your engine with the hood up

They're fiber reinforced and should be pretty tough, I'm not the biggest fan of the plastic thermostat housings and stuff but for non pressurized stuff like intake manifolds and valve covers I don't see a problem...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Keep on keeping the coolant in good shape, usually it goes south and makes aluminum parts swell and that cracks apart the plastic intakes.

I don't really like them much either but like you say on newer stuff you don't get much of an option.

 

[pjtoledo]

my 2005 2.3 has 367,500 miles on the original plastic parts. no problems here.