Does Anyone Have an old V6 Inlet Manifold?

Hi All, I'm new to this forum but have visited regularly in the past in connection with Freelander issues - all good stuff that I've seen so far - and thought it about time to join up.

I have the classic Inlet manifold problem with my 2003 model V6. I have done the VIS valves but while they were off I noticed that the butterfly push rod moves in directions it shouldn't do!

I have seen the photos of the inside of the manifold on here and on the Rover forums but as a model engineer I would love to get hold of an old scrap one to see what can be re-engineered before I take the plunge and replace my own (I can't do it to my own as I need the car so can't take it off just yet).

If anyone has an old one having had theirs replaced I would love to get hold of it - maybe if I come up with something as a result it would help the hoards of people that have the same issue with these falling apart on them.

From the photos I already have some ideas but need an actual unit in order to make the parts and tolling needed to do something with them.

Hope someone can help

Thanks to all and great to be a part of the community.

get yoself one offa rover 75 - same system, but more robust - and cheaper.

Thanks for your advice and I know I need to replace / repair it - I was just hoping that someone had a broken one I could have a look at to see if there is the potential to do something with these units - so if any one does have one please let me know - my car is actually a 2003 not 2004 as I said initially.

Can you tell me if there is an age range of the rover 75 one that matches it?

Thanks

What do you mean by 'I have done the VIS valves ' ?

I meant the VIS motor uints - I have checked them over and they are fine.

After I replaced mine with a rover 75 manifold and got the software upgrade done, I took it apart as it was screwed together. unfortunately it was also glued/bonded so i had to butcher it a bit. Inside the 6 VIS valves are connected to the arm with molded ball and socket joints, the ball on the valve and the sockets on the arm. Where the arm is being driven too far the sockets wear and break. The whole construction is plastic and the arm is quite intricate so it would be extremely hard to fabricate another one. If you try to repair it and anything comes loose it will drop into your cylinder or jam in the inlet valve causing alot of damage. I did however fix the valves shut and reseal the think so if it happens again I could put it back on and run with the VIS valves shut. (Max. power I think and no rattle. ) Unforunately I threw the arm away so I can't send you it.Check these threads
www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/freelander-v6-manifold-rattle-62618.html
www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/v6-inlet-manifold-rattle-24606.html

Thanks for the info and links.
I know that it is not going to be easy, my thoughts are not to totally remanufacture it but to work on the ball and sockets which are the root of the problem.
This type of joint is used extensively in modelling but never would one be made as poorly as these are.
In our cars it causes power problems and a horrible noise - in a model it would cause complete disaster!
I just wanted an old scrap one to develop my ideas, the ultimate goal being keyhole surgery!
So if anyone does have one please get it out of the skip and send it me and then next time yours falls apart again I may just have a solution to fix it for good at a fraction of the cost.
Thanks again for all the responses so far.

The arm has 6 branches on it of two different lengths,with the cup of the joint on the end. One length for one bank of cylinders and one for the other.the branches are not straight but bent to fit and move the VIS valves. I think it would probably be cheaper to buy a second hand manifold of a rover 75 ( it didn't have the software fault so the joints should be O.K.) I unsealed mine and took some pics of the valves, if you post your email address I will send them to you, I can't post them here as they are 2.8 Meg. But if you really want to make one, GOOD LUCK.

Thanks for the further info. The pics would be really useful if you could upload them here please : Upload Page
I don't actually intend to build my own arm just make a change with the ball joints and how the balls and socket fit together and more importantly stay together, that is why I was after a scrap one. I have rung around by local scrap yards but no joy so far so was hoping someone on the forum had one left over after a change, regardless of its condition I just need to physically get hold of one so that I can work it out and make the parts needed.
The next thing will then be to be able to do the fix with the manifold still on the car - how good would that be.
Thanks agaian and if anyone is out there with one please get in touch.

try asking on the rover forum...

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Think I have just found one at a breakers - from an 03 Rover so should be perfect - don't know if it is good or broken but either way I will now have a unit to work on to test my theory.

If successful then I will start a new thread to let everyone know - and maybe start a new business doing exchange units (you send me your broken one - I either repair it or send an already repaired one).
My plan is that my repaired units should last pretty much for the life of the car 9rather than the 35 - 40,000 miles they seem to currently last) and I hope to be able to do a unit for £200 or less on an exchange basis - does that sound reasonable?

I tried uploading pics via UPLOAD PAGE but kept getting this message
'Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage'

maybe the pics are too big - try resizing to 800*600 or posting on photobucket.

Thanks all for the attempts with the photos but don't wory about it now as I have the real thing to play with.

I have to say that having opened one up I cannot believe how poorly desgined there are.

There is no way that these can last on any car! - Sorry KV6 owners but it IS going to happen to you.

Hard plastic valve ball joint connecting to a softer plastic cup living in heat, oil and grime - they have no chance.

I have managed to repair one which should last a few more years - and they said "no user servicable parts inside" !!

I am now working on a permanent fix method that will last for the life of the engine.

I hope to be able to offer this as a service - from what I have seen I potentially have every Landrover and Rover V6 owner as a potential customer.

I hope to be able to do an exchange unit at less than £200 and my ultimate aim is also to be able to do the work with the manifold in situ on the car which would be cheaper still - just need to perfect the tooling for this one so may be further in the future.

So thanks again for the photo offers but I now have mine repaired and another one at hand for me to work on.

Did you find a fix. I have also opened up a old one and wondered what would be the effect of bonding/ glueing the valves in an open or closed position.A small loss of torque or economy ? Any thoughts

landymark said:

Hi All, I'm new to this forum but have visited regularly in the past in connection with Freelander issues - all good stuff that I've seen so far - and thought it about time to join up.

I have the classic Inlet manifold problem with my 2003 model V6. I have done the VIS valves but while they were off I noticed that the butterfly push rod moves in directions it shouldn't do!

I have seen the photos of the inside of the manifold on here and on the Rover forums but as a model engineer I would love to get hold of an old scrap one to see what can be re-engineered before I take the plunge and replace my own (I can't do it to my own as I need the car so can't take it off just yet).

If anyone has an old one having had theirs replaced I would love to get hold of it - maybe if I come up with something as a result it would help the hoards of people that have the same issue with these falling apart on them.

From the photos I already have some ideas but need an actual unit in order to make the parts and tolling needed to do something with them.

Hope someone can help

Thanks to all and great to be a part of the community.

Click to expand...

If you fix them closed, the six inlets are all seperate, if you fix them open ,they are all joined in a 'sort of chamber'. As performance engines have seperate inlets I guess this would be max. power and joined would give you more torque !!! Which ever way you do it make sure nothing can come loose as this would be sucked into one of the cylinders and cost alot of money to repair. On my old one I fixed them closed, but as the replacement one is O.K. I haven't had to refit it.