I punched down on the gas merging into traffic. The plug on the right side of the intake blew out. Has anyone seen this problem before? I would have thought that this couldn't happen. Can the old one be put back in, or does a new one need to be purchased? Can if be replaced?

Thanks,

Guess talking about caused bad luck- today the plug blew out after 19 months of what I thought was a permanent fix.

Happened as I turned a corner onto a main street under hard accelaration- pop and sounds almost like the muffler fell off. Engine very rough, and loss of vacuum to the brakes, followed by the engine cutting out and no power steering.

Thank goodness I was again driving and not the wife - as the event is quite "interesting" and possibly frightening to a non 850 tinkering and repair addict.

Luckily the 850 is a heavy car so I had the enertia to "coast" 100 yards into a LOWE's parking lot. Popped the hood and repositioned the plug finger tight.

This week end will tap it into the manifold more firmly and go with the JB Weld again. If it last another 19 months that will do fine.

You gotto love these 850's with all their really weird issues.

Incidently- I have owned my 1995 850 turbo since brand new and do most all the repairs and maintenance on it. Of all the many things I have done- this manifold plug thing is the most unusual/weird..

Believe you are referring to the plug on the intake manifld directly adjacent to the alternator. The plug ( about 1 to 1.5 inched in diameter) has in its center the nipple for the vacuum elbow.

It happened to me and the loss of vacuum made the vehicle most difficult to get home. I was accelerating onto the tollway under heavy boost when "bam" it blew and the engine ran rough and I had minimal braking power due to the loss of the vacuum. Bad situation - glad it was me driving and not my wife.

I actually bought a new part from the dealer for a few dollars but never used it.

Here was my solution which has worked for over 2 years. I used and long screwdriver/prybar to pound the original plug back into the manifold. Then I smeared old reliable JB Weld around the surface. Ben fine ever since.

You may need to reset your ecu codes as the loss of vacuum can set off lots of faults.

Let me know if you need to know more by posting back I'll try to help.

Nate B

Thanks Nate,

I had actually thought about your suggestion, I just wasn't sure how it would work. Sounds like a weak link in the original design to me. I'll give it a try. I did a temp fix to get it home, I put the plug back in and used a pry to press it in. It did get me home. 125 miles. Thanks,

Rob,

I had it pressed in - but a few weeks later it blew out again. It was at night and luckily I was driving when it happened. I manager to push it in with my fingers and nursed it home.

Next day I used a socket and really knocked the plug into the manifold. Then smeared JB Weld around the area it was pressed in (on the outside). Don't want jb Weld getting sucked into the manifold.

Has held real good for 2 years now. I drive an 850 turbo with a performance ecu - so I am pushing above stock boost pressure.

No need to worry about the permanent bond of the JB Weld. The plug really never needs to come out for any reason.

Good Luck - BTW the dealer does sell the plugs for a few dollars. I have a new one in the dealer bag that I never used.

Nate,

Can you post some pics of that "intake plug" ?
because I'm trying to figure out where that plug
is located on the intake manifold. Thx

Maybe this week-end I can get some pics.

However, the "plug" is on the intake manifold directly adjacent to the alternator. The vacuum elbo fits onto the nipple in the center of this freeze plug like plug that is pressed into the aluminum manifold.

Take a look- I thinks you will see it. Just look in the area for the rubber 90 degree black vacuum elbow .

NateB

Nate,

OK: forget the pics, I found it ! but I dont understand how that plug blew out of the manifold, it's "press fit" no?

Thx for the reply Norman

Since my car is a turbo - my guess is the boost into the manifold under very hard acceleration blew the plug out.

JB Weld is good stuff.