My daughters truck is an ‘01 Lariat with the 4.6. Had a couple of bolts break off at the throttle body and PS reservoir bracket. Easy out broke off as well. Her truck has the metal intake, not the plastic replacement. On the lower section is a sensor, which the the new replacements do not have. Is there a way to make the new replacements work without that sensor?

Old intake showing the sensor


New replacements without the sensor

 

so much help on this site...… wish I could help you buddy. nobody replies on these forums.

 

What the original poster has shown is the special intake manifold that has a runner control motor to change the intake tract length.
In the program the motor usually does not operate until about 3000 rpm.
When it does, it causes the intake tract to be shorter for high RPM operation.
The intent is to make the power curve broader like the V6 that has the IMRC setup.
I have the same setup on my 02 but a different shape and size.
Tried it with and without the motor connected and could not tell much of a difference.
There are no codes associated with it that I found in the code list.
Very little ever written about it on a 4.6L.
The motor will run ok without it. It's not a Sensor.
.
Your poke at the board is unwarranted if you did not know what it was. Very few other know either.
Ford puts all kinds of mix and match on the assembly lines especially near the end of a model year run.
We cannot be expected to keep up with these changes.
Some trucks are Titled in the previous year, some in the next year and still legal in Title.
.
An example; my son just purchased a 2009 with a 4.6L 2 valve motor when most went to 3 valve 4.6 such as the Sport Trac motors. It has a short intake like a car, as well.
Go figure. Was it to use up discontinued parts? Runs on the newer CAM program as well.
Sometimes we see this 'stuff'.
The buyer has no way of knowing what he is getting at times.