I strongly suspect this topic has been covered before in the forums but I could not find it based on my searches. I'm just a forum search failure, I suppose !

My 1996 E350 Club Wagon with 5.8L engine has both front and rear heater cores. To get water distributed to them, there is brass-tube manifold that hangs just above the engine underneath the windshield. It has ports for To/From the engine, To/From the front core, and To/From the rear core. Some of the fittings are plain nipple-and-hose-clamp style, while some are the Ford not-so-quick-disconnect fittings.

Some of the hoses have failed or are failing (especially where the metal fitting is swaged onto the rubber hose). In an emergency a while back, I cut off one of the leaky fittings (both male and female) and slid the hose end over the non-flared pipe end, added a couple of hose clamps, and it actually held pressure.

I would really like to replace the whole thing. I would have a local hose shop make me up a functional replacement (sans the Ford fittings) and swap normal hoses and clamps on to it. I thought I should first check to see what a factory replacement would cost (if they are still made) but I can't even find the part in any diagrams that i've turned up.

Can someone tell me what this part is officially called, perhaps even the Ford part number for it?

Also, has anyone here ever made or had made a workalike for this manifold thingy?

With spring and summer coming, I could get by for a few months by just bypassing the entire thing (and both heaters) but I'd like a more reasonable long-term solution.

 

I've got some pics with part numbers for you.