replacement vacuum elbow '98 Windstar 3.8L

[whyameye]

This vacuum elbow on my '98 Windstar 3.8L lasts barely 6 months before cracking and needing to be replaced (see red circle in attached pic). My replacements are coming from O'Reilly's Auto Parts. I'm wondering if a genuine Ford part might last longer and if so what the part number might be. Alternatively, what vacuum elbow might pass the 6 month usage test?



Thanks!

[wiswind]

I seem to remember replacing that same elbow on my '96.
I was lucky in that mine lasted......likely same source......AutoZone "Help" section.
Though my purchase was quite a number of years ago.
Best place I can think of for OE would be a FORD dealership.
Or your could search for a good online parts department website.......some used to give diagrams that you could trace back to the actual part.
Short of that, the dealerships parts computer program will have the diagrams to enable them to drill down to the correct part.

[wiswind]

If you can find one that is FUEL line, it would be best......won't break down to the oil/junk exposure so fast.

[tomj76]

After replacing several of these over the years, I finally just replaced it with a piece of fuel line. It isn't perfect b/c the fuel line collapses from the vacuum pressure.

Another approach that might be a little better is a brass elbow inserted in the hard plastic line going to the PCV valve, and a shorter piece of fuel line connected to the barbed nipple on the top of the intake manifold.

For example, an elbow like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Joyway-Reduce...DAPPQ6PPJS16NX