We receive calls, complaints, and returns all the time that are in error when it comes to purchasing gaskets for this vehicle. Many of the early 99-00 Ford Lightning had intercooler recalls. This caused a change in a part number for the intercooler gasket. It also does not help that manifold swaps have taken place due to the higher flow of the 01-04 years. I bet I spend 2 hours a month trying to educate consumers that call in. It is hard to believe after 20 plus years, that there is still some mis-conceptions floating around the internet on this subject. Before you order gaskets from us, please check the following.
Supercharger: You can tell the difference between a 99-00 and 01-04 Supercharger by measuring the right hand side of the supercharger (when looking at it from the front). A 99-00 will have a 2 1/8″ center to center between the first and second bolt. 01-04 Ford Lightning will have 3 1/4″ center to center for the same bolts. The picture below shows a 01-04 Supercharger with a 99-00 gasket sitting below it.
The next difference is the intercooler gasket. 99-00 Ford Lightning intercooler gaskets are 4 7/8″. 01-04 Ford Lightning intercooler gaskets are 5 3/8″. 99-00 gaskets are on the left and 01-04 gaskets are on the right.
NOTE: There is also 99-00 Ford Lightning RECALL intercoolers that use ONLY the intercooler gasket from 01-04. All other gaskets on a recall manifold will 99-00.
The midplate gaskets on 99-00 and 01-04 are not the same. They do not interchange. Years with the intercooler recall will use 99-00 midplate gaskets. If you have a 99-00 supercharger, you will use a 99-00 midplate gasket. If you have a 01-04 supercharger, you will use a 01-04 midplate gasket.
So to sum it up:
99-00 Supercharger- and need to replace the intercooler gasket? narrow intercooler- order 99-00 gasket set. Wide intercooler, you will need 99-00 gasket set AND 01-04 gasket set.
01-04 supercharger- order 01-04 gasket set.