Has anyone with the 2.8L had trouble with this part or come up with a solution to replace it due to its scarcity? It is the part labeled #8 in the diagram below and while I've heard lots of names for it, this publication seems to call it a heater inlet.
The problem I am having is that the engine facing port which uses a nut and seen in view A is a pressed fitting into the section in front with 3 ports. A mechanic did something to damage that fitting breaking it loose from the 3-port section and it can no longer be pressed back into it without leaking.
FYI the diagram is for an 87 Camaro V6 but it is the same for my 88 Firebird V6
I won't bother you with all the ways we have tried to fix it but does anyone have any thoughts or solutions?

 

If you do a search down in the V6 subforum you'll fine a few threads dealing with this. Generally, if you can't find a non leaking one of those, the solution is to use a threaded hose nipple screwed into the manifold of a size that fits the heater hose that the metal tubing connects to, with of course a longer length of heater hose to make up for the elimination of the metal tube.

But, what of the throttle body heater hoses, you may ask.....

Well, it is a common mod in the V6 world to eliminate that. Think about all the mad $$$$ people spend on "CAI" setups (Cold Air Intake), and now your gonna go and heat the air you deliberately previously cooled? I know people may talk of "throttle blade icing", never seen it, and have personally driven a V6 with the TB heater eliminated in both VERY damp and VERY cold conditions, with no igloos forming in the TB

 

I'll say the throttle freezing happened to me one time with a 350 car. It was a very specific set of weather conditions and throttle position for just the right amount of time.. No igloos were made but the throttle just stuck for a few seconds.

 

Thank you. That is very helpful. I am new to the Firebird world and was wary about reworking anything but that makes total sense about the cold air intake.