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Blown valve cover gasket + sludge in air box

4K views 29 replies 8 participants last post by  Magus2727 
#1 ·
So I was driving to work barely made it down the road without smoke in cabin (from heat its cold out!) and eventually saw it from under the hood. Stopped and looked its wet all the way from the valve cover down. Replaced it earlier and no more leak/smoke BUT noticed yellow sludge in air box vent into valve cover. Took the airbox out and found the reason I think the valve cover gasket blew out. Can I just clean this all out and move on with life or!? [confused]



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#2 ·
If you have that much moisture in your cranckcase, it makes me wonder if your PCV system has been working, or if you have a very small coolant leak that is moistening up the cranckcase.

I have never seen a valve cover gasket "blow out" per say, but they do often become a source of leaks.
 
#3 ·
Well it was a visible leak not really a blow out but more then the usual spotting. But once it hit the exhaust manifold obviously it stared smoking. BTW car has 267k sooooo who knows if it was ever replaced! :eek:

PS: Is there a PCV on these cars!? I'm still semi sick so haven't gone back out today since earliers ordeal! Have cleaned out the above you see and its drying now...
 
#4 ·
Nope you should be fine that's from your valve cover breather it will look like that when it not fully heated it's just oil. When I put in my CAI in school the teacher told me what that is and said it's normal. But how ever if your valve cover gasket was bad and leaking watch you coolant if you start losing any you'll need to replace the thermostat housing its gasket and if you start to develop a misfire (car will feel bogged down and run like crap) you need to replace your coil pack. Both of the problems I told you about are linked to a leaking valve cover gasket. Good luck hope you dont have any more problems.
 
#6 ·
My Dad before giving me the car say 30-50k ago replaced the thermostat housing and coil pack as he had issues. Should I start planning for those again!? By PCV system, is there a actual replaceable PCV valve!? If so I can purchase one tomorrow and swap it out!
 
#8 ·
Hmm thats for PCV hose. No valve on these cars!? I guess I'm used to older cars with valves! ;)

EDIT: What are the symptoms for a bad hose!? I assume clogged and then something like my issues!? I still think that little foam thing was clogged I unrolled it and it was FULLLLLL of that same yellow stuff!
 
#16 ·
It has a PCV valve. Those haven't changed any, and it still serves the same purpose but it might be a threaded PCV instead of one that simply sits in a grommet. Go to a parts store and ask for one, they will lead you to the right replacement and that will answer that question. I think the Zetec has a threaded PCV.

The factory hose was problematic because excessive heat caused extreme dry-rotting and hose decay. The hose will collapse and cause a low idle, or split and cause a high idle. Both situations cause other engine running problems as well. There is an improved design PCV hose available from Ford. Just go in, give your car's year, and tell them what hose you want, and they will give you the improved design. The improved design has insulation on it to prevent heat decay. The dealer will also have a new PCV.

To test your PCV, disconnect the vacuum side of the line and blow into it. You should feel resistance to your breath. The PCV is simply a spring operated valve that prevents air flow going from the intake to the PCV, and limits PCV operation to vacuum from the intake manifold. If you can blow through it easily, then the PCV is bad. When there is low intake manifold vacuum, there is high vacuum at the air intake which is where the oil breather is connected, so the oil breather sucks up crankcase emissions.

The valve cover gasket is easy to replace, and a good job for DIY. We should have a How-To on how to replace the valve cover if you need it.
 
#11 ·
There's water in that oil spot, don't care what your teacher said. Pure oil is clear, look inside an unheated plastic bottle of it. You can have blocked PCV and the engine run just fine if anyone has jacked with the butterfly setting.

Tazman there definitely IS a PCV valve on these........................if it was working you would have less blowby in that airbox, or motor is getting loose.
 
#13 ·
Yeah your probably right my teacher is wrong. It's not like he's a ford mechanic for 20 years now teaching engine, standard and auto trans, and engine performance. Oh not to mention the fact he has a DD 2001 ZX3. So yeah who is he too say what that could be he obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

It's oil that's breathing and it looks like that cause it's not up to temp and it has a small amount of condensation mixed into it. Your car is not broke there's nothing wrong it's doing what it's supposed to do. NOW if the oil in your oil pan looks like that then you'll have a problem.
 
#17 ·
I ended up half a**ing a solution as I can't get the hose today and it'll hold for now. Although I noticed the factory hose is collapsed where it goes into the intake manifold and I do have a semi low idle so that is another project for another day I guess! Thanks for the info I ended up doing the valve cover myself as well as I've done it before on a older car and knew to take my time and tighten it all down slow, etc. BTW my 2000 ZX3 zetec is NOT threaded just a rubber grommet that it goes into. Thanks again guys for all the help! :)
 
#20 ·
BTW, Tousley Ford is a dealer who gives FFs special pricing. Look them up online, they are in WI. Call the number for parts, ask for Steve, tell him you heard about him on Focus Fanatics, and then order whatever factory parts you need. It will be a whole lot cheaper than your dealer, even after you pay for shipping.

That sort of thing might fit your schedule better than having to take off work to go to a local dealer.
 
#22 ·
There is only one PCV hose.... so what is it that you're thinking is the "back" line? Pic?

PCV= positive crankcase ventilation (emissions controls on cars since the 60's that sucks up crankcase emissions to be burned up in the engine)
PVC= poly vinyl chloride (plastic, good stuff unless it burns, then it emits poisonous chlorine gas in mass quantities)
 
#23 ·
Well. There is a PCV hose from the intake manifold into a metal piece then back to rubber that turns into the PCV valve. If I have to get the whole thing I'm fine with that but. Rather get the back and front part minus the metal part if possible! :)
 
#24 ·
Yes, the PCV simply plugs into grommet like most. The rubber right angle turn atop it generally breaks once old enough, the cat heat cooks it. Can't get the bend without buying more hose than necessary, about $25ish at Ford, all to get $2 part. I simply added a loop of PCV straight to attach at 1/4 the cost.

Anarchy, I could tell a really funny story about a lifetime Ford tech who taught auto tech in school here in the mid '70s. He challenged brother and I to a race once the class year long Ford 427 Galaxie drag car project was done. He wanted to 'stomp' our 390 inch AMX into the ground, the results were quite a blow to his ego................my little brother actually swiped the condenser in the distributor to mess with him and the guy gave up trying to get it started, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Spent three days with the class helping him before brother revealed the truth of it. At race day a month later the AMC car dusted the Galaxie so bad it was unbelievable and with most of the class present.

Water in oil there indicates PCV not working fully as elsolo suggested, all I said was that there was water in the oil........................and now you seem to agree.
 
#27 ·
If the hose softens and tries to collapse, you can buy time by putting say heater hose size worm drive clamp to compress at the sunk in area to squeeze it back open. I've had one running like that for a year now. When they finally let go I usually put my own setup on there to not have to buy any more expensive hose, just ain't done that one yet. Other car I did myself still running fine many years later, can't even remember when I did it.
 
#30 ·
^^^ that would be him. you will have to have it shipped to you, but the discount is usually enough to still offset the cost of shipping.
 
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