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2005 ZX4 2.0L PCV Valve and Hose Replacment

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Plas62

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi

I am new to the forum and am the original owner of a 2005 Focus ZX4 2.0L Duratec. I have 207,000 miles on the car and it has been a dependable daily driver for me for a number of years. I am joined the forum to gain knowledge and hopefully get another 200k out of my Focus.

We recently bought a 3rd vehicle, so this will give me an opportunity to do some more major maintenance to it without being under the gun to have it drive-able again by Monday morning.

Other than basic maintenance; oil changes, spark plugs and air filter @140K along with brakes, tires (3 sets) and a battery. I have not had any major issues with my Focus.

Recently it started running rough at idle and did not want to start immediately on the first crank without hitting the gas pedal. I changed the fuel filter and cleaned the throttle body. This helped , but did not fully correct the rough/low rpm idle issue and it still does not want to start without tapping the gas pedal.

Based on posts I've read on this forum, I believe I may need to replace my PCV valve and hose. I understand that I will need to remove my intake manifold to do this. While changing the PCV valve and hose, I would like to perform any other maintenance that would make sense while having the intake manifold off and have all the parts on hand before I begin the repair.

From what I've read on the forum, so far I believe the following items make sense. If you have brand recommendations for the parts to purchase along with any other repairs to perform or parts I overlooked, please let me know.

PCV Valve and Hose : (Dorman, OEM or other?)

Intake manifold gasket: (Brand?)

Thermostat and thermostat housing gasket: (Brand?)

Drive Belt: (Gates)

Idler pulley and bolt ?: (Brand?)

Upper and Lower radiator hoses: (Gates)

Thanks in advance for your help

Jim
 
#2 ·
Hi Jim, I can't help much, but since I did similar work a couple years ago & some other similar stuff recently I will chime in.

PCV Valve and Hose : (Dorman, OEM or other?)
I used OEM, Dorman is fine.

Intake manifold gasket: (Brand?)
I did not replace it, but everyone else hates this idea. The old one was pliable, soft, perfect.

Thermostat and thermostat housing gasket: (Brand?)
I used a Motorad 512-185 Thermostat.

Drive Belt: (Gates)
Gates, ok, why not. Think I used an ACdelco, not sure.

Idler pulley and bolt ?: (Brand?)
I used OEM, only use OEM here. Some might suggest not replacing it, since bolt failure does/can happen after replacement; then again, pulley can fail due to age.

Upper and Lower radiator hoses: (Gates)
I used ACdelco, Gates is good.

Have not had a failure on any of these new parts... yet.

Other thoughts:
Refill coolant with same exact coolant type in use now. I stuck with OEM Gold.

Belt tensioner replacement? This, and other belt stuff can wait, is a different job compared to PCV hose, -the other stuff on your list.

Inspect, clean the inside of the throttle body.

Inspect, clean the inside of the IACV.

Inspect, clean the inside of the intake manifold (IM). To include the IMRC tumble flaps. Careful with IM bolt torque.

Are you still using the original engine mounts? If/when you replace these, stick with OEM.

Good luck!
 
#4 ·
'Intake manifold gasket: (Brand?)
I did not replace it, but everyone else hates this idea. The old one was pliable, soft, perfect.'

Compare the old gasket to a new one, they can be TOO soft after use and not have the resistance to crush straight down like they must to seal correctly. If too flexible then it sucks the side in to roll it over in what becomes a leak rather than resisting that. The new one while being still flexible has much more stiffness to it to resist that and it helps to create the crush necessary to seal. A softer one has no crush like that.

Just sayin'............not all will do that but I've seen some so flexible no way could they stand up to a negative pressure. Yet in and of themselves look perfect. Without a new one to compare no way will you guess that.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Thanks for the replies,

I got my parts ordered for the pcv repair yesterday from RockAuto, hope to have them by mid next week. I went ahead and ordered the gasket kit for the intake manifold at $11 it's not worth taking a chance.

I am going to replace the thermostat and radiator hoses while I have the intake off. I am going to wait on the belt and pulley replacement as suggested.

I have already cleaned the throttle body.

Will need to locate the IACV for cleaning.

On the IMRC tumbler flaps, I've seen some posts where people have removed them completely. My tumbler flaps are pretty noisy. I am still trying to research this to see if it is a good idea for me. Any recommendations on tumbler flap removal?
 
#6 ·
amc49 said:
...If too flexible then it sucks the side in to roll it over in what becomes a leak rather than resisting that...
Click to expand...
Not going to argue this with you. My old gasket was fine, firm, and held into the IM gasket grooves just right. That old gasket was not going to roll into the intake nor create a vac leak UNLESS the IM or head was not flat or the IM bolts were not tight. I would never advise someone to not replace it.

Replace the gasket always, I agree, -minus the job that I did on my car.
 
#7 ·
Plas62 said:
I went ahead and ordered the gasket kit for the intake manifold at $11 it's not worth taking a chance.
Click to expand...
I agree. Gasket replacement (not re-use) is the norm and is the right thing to do.

Plas62 said:
On the IMRC tumbler flaps, I've seen some posts where people have removed them completely. My tumbler flaps are pretty noisy. I am still trying to research this to see if it is a good idea for me. Any recommendations on tumbler flap removal?
Click to expand...
I can't recommend it, and I have never done it.

I believe the flaps are designed to be not removed. Removal require creative deconstruction, -modification.

IMRC rattle noise is typical and unfortunately normal.

Here are some links with additional info about IMRC tumble flap stuff.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/...forum/duratec-performance-2008-2011/238575-duratec-manifold-spotters-guide.html

Warning: The thread below is very lengthy, and has discussion that is wrong or confusing with regard to what IMRC is. For the sake of simplicity IMRC = tumble flaps. -and IMTV tumble flaps is only for the 2.3 engine.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/...om/forum/duratec-performance-2003-2007/274420-more-info-tumble-flap-delete.html
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Thanks Marde for the quick response.

After reading through a few pages of the posts you linked. I think I will leave well enough alone and just clean the tumbler flaps while I have the intake off. Is the CRC Throttle Body Cleaner OK to use for this? I have about half a can left from cleaning the throttle body a couple weeks ago.
 
#9 ·
Plas62 said:
...Is the CRC Throttle Body Cleaner OK to use for this?
Click to expand...
It might be, but is quite aggressive. I was concerned that it might be too harsh for the flaps rod bushings, and did not want to push my luck. I can't remember exactly, but I used Dawn soap + another degreaser mixed in a bucket of hot water. Dumped mix inside the IM, shake-shake; then a toothbrush-like tool on the flaps. Looked ugly in the end, but it helped get most gunk away.

Before cleaning, hold IM upside down, as there might be a few table spoons of oil inside the IM.
 
#10 ·
I took the manifold from my old 2.3 to a machine shop and they hot tanked it. It came out very clean.
As for flaps, I don't remember the 2.0 having them, but staying away from removal is good unless you're into tuning a mod like this. It was an awesome mod but the car didn't like it after awhile because I didn't tune for it.
 
#11 ·
No argument intended Marde.................I said CAN be, many may not know that and no way to make a comparison without both old and new parts in hand. I didn't know it either and tripped over it one day and cocked an eye open at that. I reuse great scads of silicone parts but they have to fit certain conditions.

That does not seem to work for most others though.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
I decided to just go ahead and replace my intake manifold, I ordered one from Lakeland Ford and received it Thursday.

Yesterday, I finished up changing the PCV valve, PCV hose (it was shot), replacing the thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses, cleaning IAC & MAF and replacing the intake manifold. Test drove it yesterday and it was much improved. Started easier, better idle and no rattle. Today I'm going to swap out the sparks plugs to complete my 200K tune up.

I will say that, somewhere out there is a Ford Engineer who needs the s*@T kicked out of him for that whole pcv valve/hose thing on this engine.

My next major project on this car will be replacing shocks, struts and tie rod ends.

Thanks for the help and advise.
 
#14 ·
That would be a impossible amount of kicking there, they now do not care about their own in house mechs having fits changing parts, it's considered good now to take all day changing a $5 part as it guarantees big money to dealers for doing it.
 
#15 ·
amc49 said:
That would be a impossible amount of kicking there, they now do not care about their own in house mechs having fits changing parts, it's considered good now to take all day changing a $5 part as it guarantees big money to dealers for doing it.
Click to expand...
From a consumers perspective this is sad, sad, sad and very true. The labor rates and costs that some of my friends are paying to fix their rides just about makes my eyes pop outta my head! I am so grateful that even though being a seriously old phart I can still twist my own wrenches. I am very much appreciative of the knowledge and wisdom that I glean from this forum.

Cheers!

Mike
 
#16 ·
Cars aren't a 'mature' technology like many washers/driers for example, where a good brand/std. type is often designed for easy servicing.

Constant revision for better performance, cost savings, and particularly squeezing the most into the smallest space to maximize useful space vs. mechanical space makes it HARD to repair them.
 
#17 ·
I disagree entirely. It's engineered to be mature enough to help them first off and screw you second, how they create work now. The only maturity I see there is in the wiping away of any semblance of 'ethics' that might have applied before. Where they entertained thoughts of some repairing their own stuff in the past now they think they are the only ones that can do it, they tell you so all day long in their ads, just listen. Trying to get a lock on hoods legally so NOBODY can touch them if they can.

Look at how they put the cars together and the subassemblies and it becomes crystal clear they are helping themselves way early in the process and the added benefit of much bigger charges coming later in the dealerships. Did they miss that??? I rather think not.

The engines have most fastening out in the open as long as engine not in place in the car, done so it could be put together faster with engine by itself. Trans same way, car minus engine/trans the same. Take each major assembly and apply that thinking and it becomes SUPER clear. As major assemblies add up in more assembly on top of them, more and more parts get locked out of working on them easy. That was always the case before but now there's more of it. One can say the cars are more complicated now to account for that but a simple look at any one problem area shows how 2 seconds thought could easily have remedied most issues. But NOT in THEIR favor. What's worse, is that commonly now it seems the thought has been intentionally applied to make it harder than it was before.

Ever notice how a paycheck error or an error at the supermarket or wherever is hardly ever in your favor? With the odds being 50/50 but you never see the 50/50 really hold true? That's NOT by accident, human intervention has to have occurred to tilt chaos like that. Willful. Intentional.

They used to factor in dealer ease of maintenance in the past but no longer, realizing it was costing them money and making it easier to fix them out in the field, that loses dealer work. Now it's max trouble for anything, all contrived to make the average person cave in to take it to the dealer.

Mechanical intimidation.

When you start seeing things like intakes removed to change spark plugs there is no other way to look at it other than the engineer was a moron, nope, there is method to that seeming madness.

Uh, I'm seeing that same exact stuff show up in washers and dryers now too among other common household devices. Things riveted up or steel formed to enclose parts to preclude you getting in them. More plastic to break and buy when you do not know the exact method of unsnapping them to lower damage. Bigger assemblies made from lots of previously separate parts to make you buy more. Funky tool heads (anti-tamper screws) to make you buy specialty tools like the cars lead the way with. Simple hidden fuses to make you buy big modules when the fuse blows and you can't find it because hidden inside epoxy somewhere on purpose.

The world does NOT want you to be able to fix what it sells, only them or better yet buy another one.
 
#18 ·
My thoughts and mine alone of course, I see conspiracy everywhere, however that alone does NOT make me wrong.....................
 
#20 ·
Congrats on the mileage. Mine is nearing that mile marker. I have not been taking care of it in the past 3 years as I should have. I used to change the fuel filter every year or 30k miles, but I think I missed a change in there. I'm not sure when the last time was that I changed the oil, but it's just now turning brown. I barely put 4k miles a year on it, so it's probably not really that bad.

The clutch is still factory.
The fuel pump is still factory.

Those 2 alone keep me awake at night, but I'm not changing either until it goes out. The struts are finally worn out to the point where replacement is required, but I'm past the point where springs are recommended to be replaced- and I am having trouble finding rear springs for a wagon. The front wheel bearings are factory. If it's not bad, I'm not fixing it. This car has already blown away my father's old Honda Accord that lasted him for 12 years. I've owned it since 5 miles were on the clock, and it arrived just as I'd ordered it from the dealer- there were no used MT wagons in the nearest 5 states.
 
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Plas62
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