[Masterfireeater]

Hi guys I have had this ford focus for a couple of months now, I have done a head gasket replacement on it and after I was finished with it I got a code of a bad 02 sensor heater core, I went threw the process of checking wiring, it turns out it was just a bad o2 sensor, now the next problem the car doesnt like running it will idle through 350-850 rpms it normally stays around 400 to 500 and stalls around the 350, I am getting fuel pressure at 40 psi I really dont know what to do from here, ooh and its also a 2001 ford focus SE the 2.0L SOHC

 

[Masterfireeater]

an update as I was working on the ford focus it just popped a p0460 which is a small leak in the evap system could this also be the problem to my idling

 

[ViperThreat]

Check your vacuum lines

 

[Mandroid]

Vacuum lines and check/replace pcv valve and hose. When pulling the pcv valve, take the hose off and then turn the valve itself counter clockwise and it will unlock from the valve cover. You can then pull it out. Generally if you shake it and it rattles, its good. If it doesn't, its stuck and gummed up. Clean your throttle body and your iac valve while your at it. They don't really have anything to do with the code it's throwing but its piece of mind.

 

[Masterfireeater]

Okay i unplugged the maf so it would run rich, it idle fine and it sounded like there was a big leak between the throttle body and where it connets to the air filter box is there anyway to fix this? I also replace the pvc valve because it was bad.

 

[Mandroid]

Okay i unplugged the maf so it would run rich, it idle fine and it sounded like there was a big leak between the throttle body and where it connets to the air filter box is there anyway to fix this? I also replace the pvc valve because it was bad.

First find where exactly its leaking from. There is a long tube there and the hole/crack could be anywhere. Spray some carb cleaner around the suspected area and see if the idle changes. If it does, you found the leak.

 

[hectorbravo1941]

change the maf sensor. end of problem.

 

[hectorbravo1941]

change the MAF sensor. Problem solved.

 

[Mandroid]

How will that take care of the vacuum leak? Fix that first, its cheaper

 

[NotReal]

Find the leak. Maf is good.

 

[Mandroid]

Find the leak. Maf is good.

Agreed 100%

 

[Masterfireeater]

Okay i kept on thinking it was a vacuum leak my parents just keep on going against me so i figured get a second opinion.

 

[NotReal]

You listen to your parents. Shame on you. You should know by now that strangers you never met are always right. But serious, it's a vacuum leak. Most likely brake booster or pcv valve hose.

 

[Masterfireeater]

I'm thinking possibly brake booster when I pulled the car out of my garage I had a firm pedal but felt like I had no braking power, yeah but with me being in my 3rd year of advanced auto I think I should know what's going on

 

[Mandroid]

I'm thinking possibly brake booster when I pulled the car out of my garage I had a firm pedal but felt like I had no braking power, yeah but with me being in my 3rd year of advanced auto I think I should know what's going on

Lol we all have to learn. And it sounds exactly like the brake booster vacuum line

 

[Masterfireeater]

Okay I found it I must have skipped over it, it some how but stuck in between the air intake, now it's running fine I'm still a little scared as there is still quite a bit of white smoke coming from the tailpipe but no codes have popped and no overheating I guess we will have to see when I get the temporary registration and start driving it

 

[Mandroid]

When the car is cool, take the cap off the coolant reservoir and start the car. If you see it bubbling you most likely have a bad head gasket or warped/cracked head. Smell the white smoke. Does it smell like antifreeze? And this is an spi i'm guessing?

 

[Masterfireeater]

Yep it's the spi, I didn't see any bubbling, and the smoke faintly smelled like antifreeze but it also spewed water when it first started up but dirtied up.

 

[Masterfireeater]

Sorry dried up

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Eh... it wouldn't be the first head gasket job that I did on a car that had a lot of white smoke coming out after it was finished. Sometimes it's merely a matter of all the stuff that pooled up in the exhaust when you were running the car with a bad head gasket.

I'm assuming this is simply white smoke- no smell, nothing. Your cat might be cleaning itself. If it doesn't go away, it means that something might still be causing a leak- like a cracked cylinder head.