[FeelinFocust80]

I have a 2003 Ford Focus 2.0 SPI. I put a new timing belt, head gasket, and other things on this car. The question I have is when I accelerate the engine bogs down and has no power and has a random miss. I suspected many things and changed a bunch of stuff according to reading other posts. The issue is I removed the intake manifold and as I was removing the two 8mm bolts on the top of the intake manifold in the center, engine coolant started seeping up out of the gasket. I took the manifold off and there was engine coolant in what would look to be the number two intake/exhaust ports on the cylinder head. There is no engine coolant in the actual cylinder and no engine coolant in the crankcase. I am suspecting a bad intake manifold gasket and engine coolant was leaking from the water jacket and getting into the ports on the cylinder head?? Which would lead to the vacuum leak from the bad gasket... Is there supposed to be any liquid whatsoever in those ports? and since there already is what do I do to remove the coolant?
Also there was no engine coolant in the other intake/exhaust ports and the number two port is closest to the water jacket. I could really use some help. I need to get this thing back on the road. Thank you.

 

[a_2000_se]

How long have you owned the car and do you know the history of the engine? By chance did you do a compression check on all the cylinders before removing the head?

The intake manifold should not leak any coolant into any cylinder via any gaskets. Coolant is routed through the intake but it just serves as a connection point/routing point.

If you believe you have coolant from the water jacket/block getting into the cylinder is it because you believe that there may be a crack in the cylinder wall? If so - why? Did it ever drop a valve seat? Chance of it being a cracked head or cracked intake manifold.

Did the head gasket show any signs of being compromised?

It's possible that all that happened was coolant found its way into the manifolds when being disassembled. I'm a little skeptical. You drained the coolant before beginning disassembly?

 

[FeelinFocust80]

I have owned the car about a week and a half. I buy these cars with dropped valve seats, fix them and sell them. This one was actually still running when I bought it. Took the head off and the cylinders and pistons were good so no need to replace pistons. I have done many of these head gaskets so I really don't think that is it. I didn't actually do a compression test on the car before I removed the head but I know the compression would have been bad due to dropping a valve seat. I probably should do a compression test now but I have fixed these engines a bunch of time with pistons actually busted so I figure this one is good since it has a rebuilt cylinder head and the cylinder wall were good. I know if I did a compression test it would probably come back normal so I am looking into different avenues.
I don't mean to confuse you but I may be using wrong terminology as for a "water jacket". On the cylinder head on intake side there are the intake/exhaust ports... in between the number 2 and number 3 ports there is some sort of odd shaped opening and that had coolant in it but it looks as if it is blocked off by the gasket and the intake secondary intake manifold (goes in between the head and the intake manifold). So I was thinking that maybe the gasket was bad and letting coolant be sucked into the intake/exhaust ports because when I took the intake off there was a bunch of coolant in those ports... and obviously not supposed to be there.
So to sum up... head gasket is good, no engine coolant in cylinders or inside head (removed valve cover and nothing but oil), took intake manifold off and found engine coolant in number 2 intake/exhaust ports, engine was hesitating as if there was a vacuum leak, checked all vacuum lines and they are good, inspected intake manifold and no cracks or leaks. Could the intake manifold have been leaking engine coolant from that opening and be sucked up into the intake/exhaust ports? Therefore causing a miss and hesitation upon giving the vehicle throttle?
No I didn't drain the engine coolant before removal.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Someone probably didn't replace the head bolts when they did a head gasket/valve repair. You can do that, it will go back together, then eventually you'll have bad head gasket issues. Check out what you can, new head gasket, and new head bolts. That should be the ticket.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

I did the head Gasket myself and used new head bolts. I've done a bunch of these and I really don't think that's the problem. There's no engine coolant in the cylinders or the crankcase. I just put the intake manifold back on with new gaskets and still doing the same thing. It's definitely not a gasket leak. Can an ignition coil pack become weak and intermittently cause a misfire? As it is idling there is a hiccup once the vehicle gets to normal operating temperature. And as I accelerate the engine just bogs down and barely want to run. Almost like there is no spark and flooding the cylinder or something. think the engine coolant issue may have been just from not draining the coolant and just seeped into the ports while removing the manifold. Is there any other reason why there would be coolant in those ports? I I just highly doubt it is a head Gasket issue and now it's definitely not an intake gasket issue.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

Well I just went out and checked the coil pack. 1 and 4 have really good strong spark but 2 and 3 spark is really weak. I think I found my problem. You think I am on to something? Sound about right?

 

[a_2000_se]

Bogging - air, fuel, compression or timing. Can you check fuel pressure? Did it lose coolant when it was running?

 

[FeelinFocust80]

I haven't checked the fuel pressure. I did change the fuel filter though. It didn't lose any engine coolant. I have had the car running for the past couple days and when I start it I would let it run for 15/20 minutes sometimes longer and there was no sign of coolant loss or leakage. I am thinking it is going to be this ignition coil pack. I pulled the plugs (one by one) when the vehicle was running and it made the motor run rough as I pulled them. But tonight in the dark I pulled them one by one and number 1 and 4 have a really strong spark and 2 and 3 there was barely any spark at all. I am guessing that's why it wasn't throwing a code due to the fact there was still a spark. What do you think?

 

[a_2000_se]

Yeah or plug wires are another strong possibility. If you were checking for spark in the dark then you would have noticed if the wire insulation was breaking down - there would be arcing.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

Changed the ignition coil pack today I got from a Focus someone was parting out on Craigslist. Runs like a champ. Anybody wanna buy a '03 Ford Focus? haha
Thanks for all your help.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

I am having another problem... Maybe someone can help. When I turn the ac dial to 4 it will blow on high... I read this was a resistor pack... but the question I have is when I press my recirculation button the light turns on but when I press the AC button that green light won't turn on. The freon is low and I need to recharge it. And I replaced the switch that has the recirculation and AC button on it. I checked the fuse and the fuse is good. Do you think that if I change the resistor pack the AC button will work?

 

[MEJY1988]

Resistor pack conrtrols the blower motor. If the recirculation isn't lighting make sure you don't have the controls set on defrost, as this disables the recirculation feature.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

The issue is that the recirculating button is working and the light is coming on on that but when I push the button on the AC button that light isn't coming on and I changed the whole switch that controls the AC and recirculating button. So to sum up... I push the button on the recirculating button and that works (air recirculates) but when I push the AC button the light doesn't come on. It only works on 4 (when I turn the dial switch)... and I replaced the switch with the AC and recirculating button and checked the AC fuse. Any suggestions on why the AC button is not working? Do you think that if I change the resistor pack it will work then? or do I have a separate issue?

 

[MEJY1988]

If the blower is only working in position # 4, then most likely it is the resistor pack.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

Yes thank you... I understand that it is the resistor pack and that is the cause for it not working in 1,2,3, and only working in 4 position. But would that cause the AC button not to light up when I press it. I changed the whole switch that has the two buttons (AC and recirculation button) and it is doing the same thing. The recirculation button works, when I press it the light turns on. But the AC button, when pressed, does not light up. Any suggestions on the cause of the AC button not lighting up when pressed? Would the malfunctioning resistor pack cause the AC button to malfunction as well? I am steering away from a faulty switch due to the fact that I replaced the switch and still the same symptoms exist...
Oh and just to add the AC light does not light up in any of the positions 1,2,3, or 4 when I press the button

 

[malim]

Yes thank you... I understand that it is the resistor pack and that is the cause for it not working in 1,2,3, and only working in 4 position. But would that cause the AC button not to light up when I press it. I changed the whole switch that has the two buttons (AC and recirculation button) and it is doing the same thing. The recirculation button works, when I press it the light turns on. But the AC button, when pressed, does not light up. Any suggestions on the cause of the AC button not lighting up when pressed? Would the malfunctioning resistor pack cause the AC button to malfunction as well? I am steering away from a faulty switch due to the fact that I replaced the switch and still the same symptoms exist...
Oh and just to add the AC light does not light up in any of the positions 1,2,3, or 4 when I press the button

Most likely you do not have any charge in the A/C systems. These cars have a sensor where it wouldn't turn the A/C on hence not light the green light you are talking about when there is no charge. My dad's engine was replaced and they forgot to add the Freon after the assembly and the same thing would happen. A/C button wouldn't light up.

Recharge and see if that helps.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

Thank you very much... that is the answer I was looking for. I was thinking it may be something like that. I will recharge the AC and get back to you.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

Ok so i tried to charge the AC system before I went to work but for some reason the AC clutch would not engage. I am thinking first off to start with a relay. I don't know the location of the AC clutch relay. Do you know the location? Also, any input on why the AC clutch will not engage? I checked the connections and they were connected at least. Whether they are good connections remains to be seen. Any help would be appreciated. I know first hand it's alot easier to troubleshoot if you have heard or seen this problem before.

 

[MEJY1988]

Check out this How-to: General Ford Focus AC Troubleshooting and Repair. Should get you going the right direction.

 

[FeelinFocust80]

I changed the resistor pack and everything is back to normal. I guess if the resistor pack goes out the clutch will not engage. So even if you try to recharge the system it's not possible. However now I have another issue, I changed the drivers side seatbelt out yesterday with a seatbelt from a parts car. The problem is that when I changed it out now my SRS airbag light is not illuminating and blinks and then stays illuminated. The seatbelt I got was off of an SE model Ford Focus and mine is a LX. There are a set of wires coming from the seatbelt on the SE model seatbelt that are not on the LX model. There is a plastic harness that the wires from the seat belt plug into and there is only one way to put them in because they are molded specifically to the plug. I figured that the extra set of wires on the SE would just be dormant but for some reason the SRS light will not shut off. I am thinking maybe I need to reset the computer because I unplugged the harness?? or is this combination not going to work due to different models?