[dtsantam]

Ive heard alot about these engines dropping valve seats and ruining the entire engine. Is there any easy preventative maintanance that can be done to lower the risk of this happening? Also, the Fords reccommended change interval for the timing belt on this engine is 120k. All the research Ive done shows that the engine is a non-interference engine. So if the belt breaks nothing will be ruined. am i correct on my assumption?

My focus has 118k on it with the SPI motor (2.0 SOHC). Ive only had this car for about 10k miles but it amazes me how great it drives with the mileage on it. Its been awhile since ive had a higher mileage car so im just trying to take care of it and make it last. Any tips on longetivity of these engines and how i can prevent valve seats from dropping would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


By the way this is my first post on the forum and its great and very informative!

 

[StealthGray]

Welcome aboard!
I'll let someone with better experience address the valve seat issue... but as far as the timing belt goes, you're due!
Yes, it's a non-interference engine, but unless you do strictly local driving AND have access to some kind of a free tow I can't see pushing the belt until it breaks.

 

[dsmuts]

The valve seat issue isn't that common. Some people have the problem but a lot don't. I have 140,000 miles on my spi and never had an issue with it motor wise. I still have the stock TB and i've heard of some running 300,000 miles before they broke, so i'm not gonna change mine unless it breaks. I've heard that sometime in 02 they "fixed" the valve seat issue but i'm not sure. Mine's an 02 and its fine. Also 118 isn't high miles.

 

[norcalfocus01]

150k on mine and its fine

 

[dtsantam]

anything go wrong at all on your focuses yet with SPI's? have you changed the Timing belt yet?

 

[dsmuts]

only problem i've had is the "a" solenoid in the trans go bad but it's an easy fix.

 

[arlenn]

i always cringe a little when people offer advice for maintenance that is way outside prescribed intervals, there is a reason that the engineers provide such change intervals. of course it is possible that somebody gets a really good timing belt, does lots of highway miles with warm weather and it will last for 300k, but i don't think this should be taken as the norm. the timing belt is difficult / expensive and do totally understand why there is reluctance to change them. at 100mi you are due for a timing belt.

the valve seat is a way more common problem that is should be, this is something that should never have happened. my friend just lost his engine due to seat failure in his 2002 with 140kms. the only real preventative measure is replacing the head with one with tighter seats, again costly and labour intensive.

 

[dtsantam]

with all the posts i keep seeing with valve seat failures it scares me. I would love to get another 80k out of my focus (118k already). But I probably would of went with the zetech if i knew this valve seat problem was so common.

 

[arlenn]

i would not say it is common... it is just way more common than it should be... 1 is more than enough.

im cuirious as to where the issue is, the manufacturing or the design of the seat landing; as the SPI is not a very new engine. all the rebuild heads will be is a rebore of the seat landing with an oversized seat that is maybe 0.001-0.002" tighter.

 

[bringler26]

I would say overheating the engine would be a probable cause of a dropped valve seat. I had about a 45minute discussion with a mechanic that was working on an spi with a dropped seat he said the engine was over heated then the seat dropped.

 

[arlenn]

i think that would be the general rule, although i know there are plenty dropped seats that were not grossly overheated... now is there some funny hotspots in the engine? that is totally possible.

 

[bringler26]

Who knows other things it could be are slightly over heating it over time causing stresses and the metal loses elasticity and doesnt return to the way it should and then wala the seats drop.

 

[dsmuts]

the timing belt is difficult / expensive and do totally understand why there is reluctance to change them.

Timing belts aren't that difficult to change especially on a SOHC motor nor that expensive if you know what your doing, but if you don't know what your doing that's when it gets expensive lol

 

[dtsantam]

so whats the most mileage you've ever seen on a SPI?? I see that the zetechs last forever i just wanna get a feel for how a good, well taken care of SPI typically lasts

 

[dsmuts]

A well taken care of SPI will last longer than the car will. I've seen 3-400,000 mile SPI's