My wife's Focus finally succumbed to what is a fairly common problem:
the very minor valve cover leak has caused the thermostat housing to start leaking. Yay. This week coming up I'm replacing the valve cover gasket, thermostat housing, upper radiator hose, front and rear brake pads, front sway bar end links, bleeding the brakes, and also possibly changing out the headlamps due to fading. May hold off on the lights for another time. I'm just annoyed that I'm having to do all this, especially the valve cover/thermostat housing, 8,000 miles after the warranty ran out. All while my wife is recovering from having her gall bladder removed. This is going to be a great week. OK, I'm done venting.


If anyone else has had to do this on a Ford Zetec motor (Focus, ZX2, Cougar, Contour/Mystique) and has any tips, I'd appreciate. I'm pretty familiar with it, as I'd done a lot of bolt on stuff to my Focus, and changed the alternator in mine and my wife's, but help is always appreciated.

dont bother changing out the headlamps. At our shop we just take a variety of buffing compounds and use a really fine grit sand paper on the buffer and it clears right up. After wards you'd just buff it like a car to really make it look nice. Just make sure not to burn it.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/specialized_maintenance_repair/auto_glass_lens_repair/auto_Permatex_Headlight_Lens_Restoration_Kit_1.htm

your local autoparts store should have this if not they could probably order it given the part #. if all else fails, ebay or amazon.

Don't bother changing out the headlamps. At our shop we just take a variety of buffing compounds and use a really fine grit sand paper on the buffer and it clears right up. Afterwards you'd just buff it like a car to really make it look nice. Just make sure not to burn it.

Tried that already. The yellowing is actually in the plastic itself, not just on the surface. The headlights are only $47 each, so, eventually they're just going to get replaced.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/specialized_maintenance_repair/auto_glass_lens_repair/auto_Permatex_Headlight_Lens_Restoration_Kit_1.htm

your local autoparts store should have this if not they could probably order it given the part #. if all else fails, ebay or amazon.

Tried that one too.

damn...well for 45 bucks each you cant go wrong.

damn...well for 45 bucks each you cant go wrong.

Exactly what I was thinking.

I've owned several Foci, I currently drive a 94 Focus wagon as my work vehicle, having retired the X several years ago when gas prices went so high. I put about 1000 miles a week on mine and do fairly regular maintenance to keep it running properely. I've had a number of things wear out from usage; brakes, half-shaft, rear passenger wheel bearing and a few other minor items. Having owned many Escorts back during the 80's and 90's, working on the Focus comes second nature, and I do everything right down to engine and tranny work. The ZTEC engine is very reliable and good for over 200k, the same can't be said about some of the other items on the car, but Focus parts are cheap and easy to find. As you've probably discovered, there isn't much that can't be changed out in under an hour.

As you've probably discovered, there isn't much that can't be changed out in under an hour.

Except the alternator! :) That was a nightmare. Changed the clutch master cylinder in my SVT in a little over an hour. Took four hours of fighting just to get the alternator out of my wife's car, and a good hour and a half to get the new one back in. Even pulling the steering knuckles off to get the bearings replaced didn't take that long.

Wait, did you say 94 Focus wagon? Because I'm pretty sure 98 was the first year for the Focus.

i changed the belt on a 2001 focus...it was harder than expected. there is no room under the hood and you have to get under to get the belt around the AC and crank.

i changed the belt on a 2001 focus...it was harder than expected. there is no room under the hood and you have to get under to get the belt around the AC and crank.

Yep. It's damn near impossible to do without the car at least being on jackstands.

Wait, did you say 94 Focus wagon? Because I'm pretty sure 98 was the first year for the Focus.

Sorry, I was visiting another year in the space-time-continuum, and lost track of the year. My Focus Wagon is an 04 and 2000 was the first year they made the Focus, and the Focus used the Ford Escort engine for several years before it was upgraded to the vtec in 2002.