Joels 2000 ZX3 Kona Worklog

[Bös Engel]

My brother fronted some of the money to guy a 2000 Green Ford Focus ZX3 Kona Edition for $1000 today. So far I know it needs a new(er) MAF sensor (it's throwing code P0112 - Intake Air Temperature Circuit Low Input) to pass smog, an upper transmission mount, and a front passengers side endlink. The front end also has some minor damage from a low impact accident and needs a front grill, possibly a hood latch, a cowl and a bumper cover.





If anyone has any of these parts and are willing to part with them for a reasonable price. let me know.

[bobstone2131]

Nice car! I wish I could get another one just to play with.
Unfortunately I don't have any parts that would work on your car.

[Bös Engel]

Shot motor mount



Cleaning the MAF sensor



Bumper Damage





Radiator Core Support Damage





My brother trying to bend it back

[bobstone2131]

Time for a trip to pick a part!
Have fun reviving it.

[Bös Engel]

Jul 4, 2012 16:22:31 GMT -8 bobstone2131 said:

Time for a trip to pick a part!
Have fun reviving it.

Heading to the pick-a-part tomorrow ;D

[Bös Engel]

Got the old mount out and the new(er) mount in





The air filter was gross. No wonder the MAF/IAT was dirty and throwing a code.



Got a grill at the junkyard. It was laying by a Taurus and had two broken tabs. Nothing a little plastic welding can't fix. I thought a got some pics of the new tabs, but I guess not. I'll get some later.

[Bös Engel]

Plastic welded tabs for the grill. It's not pretty, but it works.



Took the alternator out and it was nasty. It was caked with axle grease probably from an old blown CV boot and burnt up.
It was at 11.1 volts but the new one is running 13.5 volts at idle and 14.1 with part throttle now.

[Bös Engel]

I'm an idiot.

Took my wife to lunch today to get enough miles on it to set the monitors for the emissions test. The CEL came back on. :*( I used my scan tool to delete the code. Then on the way home, the car started to drive like crap; it had no get up at all. As I pull into the driveway, I notice the temperature gauge is going to the hot end. The still plugged in scan tool said that the coolant is at 248*F and the IAT is 185*F. Crap.

I check the coolant and notice it's running a little low. After waiting for the car to cool enough to get the reservoir cap off and filling it with about 1/2 gallon of water, I restarted the car. It started at 221*F and slowly lowered to 205*F. While checking the coolant temperatures I notice that the IAT is at a solid 145*F, which was strange because even though it's about 100*F outside, I had the hood open. I get out to feel that under the hood is still hot as hell and I notice it... The A/C was running and the radiator fans were not!!! Of course it was running better last week, it was 10-20 degrees cooler.

[Bös Engel]

Got the fans running, it was the relay but my stupid hood hinge on the drivers side crapped out on me when I was opening the hood to fix it.



And the carnage. The previous owner said that the windshield was brand new. [bigcry]



I managed to get several parts from the junkyard when hunting for a new hinge.

New battery box bottom with strap.



I needed an oil dipstick because the handle was broken off of mine. Neither of the Focuses at the yard was a Zetec (one SPI and one '03 2.3 Duratec). I did find an Escort ZX2 with Zetec and thought that they may be the same. Nope, the Focus one is about 3" shorter. Nothing a snip and a bend with some lineman's pliers, a buff job and some scoring for the full to low lines can't fix.



I also found a MAF from the SPI and the sealing rubber from around the drivers door because the previous owner tore it up trying to get into the car when he was locked out.

It rained hard the other day and water ran into the cabin air intake and leaked onto the passenger side floor. Here's my temporary solution until I can pick up a cowl from Steven.



Here's the car as it stands now, waiting to get some miles on her to pass emissions.

[bobstone2131]

It's getting there!

[Bös Engel]

[bobstone2131]

Time to Drive!!!

[Bös Engel]

I have been driving it. I have a 30 day moving permit that expires tomorrow

She has been overheating a little which may be because the motor is coated with grease probably from a past torn cv boot. I'm going to drain and refill the coolant and pressure wash the back and bottom of the motor as best I can before delving any deeper into the cooling system.

I believe it also has a vacuum leak somewhere as well. The idle is rough and it surges while driving. I need some help to figure out what the problem is.

[robertn78]

You are quite the mechanic. Very good. I am very impressed.

[Bös Engel]

I just got 5 quarts of Mobile 1 High Mileage 5w20 motor oil and a Motorcraft filter. Let the oil change begin. I'm minorly afraid of what the oil in the car will look like when I take it out.