dags9475

help i need some advice
i have a focus v reg and had a oil leak after taking it to a garage he replaced the rocker gasket and oil gasket as there was a leak from them, then i noticed weeks later that i had still had a leak from the rocker cover which i think was running down the thermostat housing and onto the manifold and i got a burning smell.
i have replaced the rocker gasket again myself and all was fine but it looks like its coming from there again when engine hot, my question is.... i thought there could be too much pressure so it forcing its way out at weakest part( as i had this on my old xr3i). i have checked the breather pipe and is fine i have checked the pvc valve and thats fine you can blow through it and the pipes are not clogged as i have blowded through the rubber hose. the engine is always very hot and my tempreture gague never goes past the middle. can anyone help me i felt the rubber pipes and all are hot apart from the small rubber hoses that return back to the water tank.
many thanks
nick

tabetha

Is it the correct gasket as there are two, one uses "tubes" in the gasket through which the bolts pass through this is the better sort, but failing that stick a straight edge across the rocker cover, it may be distorted, a quick skim could sort it easy enough.
tabetha

dags9475

hi tabetha

yes its the correct one i think that there is too much pressure in engine but not sure

tabetha

Unless your engine is a bit worn it won't be a pressure problem, even less likely if it's the same spot each time it leaks, all you can do is what you've done and make sure the pcv system is clear, check the "T" piece of pipe at rear of head that links parts of the pcv system, these sometimes collapse internally and so effectively block, very well known problem.
tabetha

dags9475

Hi tabetha

cheers for your advice, when i checked the pcv valve it comes out from engine to rubber hose then to black plastic/metal tube then rubber hose again which goes to behind engine into a big plastic unit if its this big unit can you take it apart i did not see a t piece? i could take a photo if it helps

many thanks for all your help

phil_focus

on the focus 1.8 and 2l you have one breather on the rocker cover going to air box and one breather going from crank case - oil seperator (on front of block behind exhaust, pcv pushes into this) - pcv - pipe - to inlet manifold.

my 2l focus rocker cover leaks and i've had several new gaskets on it but i discovered in its history the heaters werent working at some stage and it was found by a garage to be bacause the thermostat housing had cracked and leaked all the coolant out. the engine hadnt overheated and is in perfect working order but my guess is as the rocker cover is plastic its warped and distorted it so it wont seal properly. i'm after a new one but ford want £190

dags9475

hi phil focus

my problem started after i could smell burning oil on the manifold, i am only guessing but thought that the engine has to much pressure and forcing oil from weakest point?? yes my rocker cover is plastic, have you looked on e bay as they had 1 a while ago for 30 quid....

i might try putting gasket sealer then the gasket??

the thing is the car runs smoothly,idel's fine engine quite and temp gauge never goes past the middle, but engine does get hot. i dont want to take it to a garage and they say its 1 thing cost loads then it still does it andd then they say it could be ?????

phil_focus

dont try gasket sealer for the love of god dont!!!

i tried it, made the leaking worse and when i took the cover off it had gone all blue and little tiny flakes of sealer were everywhere. took forever to clean the top of the cylender head and its left the rocker cover a right mess as it wont come off. no damage has been done luckily but there is the possibility those flakes could block the oil galaries or get into the oil pump and ruin it. i will NEVER do that again on a zetec engine.

i did see the one on ebay for £30 but i'm too much of a tight fucker to pay that much. i'm kicking myself now though as a couple of months ago a brand new one off a brand new replacement engine someone had bought but was using a different cover went for about £5 but i saw it too late and didnt get my bid in on time!

its true though if your breather sytem is blocked it'll pressurise the engine and force oil out the rocker cover aswell as else where but as you said you can blow through yours very easy so its not that.

i think the only solution is a replacement rocker cover off an engine that clearly has never leaked and then fit a new gasket on from ford. i wonder if the mondeo rocker cover will fid as the gaskets are a different design and i think seal better??

might have to try that. anyone any ideas on mondeo rocker covers on focus?

only down side is it'll make it look like you've done an engine conversion and used the mondeo engine.

djcossie

get some black ford sump sealer it fix for all leaks on fords

phil_focus

damn that sounds like a good idea. might be a little difficult to get it off in the future though