Mystery Oil Leak

[Mark_88]

I recently bought an intake gasket and it comes with all the gaskets for the throttle body and other FI parts that have to be removed to replace the intake gasket...I now have about two complete sets of gaskets that I don't need for those parts since mine is carbed...

I doubt if they would work with your engine since mine covers earlier years...

Anyway, I was going to second the recommendation for the blue rubber gasket if you can afford it...in Canada they are about $50 now...very expensive but you can use them again if needed...and they tighten down much better than the cork ones...

 

[tajvelocity]

This job SUCKS. It took me two hours just to get the intake manifold off. The wiring harness all makes it super hard to get the VC off too. I got it off and apart. I have no idea if I'm going to remember where all the vacuum lines go or if I've mangled the wiring harness. Anyway, I have some questions again.

1) There is oil residue in the throttle body, the upper intake manifold and around the upper intake manifold gasket. Is this normal? Here's a pic of the throttle body:

Pretty grimy. I sprayed like a whole can of throttle body cleaner in it and the upper manifold and it looks much better. Not squeaky clean but better.

2) The Felpro, rubber gasket kit didn't come with a gasket for the surface between the EGR and the back of the intake manifold. Should I use some sort of sealant or do they make like, make your own gasket kits? The gasket feels like maybe it's metal.

3) Dude at Advanced Auto gave me 8 AGSF32FM SP-432 Motorcraft Plugs, but the Haynes manual calls for a type starting with AWxxxxxx...I forget the rest. Can I use what he gave me? I only took one plug out to compare. It didn't look great but didn't have oil on it.

Thanks for the help. I'm going to try to put it back together in the morning if I can get the above issues cleared up.

 

[Mark_88]

Oil residue in the TB is normal...it comes from the valve cover vent...not much you can do about it unless it becomes an oil burning issue...where too much is being blown up and sucked into the combustion...you can reroute the VC vent to a catch can with relative success, but it doesn't eliminate the main problem of blow-by. That is almost always a re-ring issue.

The EGR may be able to be sealed with that Hi-Temp gasket goop (as I did on mine) but IIRC there was no EGR gasket in the batch that I got either...so you'd have to either use the goop or make one up...not a difficult task either way...

The plugs for your engine...doesn't matter what brand you use as long as they are threaded correctly...the main thing is the depth they go into the combustion chamber...measure the length of the plug threaded shaft and find one that matches...

I know from experience that the 2.0 and 2.3 plugs are different lengths and using a plug that is too short results in poor spark...too long and you start digging into the tops of the pistons...but that would be a bit of a stretch because you have at least 1/2"...

Anyway, try to match them to the ones that were in it and you should be fine...

I don't think you have that many vac lines, but I've never actually worked on a 2.5 engine...there may be a few more than I've encountered...best way to do that is to simply get a bunch of different coloured markers and just mark them all according to what you pull them off...or use different coloured tape and wrap it around the corresponding connection...but do this before you tear it apart...lol...

 

[PetesPonies]

That TB is way past the normal amount of oil residue that reverts back to the TB. Check your PCV system carefully. Clean it off really well. Don't be afraid to use a rag with cleaner on it, more than just spraying it. Check the bore as well. It can effect how the engine runs by throwing the TPS off.

 

[tajvelocity]

Well that's not good to hear. I brushed the intake manifold and throttle body and they're pretty clean. I don't know what all comprises the PCV system as yet but I'll look into it.

Regarding the plugs: apparently AWSTF32-F plugs that my manual calls for have been discontinued. I took back the Motorcraft AGSF32FEM because they thread all the way down where as mine look like this:

Research seems to suggest that the AG's replaced the AW'sand I should have just kept them. Will the fully threaded plugs thread in too far? I don't seem to have any other options.

It started raining and I had to stop yesterday. I'll have to wait for a nice evening or the weekend to continue (the truck's 20 minutes from where I live and I work 30 minutes in the opposite direction, so it's kind of a hike). I still need to scrape the other half of the gasket off. There isn't much there but I can still see discoloration where it used to be. I don't think it's raised at all but it's bugging me so I'm going to keep scraping and wiping it off. I've just been using small amounts of carb/tb cleaner on a clean rag. The book calls for acetone but I didn't have any. I hope that's not a big deal. It's a PITA to get in there but I think I can reach all the corners.

 

[Mark_88]

Never seen a plug with such a short thread...

You might try measuring the depth of the plug hole...this can be a bit of a pita without the head off...but measure to the end of the threaded hole...the plug should stick out just past that for best spark...and go from there...but those may be the correct plugs for that engine...if that is what the part number indicates...just go with it and save yourself the headache...

The PCV system is pretty simple...you have the canister at the block, a hose running up from there to the PCV valve, then a hose running to the intake for vacuum...that's it...

The top vent from the VC simply goes into the TB, but on some earlier engines that tube actually went to the air box or the air hose which I prefer because if oil is being sucked or blown into that it's a long way to the TB so it doesn't get burned..just drips...

Maybe reroute it to the air box (below the filter so it doesn't gum it up by running backwards into it)...

 

[tajvelocity]

The thing is I can't even find the AWSTF32F plugs anywhere. Motorcraft has a AWSF-32F listed on their website but without a picture I can't be sure if it's half threaded or not. I guess I could go to a Ford dealer to ask them but I really don't like dealerships.

 

[zekew64]

Check AutoZones near you for part number 764. I found it on this web page, at autozone.com:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...32F+spark+plug&fromString=search&viewAll=true

 

[zekew64]

Also, this at advancedautoparts.com:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...=41191&searchedFrom=header&isAllVehicle=false

Part number is SP432, by the way.

 

[tajvelocity]

The Advanced Auto near me had Autolite 764's but they are copper plugs and look pretty cheap. The Motorcraft SP432 seems to be fully threaded while the SP465 is only threaded halfway, but is again copper. Maybe it's not that big of a deal but I try not to downgrade when replacing parts.

 

[tajvelocity]

...but then there's a dude in the comments section on Advanced stating he used the SP432 in his 2.5 Ranger so maybe the extra depth isn't that big of a deal or maybe Ford stopped using the half threaded ones because the full thread is a better design for this engine.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I can't help with the plug issue but thought I would add about thread depth. IMO if threads stick too far into cylinder the threads can carbon up and with make it real difficult to remove the plug. Same idea with too short, the threads in the head gum up and make it hard to get proper torque on the plug.
Just my aught two,

Richard

 

[zekew64]

I can't help with the plug issue but thought I would add about thread depth. IMO if threads stick too far into cylinder the threads can carbon up and with make it real difficult to remove the plug. Same idea with too short, the threads in the head gum up and make it hard to get proper torque on the plug.
Just my aught two,

Richard

This is the reason why I put anti-seize on threads, especially threads that hold engine parts together. On spark plugs, you have to be careful about getting the anti-seize on the electrodes. Anti-seize, as well, has a silicone lubricant that allows for easier removal; hence, the reason why I use it, and, on a related note, I've done this on my own truck with no problems.

As for the half-threaded vs. full-threaded plug issue, the safest bet is to use the kind of plugs that you pull out, to make sure that you are putting in similar equipment. As for the plugs being copper, that shouldn't make that much of a difference. My cousin used platinums on his '89 F-150 4x4, and told me that while they were in, the truck ran like crap; after switching to the "cheap copper plugs," told me that the truck ran 100 times better.

Also, as your truck is 1st or 2nd gen, I'd say that the copper plugs are OEM; having said that, you're best bet is to keep using the copper plugs, as that is what Ford originally put in your truck.

 

[tajvelocity]

I think my truck is a 4th gen. I guess my concern with copper is longevity as I do not want to change the plugs in this thing more than I have to! I wish I knew what the OEM plugs looked like but the ones in there now are the 2nd set I believe. I haven't yet found a clear answer on the interwebs as to why the shorter design isn't made (as much) and whether the full thread versions are a suitable replacement.