Ford Focus Haynes Manual
Elwanda Menhennett
Last time I looked I couldn't find a Haynes Manual for the Mk 4 Focus. Now I see that Haynes have replaced the traditional manual for a kind of online system for recently released cars eg. -gb/ford/focus/2018-20-diesel-452517 covers my car, which seems to include sections on understanding fault codes and support for diagnostics. Has anyone used one of these and are they useful? I does seem now that you can't do much without reading the fault code and then trial and error to find the actual fault, ideally starting with the lowest cost components. The Ford handbook is pretty crap for anything more than opening the bonnet and checking the oil, so I am thinking of getting something like this to supplement the information I already have from Ford. Anyone able to recommended any other source of technical information available to non professionals?
Agreed, but then you need to know what to do when you get those codes - further investigation, access to sensors, changing mechanical parts... None of that is easy if you are not familiar with working on the car and that is what I used the Haynes Manual for in the past. Now they just do the Autofix guide so wondering how it stacks up.
Can't remember the last time I used a Haynes manual for fault diagnosis or repair tbh. Online guides, forums and Youtube videos generally cover everything, and in much better detail. The Haynes suggestion for replacing the DPF on the Mk2 required half of the car to be taken apart (radiator out etc!), didn't take a genius to work out how that could be overcome and simplified (clearly, as I managed it! ).
Fault codes usually just give you a clue as to where to start looking for a fault. The best thing that you could do is to get set up with FORScan on a phone with a wireless adaptor and do Live Monitoring of as many relevant parameters as you have time for and keep a record of the results so that you can compare them to the readings you get when something goes wrong.
I just bought a used Ford Focus (2003 ZX3 Manual). There is some problems with the car and I am looking for short term or cheap fixes, improvements and general maintenance. I do not have a Haynes manual or similar for the car, just the basic ford booklets about when maintenance should be done.
The car is making some knocking noises. Also not sure if there is a slight grinding noise with the drive train or not. The transmission, gear box, seems to be working perfectly. I know little to nothing about cars, and also have little to no money. I am asking for anything that I can do to improve wear, and life of the car.
I am more than happy to buy lots of grease and oils, just so long as I know whether they will work well and where to put them. I do have a lot of free time to mess around with the car, but not to do anything serious such as stripping down the engine.
These are all very good suggestions. I would also consider changing all the fluids like brake fluid and transmission fluid for example. This way you know when it is changed and can start routine maintenance. It might also be a good idea to change wires, spark plugs, ignition coils/distributor caps, wipers, hoses, air filter and anything else that can be considered routine. Another thing that can help is a fuel injector cleaner. I have had some car gurus tell me that they are rubbish and other car guys swear to me by them. They do not hurt and might help the running of the car. Good luck and hopefully you will be able to keep car running for many decades.
All very good places to start! Several here like Seafoam for cleaning injectors and the intake tract. There are YouTube videos that show you how to clean the intake tract with it. To clean injectors Seafoam, or other quality products, can go in the tank. I have no experience with the product, but injector cleaners that connect to the fuel line to actually run the car with the injector cleaner (like BG products) can clean up very dirty injectors.
The only ones worth a spit are the ones where the engine is designed to run on the fuel injector cleaner, which is in a canister. Those cleaners are extremely potent and are designed ONLY to be used with the canister
When I get a used car the first thing I do is get all the fluids changed; coolant, transmission, differential, brake, power steering, etc. After that in this case you need to diagnose the grinding and knocking noises. Hopefully the grinding is coming from the brakes, and that is a relatively easy fix. Knocking can be serious, but it can be normal - some cars have fuel injectors you can hear clicking at idle rpm.
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I've got a Focus manual. My engine is a 2002 and from a rear ended Focus, I think the crate GBSC engines are about 2004 vintage, but I stand to be corrected, so a last generation Focus manual should do you fine.
If your wondering bout the age of you engine. On the pulley cover there should be a plastic label with a barcode on it. On the label should be a coulpe of big numbers near the top In our case 04. This is year of manufacture I think.
i think some dvla centers like to give you a chassis number and some say you can make it up (its wise to include in your number a mix of dates registered and engine numbers i believe). but this isnt to be confused with engine number. im slightly confused why yours isnt stamped next to the crank position sensor (was yours brought from gbsc?? mine was and had it stamped into the flat section you pictured) but it should still have the number cast into the block on the exhaust side between cylinders one and 2.
With regards the haynes manual. you need one for a focus on an 04 plate (thats evident by the big 04 next to the 'dragon' on the sticker with the barcode on the front plastic cover. so i think the latest issue of the old shape should be ok i think. Please correct me if im wrong.
Still can't get the engine number. I have had a look on the block and whilst there are odd numbers and letters cast onto the block, including the engine capacity. There is nothing there that resembles anything like an engine number.
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