Repair 7

The Ford Focus is a compact car that Ford has manufactured since 2000 for the United States. It has either a 2.0-liter or 2.3-liter engine with a double overhead camshaft. Some versions of the Focus use a timing chain to turn the camshafts with the crankshaft. The procedure for replacing the timing chain is generally the same, although some models of the Ford Focus also require you to remove the camshaft sprockets.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the front cover from the engine with a socket wrench. Compress the tension rod for the timing chain to align the hole in the tensioner housing with the hole in the tensioner rod. Place the end of a paperclip into the holes to keep the tensioner rod temporarily in place.

2

Remove the mounting bolts for the timing chain tensioner with a socket wrench and disconnect the tensioner from the crankcase. Disconnect the right guide for the timing chain, and detach the timing chain from the sprockets. Disconnect the left guide for the timing chain.

3

Attach a holding tool to the flats of the camshaft to hold it in place. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprockets with a socket wrench, and remove the sprockets from the camshafts. Remove the holding tool from the camshaft. Mount the camshaft sprockets to the camshaft, and fasten the mounting bolts by hand. Perform this step only if you need to remove the camshaft sprockets to install the new timing chain.

4

Mount the left guide for the timing chain, and tighten its mounting bolts to 89 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Mount the timing chain to the crankshaft sprocket and camshaft sprockets. Connect the right guide for the timing chain, and tighten its mounting bolts to 89 inch-pounds.

5

Install the tensioner for the timing chain, and fasten its mounting bolts by hand. Pull the paper clip from the tensioner housing to apply tension to the timing chain. Tighten the mounting bolts for the tensioner to 89 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.

6

Attach the holding tool to the flats on the camshaft to hold the camshaft in place. Tighten the mounting bolts for the camshaft sprocket to 53 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Perform this step only if you removed the camshaft sprockets in step three.

7

Attach the front cover to the engine with a socket wrench.

O2, or oxygen, sensors on a Ford Focus monitor the mix of oxygen ratio to burned fuel in the exhaust system. They transmit this data to the powertrain control module, or PCM, which then adjusts the amount of fuel to comply with the data. After time, the O2 sensor in the Focus can break down and trip the "check engine" light on the dashboard. Replacing the sensor yourself can save you money on labor charges, and the auto parts stores can read the trouble code and determine which sensor in the exhaust system of the Ford Focus has gone bad.

Instructions

How to Install a Ford Focus O2 Sensor

1

Drive the Ford Focus up onto the car ramps on a flat surface and apply the parking brake.

2

Place a wheel chock behind one of the rear tires.

3

Put on the safety glasses, collect all the tools and new O2 sensor, and crawl under the front of the Focus.

4

Locate the O2 sensor youre replacing by following the exhaust system to the sensor the parts store told you was bad. The sensor screws into portholes in the exhaust pipes forward of the catalytic converter. There is one near the manifold in the front pipe area and another one near the catalytic converter.

5

Follow the wire of the O2 sensor to the plug and unplug it. Use the flathead screwdriver to press in the clip lock and separate the plug.

6

Place the oxygen sensor socket onto the ratchet and remove the O2 sensor from the exhaust pipe. If it is stubbornly rusted or stuck, light the propane torch and heat the area of pipe around the O2 sensor to expand the pipe. Remove the O2 sensor once the pipe expands enough to release it, but then allow ample time for the pipe to cool down.

7

Screw the new O2 sensor into the porthole in the exhaust pipe and tighten with the ratchet and socket. Be careful not to over-tighten. Plug the wire back into the connector, collect the tools and crawl out from underneath the Focus.

8

Remove the wheel chock, release the parking brake, and drive the Focus down off of the car ramps.