I have become a mod on a another no-audio site. How messed up is that?
Politics or watches ... probably watches.
I drove the fofo home after changing the water pump and timing belt.
lsiberian, the regular 2.0L Zetec is not an interference motor as is the SVT Zetec. I didn't have to change the belt in order to not risk blowing the engine.
Anyway I also flushed brake fluid through the calipers and wheel cylinders, rotated the tires torqued the wheel nuts down to 63 ft/lbs like the book says. It changed the way it behaves on the highway ... well at least near as I could tell driving through slush.
These cars are like Bic lighters but I keep replacing the flint and adding lighter fluid. I wonder how many miles I can get out of it.
Changing out the caved in hose that connects the PVC valve to the manifold might be responsible for a smoother idle and I'm hoping for an improvement in fuel economy. No matter what it will be an improvement over my truck's 17 MPG.
I used a small bead of high temp sensor safe silicone on my valve cover and thermostat housing gaskets. Those leaks just kept reappearing but that should be over now.
Replacing a rotted out bracket that straps the middle of the cat to the block might be responsible for further smoothing the idle out. I threw in a new fuel filter too and let me tell ya, none of it was easy. It's pretty amazing the way a car held together by plastic clips falls apart an inch at a time but I had nothing better to do with this part of my life anyway ... oh, wait ... I have an audio hobby.