Ford Focus Mk2 Washer Jets and Spark Plugs Well

SlyOne_2

Hi all,

I've just had this issue come up and I'm sure most Focus owners probably have this problem too without knowing it. I had a major service recently and the garage found my spark plugs well full of rusty water and the spark plugs themselves were rusty. Mechanic said he was amazed the car was still running.

Turns out the most common cause of this is the washer jets on the bonnet. Because they are loosely fitted, water on the bonnet leaks directly onto the spark plugs. I know a lot of people would be aware of this, but I wasn't and the mechanic didn't know either, so I hope this helps some people.

I have a Mk2 Focus, Year 2005. Ford dealerships are well aware of this but Ford never did a recall, so it will cost to fix.

The solution is to get new washer jets. They retail for about £24 from a Ford dealership. I got a quote from them today and they wanted £42.50 extra for labour to fit them - don't fall for this scam. Just buy the washer jets and fit them yourself. It's extremely easy to do and it's just a 5 minute job. Just unplug the liquid hose from the back of the jet, under the bonnet, then clip out the electric bit. Push a screwdriver through to remove the washer jet. Fit the other one through and do the exact opposite. Sorted.

If you think you don't have this problem, I'd still recommend checking. Most people buying 05-08 Fords second hand would probably only now be doing a first major service and changing spark plugs etc. - so just get a mechanic to have a quick look, or check yourself if you're mechanically aware.

Hope this helps someone! Took me a whole day to get this sorted!

Sly.

johnnyroper

SlyOne wrote: »

Hi all,

I've just had this issue come up and I'm sure most Focus owners probably have this problem too without knowing it. I had a major service recently and the garage found my spark plugs well full of rusty water and the spark plugs themselves were rusty. Mechanic said he was amazed the car was still running.

Turns out the most common cause of this is the washer jets on the bonnet. Because they are loosely fitted, water on the bonnet leaks directly onto the spark plugs. I know a lot of people would be aware of this, but I wasn't and the mechanic didn't know either, so I hope this helps some people.

I have a Mk2 Focus, Year 2005. Ford dealerships are well aware of this but Ford never did a recall, so it will cost to fix.

The solution is to get new washer jets. They retail for about £24 from a Ford dealership. I got a quote from them today and they wanted £42.50 extra for labour to fit them - don't fall for this scam. Just buy the washer jets and fit them yourself. It's extremely easy to do and it's just a 5 minute job. Just unplug the liquid hose from the back of the jet, under the bonnet, then clip out the electric bit. Push a screwdriver through to remove the washer jet. Fit the other one through and do the exact opposite. Sorted.

If you think you don't have this problem, I'd still recommend checking. Most people buying 05-08 Fords second hand would probably only now be doing a first major service and changing spark plugs etc. - so just get a mechanic to have a quick look, or check yourself if you're mechanically aware.

Hope this helps someone! Took me a whole day to get this sorted!

Sly.

rather than buying new ones could you not have just removed them and sealed with an o ring or some silicone sealer and refit?

SlyOne_2

I tried that but the original washer jets are already a tight fit on the clip underneath. Putting a rubber seal under it was close to impossible. I have heard of some people sealing it successfully with silicone from under the bonnet, but to me the hole appeared quite big under the washer and would need a fair amount of silicone which may not be too easy to remove if the washer jet fails in the future, hence my inclination to go for self-replacement. I have read some stories of people paying up to £200 for new washer jets, hence my post.

scobie140

My mrs father had his focus in for a service and they found this problem, they phoned him up and said it needs fixed urgently. As he doesn't know much about cars agreeded to the work to be carried out. I got home from work and herd this i was shoked at the price the charged him to chance some tubing, washer jets and four sparkplugs (£275) I argued with them that it was riduclas to charge that for simple quick work but they wouldn't budge becuase he agreed to it. Dealerships are scammers!!

natlol

THis same fault affects early Fiesta MK6 models as well 2002 - 2005. Unlike the focus you have mentioned the washer jets come in at under a fiver and include the rubber seal to stop the leak into the spark plug well. Are they gold plated on the focus?

SlyOne_2

natlol wrote: »

THis same fault affects early Fiesta MK6 models as well 2002 - 2005. Unlike the focus you have mentioned the washer jets come in at under a fiver and include the rubber seal to stop the leak into the spark plug well. Are they gold plated on the focus?

I did point out to the dealer that I'd heard these rubbered jets were at £5 each and his "explanation" was that on the Focus 05-08, they have an electrical bit which the £10 versions don't. I can confirm that they indeed plug into an electrical clip-like socket underneath the bonnet but not sure whether other Ford versions don't have this feature.

mark5

Wasnt it only the 1.6 engine where the car had done short runs that suffered this problem?

I remember reading about this problem in a "car mechanics magazine" Focus buying guide a few years back.

Simple_Simon_2

Had same problem on my 55 plate Focus Zetec which I bought as a "Franchise Approved" car from a Ford Main Dealer last October. I noticed the problem when I was having it serviced for the first time by my mechanic last week.

[Post cut from another forum I posted on, so read as being part of a bigger thread]

Photo's taken today.

Port 4

not allowed to post picture

Port 3
not allowed to post picture

As number one spark plug [far left on block]had been removed at service time last week, you can see water from ports 0ne and Two drained into engine. So i did not remove plugs Two ,Three and Four until I had cleaned the mess up.The plugs had been replaced a year previous by the Ford Main dealer I bought the car from during a major service prior to buying it as part of the deal. Now if the water is from rain water leaking into the engine compartment past the washer jets, as I suspect. This has been a problem since the car was built, shocking when you think about it when Ford know it is an issue.
Port 2
not allowed to post picture

Port 1

not allowed to post picture

Plug stems 2 3 4
[not allowed to post picture


I decided to suck the water out and take it to my mechanics garage and have it tested, still 99% sure it is rain water, as it's clear and I have not lost any coolant water. If it was coolant water which I doubt, it would have antifreeze in it when tested. Anyway my coolant reservoir has been at the MAX mark since I bought the car a year ago.

Well look what I got out of the two sections that the plugs orifices sit in, in pairs. And think on my mechanic had already taken one plug out to inspect it. So if the number one plug had not been removed at service time, the water in the jar would be nigh on double what is shown.

not allowed to post picture [in the absence of the photo, it fills 30% of a normal size jam jar]

above picture was taken after the jar had been shaken about in the car, it's very clear when settled down.

So this is what I did:

Sucked water out via a long children's curly plastic drinking straw.

Got the wife's hair-dryer and dried it all out.

Got a small wire brush in via the HT ports and a large rubber blank grommet in the centre of the cover, did the sides.

Raked a screwdriver about where the two core plugs are and where the Spark plugs meet the block, to break up the crap. A bit of fine metal filings came out with a magnetized screwdriver.

Cobbled together a sucking hose by attaching a 15in piece of garden hose to the house vacuum cleaner with electrical insulating tape.

Well it came up spotless, sprayed WD40 liberally down the HT openings, let it work its way in for an hour. Then again dried and vacuum it out again

Cleaned up the HT leads popped them back on the car and nipped a mile up the road to my local Ford Dealer. Now because my washer jets are heated it would have cost £24 + for the replacement jets. And as others had said they still leak a bit, so you need to silicone sealant them under the bonnet as well. I thought sod it, I'll nip to the local DIY and get some sealant....£2.31

Checked on getting back home that all was nice and dry in the spark plug well.

Masked off the around the washer jets, removed them from their bonnet position, applied sealant, re fixed them on the bonnet. Removed decorators masking tape from the bonnet. Cleaned away any residue, secured in position on bonnet with a cross of masking tape per jet. Reconnected washer pipes, and applied sealant to the underside of the bonnet. Job done [I'll leave masking tape on until later to night]

Prior to taking those photos I placed a white cardboard sheet over the HT leads sprayed water on the bonnet for a couple of minutes from an unpressurised garden hose. Removed water from the bonnet with a leather, opened the bonnet and water staining directly under the offside washer jet near to port 2. And again directly under the near side washer jet. Dripping onto the housing just to the right of the coil pack and adjacent the battery to the right. It is evident from markings on the HT leads that the coil pack looks to have been change at some point.


And looking at the heavy staining on two of the HT leads where they sit in the spark plug well. I think that is due to the trapped water maybe turning to steam as the engine heats up. And as a result staining goes all the way up the stalk to the stopper, although the water level does not. Mind you it begs the question if steam cannot get out hence the water level does not go down........How does water get in in the first place!

Will keep my eye on the two spark plug wells to see if they stay dry.

Edit: if you want to view the missing photo's [banned from posting photo links on this site, as I'm considered a new poster as I rarely post on here] you will have to Google "Water in Plug Ports Issue, With Pictures" to find the original thread complete with pictures