Removing / Replacing Alternator (Zetec)

Removal of the alternator may be done when you need to upgrade to a higher output alternator, or to install an underdrive pulley such as the AEM or Focus Central Kit, which requires replacement of the alternator pulley.

Time Required:
1 Hour

Tools Needed:

Socket Set

Prying tools

Torque Wrench (Optional)

Procedure:

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable.

2. Remove the accessory drive belt. Information can be obtained from the Underdrive Pulley How-To

3. Remove the alternator electrical connector cover.

4. Disconnect the alternator electrical connectors.

5. Remove the coolant expansion tank bolt.

6. Detach the coolant expansion tank from the clip and secure to one side.

7. Detach the power steering reservoir and secure to one side.

8. Detach the engine wiring loom bracket and secure to one side.

9. Detach the ground cable.

10. Detach the evaporative emission canister purge valve and secure to one side.

11. Remove the first bolt.

12. Note:

The second bolt must be fully disengaged from the bracket although it is not possible to remove the second bolt at this stage.
Unscrew the second bolt fully.

13. Remove the alternator.

Install in reverse order.

Shortening the stock Antenna

Shorty antennas are all the rage. With a small sacrifice to radio reception, you can shorten your antenna on the cheap without the hassle or price of a custom aftermarket antenna.

Time Required:
10 minutes

Tools Needed:

Safety glasses

Wire cutters or a rotary tool (sugh as a dremel) with cutoff wheel

Cyanoacrylate (Super Glue)

Vise Grip Pliers

Slip notch or blunt-nose pliers

Butane Lighter (Optional)

Procedure:

Aftermarket solid antennae have a nasty habit of breaking the threads off the antenna base when pressure is applied to them (for instance, you strike the antenna while clearing snow off the car or washing it). The flexible base of the stock antenna minimizes this risk, and this is truly a hack: One of the cheapest things you can do as far as exterior styling is concerned.

Remove the antenna by grasping it just above the antenna base and turning it counter clockwise.

Firlmly but carefully, grip the rubber cap at the end of the antenna (opposite the threaded end) with vise grip pliers.

Grip the fiberglass shaft just next to the rubber cap with another set of pliers, and begin to twist the rubber cap to remove it from the antenna shaft. If you scuff up the antenna shaft near the end, it's okay because we'll be cutting the end off when we shorten the shaft.

If needed, apply a little hear to the rubber cap with the butane lighter to soften it up. Don't melt or ignite the rubber cap, or burn the fiberglass shaft of the antenna. It doesn't take much heat, if any.

Once the rubber cap is removed, Figure out how short you want your antenna to be. I chose about half the length of stock. Remember, the shorter you go, the less radio reception you'll get. Those who listen mostly to CD's or live near large cities (close to the radio towers) are not affected as much.

Once you have chosen a new length for your antenna, toss on the safety glasses and use a set of heavy duty wire cutters (lineman's sidecutters work well) or use a dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut the antenna. Either way you decide to cut it, shards or particles of fiberglass may get in your eyes, so be careful and please wear eye protection.

Put a small dab of cyanoacrylate glue on the cut end of the antenna, and promptly place the rubber cap firmly onto the shortened antenna shaft.

Re-install the antenna by screwing it clockwise onto the antenna base.

Finished product:

Make your own tint-safe window cleaner solution

You know the routine, go to the parts store, look for window cleaner that is safe on tinted windows, but what do you purchase? There are tons of brands out there, but which one works the best?

Truth: All of them.

Why spend $4 - $6 for some window cleaning solution when you can make your own from readily available supplies around the house? Dentless Dave (zetecgt on Focaljet) shows us how!

Time Required:
5 Minutes

Tools Needed:

A decent spray bottle (preferably one that mists)

91% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol (70% will work too)

Johnson & Johnson Baby Soap

Procedure:

Tint safe window cleaner is made of 3 things:

soap

alcohol

water

Formula:

2 tbl spoons of rubbing alcohol

2 drops of Johnson & Johnson Baby soap

Fill the rest with water.

All cleaning supplies are 90% water anyway, so really, when you pay 2.99 for window cleaner, you might as well be giving away free money.

The soap naturally does what soap does and lubricates the dirt off.

The alcohol help the cleaner to dry fast leaving a no streak finish and will help to break up any grease or oils that may be on the window.

---

You can buy 2.99 window cleaner that may last 3 months depending on how much you wash your windows... or, you can spend .99 on a bottle of alcohol, .99 for a bottle of soap, and mix it yourself and have enough to last you for a few years...

Auto-Lock disable / enable keyless while running

This hack lets you de-activate automatic locking doors, and allows you to use your keyless entry to lock and unlock your car while it's warming up and running on cold winter days...or anytime, for that matter

Time Required:
10-30 minutes

Tools Needed:

Wire Cutters

Electrical Tape

(All of the below are optional)

Extra 18GA or larger wire

Solder

Soldering Iron

Submini toggle switch from radio shack

Drill and Drill Bit of same diameter as above switch

Procedure:

1) Open the glove box all the way for under-dash access as outlined in this hack
2) Find the centra locking module. It's a black box strapped to the back of the big silver PCM canister on the passenger side wall behind the glove box.
3) Locate the Green wire with a white stripe on it. Cut it with wire cutters. You may tape the ends of the wires up, and close the glove box if you want. Optionally, you may install some extra wire and a switch (highly recommended)

Installing the switch:
1) Solder wire to the ends of the green/white wire you cut.
2) Solder the other ends of the wires up to the toggle switch from radio shack
3) Drill a hole where you can mount the switch. I chose to drill the hole in the upper back wall of the glove box, so that I can open the glove box and flip the switch easily.
4) Mount the switch in the hole you drilled
5) Close the glove box and flip the switch to the OFF (Open Circuit) Position.

When the swith is "OFF" or the wires are cut and not connected to any switch, this hack is active:

You will not have the automatic locking doors anymore.

You will be able to use the keyless remote while the car is running. This includes the panic and trunk/hatch release buttons.

You will be able to use the dash-mounted trunk/hatch release button while the car is running and the doors are not locked, even if the car is moving.

You will NOT be able to program any additional keyless entry remotes.

When the switch is "ON", the car will act like normal.

Care should be taken to make sure the trunk or hatch are not opened while driving. Even partially open (halfway latched but not sealed), they allow carbon monoxide into the car, which may or may not be accompanied by the normal exhaust smell. Also, contents of the trunk area may be lost, damaged, or cause accidents on roadways.

Thanks to Muzz on the focaljet.com forums for info on which wire is the ignition-on lockout to the CLM.

Large Debris Deflector Removal.

Make your intake take in a little more.

The stock intake is not a horrible design. It gets nice cool air and has the potential to have a little of that forced in. At the very front of the engine bay there is a plastic shroud that covers the radiator and has a large bunp in front of the intake snorkle. Either removing the shroud or cutting out the area containing the bump will allow you stock (or replacement i.e. Iceman) to get a little bit more cool air. If cut out, you may wish to cover the remaining hole (mostly for aesthetics) with tape, cardboard or a sheet of thin metal.

Instrument cluster light bulb replacement

As some foci get older, lights in the instrument cluster may start to burn out. The odometer bulb is the most obvious, but other bulb burning out will appear as darker areas on the gauge face as well.

Time Required:
30-45 minutes

Tools Needed:

Torx drivers

stubby philips screwdriver

Procedure:

1) Remove the three Philips screws in the upper part of the sweeping dash. Pull it loose.

2) Pull the wire harness off of the trunk release button behind the dash insert.

3) Disconnect the rubber top of the steering column cover from the dash insert. Put the dash insert in the back seat.

4) use a 7mm hex bolt driver to remove the 4 bolts on the top and bottom corners of the gauge unit

5) Using a small screwdriver, pry black lever open to release the cluster from the electrical connector.

6) Remove the cluster from the Dash

7) On the back of the cluster, there are several grey knobs, each of which holds a light bulb. If you know which one is burned out, open the knob behind that bulb. In the below photo, the instrument cluster is updside down and the odometer is the one that's all alone surrounded by white plastic near the upper and slightly right part of the photo:

8) Remove the bulb from this carrier, and put a new bulb in its place.

9) re-assemble in reverse order.

Airbox Resonator Removal

It's debatable whether this Hack does much for performance, but it adds a nice sound to the engine under load.

 Tools: Flat-head Screwdriver or 10mm socket with extension Time Required: About 45 Seconds :) Procedure: 1) Open the hood. 2) Locate Airbox.  Towards the driver's side fender you'll see a small box attached to it.  That's the
   resonator. We're taking that guy OFF! 3) Using a screwdriver or socket, loosen the 2 screws on the airbox that are closest to this Resonator.  Three
   turns ought to do it. 4) Pull up on the airbox. 5) Pry the resonator away from the airbox. 6) The lower part will still be connected.  Pull the lower part of the resonator firmly away from the airbox
   until it pops out. 7) Observe the new air entrance point!  8) Tighten the screws you loosened. 9) Start the car and rev it.  Hear the difference! 10) Close everything up.  * Note: For North American Foci, this applies only to 8v 2.0L SPI and 16v 2.0L Zetec-E engines.  This excludes the 16v 2.3L Duratec (PZEV)