Really? Am I that lucky? A Focus short story.

I bought a 2001 Focus that I was planning a full writeup from me pulling it from behind a dumpster to a top notch driver but my plan went awry and I am seeking to clarify my thoughts.

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Non runner from behind a dumpster!

I have a diagnosis question.

I verified that it would not start and did 3 things that may have helped. I charged the battery full, I put 3 gallons of gas in the tank and I removed the number 1 plug (cracked porcelain and maybe original equipment).

Well, it started and ran on 3 cylinders without a plug in #1. Could a single plug cause a no start? Best I had was a pop every few seconds while cranking.

I put in the new plugs and have been driving it around dumbstruck at the possibility of someone parking a car because it ran out of gas.

A good build writeup should have creative cures for problems. All I have left are the boring problems. It needs cleaning, dome light bulb, hatch struts and uh....the battery hold down bolt needs tightening and uh...sorry thats about all I got.

WAIT!! It is the single filthiest car I have ever owned!

Floormat!

This is after the previous owner spent an 2 hours removing his junk AND me shoveling for about another hour.

Bruce

Sounds like shop vac and power washer time on a lot of the interior.

Sound like time for every maintenance item / fluid and filter / etc should be done at this point.  Curious what all you end up doing with the car.

What is that extended cab truck in the Background?  Looks like the Viccup.

AngryCorvair said:

What is that extended cab truck in the Background?  Looks like the Viccup.

Not to mention the 70's Stang vert.....

And the Ford GT.  

1965 crewcab Mercury waiting its turn for a spa day...running and driving truck. Mustang is the singly RUSTIEST car I have owned. It spent years on the gulf coast under a tarp that left the front and rear exposed. Bet my brother it would crack in half before we got it off the trailer...he won.

I was kinda looking for if the one spark plug could keep this Focus from running. I love when I find the problem, but this seems just too simple.

Yes, I am doing the fluid changes and will gear up for timing belt and water pump stuff. Up on the lift next week to see bushings, exhaust and other stuff under there.

It plan was that it was stupid cheap, yellow, little Ford hatchback that might replace my pizza delivery car. 1991 Escort with 435,000 miles if just feeling iffy.

Today is Shop-vac attack day.

Bruce

My guess on order of events-

PO drove around on 3 cylinders for a long time because of the broken spark plug.  This already shows PO is not very bright and treated it like an appliance and drove around on empty on a regular basis.  Car finally stopped running, or wouldn't start because in was out of gas. PO of questionable intelligence just assumed the engine finally died of neglect and wrote it off.

That interior is seriously gross. I hope you got the car cheap!! You need hazard pay for cleaning it up.

Yea that floormat is uh... I'd call that a total loss. 

He bought the car new and got a puppy the same week. Poor dog got in the car 3 times as we scooped out crap for the trailer ride home. I am accepting the challenge to clean it up but I feel every single interior part must be removed and treated with excessive measures. We shall see.

I found a split in the intake hose also. Put a temp fix of duct tape and it made the little monster come alive! I thought it was weak but I was comparing it to my Escort which would have walked all over it before the duct tape.

Just did an hour with a shop vac and it was eye opening. Found 3 more pennies under the hair on the floor mat. I'm scared to start cleaning with liquids as I fear the soup that will be created. I did learn how to turn on the fog lights, fold the rear seats, what the crank under the seat was for and how to operate the telescoping steering wheel!

It has a trailer hitch! Mysteries abound!

Bruce

Seats, panels and console should come out with little work, then soap and a pressure washer, if no access then take it to the local self serve car wash and spray it down. 

Have to do the dash by hand.

Let it dry completely and reinstall, om cars this bad ive found it to be the fastest way that actually gets it done

My recently acquired Tacoma had nasty dog smell.  Couple rounds with my home steam cleaner did almost nothing for the odor, other than make it smell like wet dog.  Had to take it to the next level.  Removed carpet completely and pressure washed/steam cleaned it.  Just can't beat 1500 PSI of hot water blasted through it with industrial degreaser and letting it air dry for days before reinstalling.

I totally call dibs on the crew cab slick side in the background!

Well worth any and all effort you put forth.............for a FREAKING  spark plug/duct tape ????winner winner chicken dinner!!!!

759NRNG said:

Well worth any and all effort you put forth.............for a FREAKING  spark plug/duct tape ????winner winner chicken dinner!!!!

And 3 gallons of gas!

I did all 4 plugs...kinda anal that way!

Today I removed the the seats, console and a few other bits. Everything is cleaning up VERY nice...even the floor mats! No scratched or broken plastic, all the parts are there and most everything works! Dash parts will need to come out as dirt and hair are DEEP into everywhere. Power washing seats and carpet tomorrow with more interior cleaning while they dry.

Picture of the drivers side floor after I removed the mat!

I will return with some before and after pictures as they arrive.

Bruce

Looks just like my old focus, except for the grubby carpet!

I'm sure you've already tackled most of the interior. But a pumice stone will take care of that pet hair. I got mine at home depot for super cheap. It was called a "scouring stick" This was a 50/50 shot on a F-150 I detailed a few months back. 

This is how good challenge cars get started.

alfadriver said:

This is how good challenge cars get started.

I am still under $500!

Bruce

That pumice stone is a great trick.

I'd also consider renting a rug cleaner from the local supermarket (don't do it with your good one. SWMBO get's angry when it starts to reek.) Mix with a bunch of Oxyclean or generic knockoff (basically powdered hydrogen peroxide and baking soda) and go to work.

Pulled the seats, carpet and various plastic bits and it was tough. Not only did every bolt (Torx) and screw have crap impacted in the slots, many were protected by spiders. First was a gallon of "Awesome" cleaner that was liberally pored over the seats and carpet. I'm sure this is just round one. Then I ran away to let them battle.

My initial assessment that I would need to clean each and every parts I could on the interior is proving true. Seat belts are soaking right now and the spare tire well might have had oil spilled into it at one or more times.

After carpet soaking I scrubbed and sprayed with a power washer. I felt like an archaeologist discovering layers such as fishing hooks and weights, arrow heads and sabre saw blades! this was after I vaccuumed!

Not sure how fast things are gonna dry as I am currently on a weather line that has 60 degrees on one side, 30 degrees on the other and RAIN that is freight training through. No, the stuff is not out in the rain.

Sticking to my rule of doing something every day I might scrub the gas pedal tomorrow.

Bruce

You have beforr and after pics of the carpet?

I don’t know why but I LOVE these types of threads. I almost can’t wait until I give my Yukon to my son and get to buy a beater like this!

How’s the clutch?

Opti said:

You have beforr and after pics of the carpet?

Not too much after is available. I have only had about 4 hours to do stuff other than plan what is next. Got my parts list ready and a big list of whats next. Unfortunately I have some 12-16 hour days ahead.

Everything was frozen over  and I could not even open the doors before I had to head to work this morning. Just a hint: Don't stash still moist stuff inside a car before a freeze. Jack frost hits the inside windows too!

Bruce

I took in an orphan like that, I don't think it had EVER been cleaned.

the ash tray overflowed so the driver started using soda cans in the cup holders as an ashtray then they overflowed.

so there was this mound of butts and ash cascading down from the ash tray and consuming the entire console and a fair portion of the floor mats.

I learned about simple green and super clean, but still never got it clean

Never again, I won't even look at a car that has been smoked in.......