Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Maintenance PCV Valve and water pump question

Hi, what are the benefits from putting in a fresh PCV valve?

I'm heading from Connecticut to Carolina (~1300 mi. round trip) in seven days, and was wondering if I should go to NAPA and get a fresh PCV valve before the trip.

Also, do you think a new water pump would be a good idea before we hit the road? I have a 99 contour w/ duratec and 63k on the odometer. I have heard that 99 'tours had the LEAST amount of water pump issues... Thanks all for any help !

- Jake

a new PCV valve could not hurt and they only cost a few bucks so i would replace that. benefits are better gas mileage

the waterpump i would look at before i made any decisions about, if you have a white plastic impellar you should be ok, but if you had a black plastic impellar i would replace with either a white one or a metal one

IMO I'd check the PCV valve before replacing it - if it operates freely and is relatively clean there's no reason to change it.

As for the water pump, I'm not convinced the later model cars are any better as far as longevity goes... unfortunately you can't check the impeller while it's on the car unless you take it apart, at which point you might as well just install a new one. From what I've read over the years, 60K is pretty much when you should think about changing it.

from the reading and searching and asking that I did when my fathers 95 pump went 99s and on shouldn't have the waterpump issue. most people said the pump that broke was made of black plastic. since then ford updated the design to a new white plastic. it seems that this change was made for the 99 model year as most failures were for 98s and older

alot of people say to use a metal pump but I wonder if that is a good idea, it is underdriven off the cam and overdriven at the pump, or the other way around i forget, that means it is spinning alot faster then the engine, so is it good to have the metal pump running around that fast?