Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Maintenance Gee I wonder where this goes?

I at the point where I"m going to call the car dealership where I bought my Contour and ask them what drunk monkey worked on my car....I found a hose just laying around not attached to anything. So I put up a site with pictures. Its a 98 Duratec motor. So if you want to run outside in this cold weather, well depending where you live and check for me, I would be very happy! The hose is attached to the case under the battery. You should be able to see where it is without taking the battery out. I did because I wanted pictures and so I could check to see if it connected somewhere under the battery. Thanks for any help I can get!


http://www.geocities.com/titanthedragon/hosegoeswhere.html

Its hard to tell from the pictures, but that looks like the vent hose for the ATX. It is supposed to be an open hose.

it is the vent hose for the ATX, it is supposed to be their the way it is, if it somehow falls down though their is the possibility that trans fluid can come out of it.

the transmission vents? So if it gets indigestion it can fart? Why would the trans "vent"? I just wondering.

The upper end of the transmission vent was usually attached to the battery hold down. You might find an empty clip for it if you look.

Basically, *any* lubricated gearbox (transmission, differential, whatever) needs some kind of venting. When the temperature rises, everything inside expands (including the air). It has to go somewhere (or the pressure would start forcing lubricant past the seals). The key is to make sure that when it cools back down, the air comes from someplace clean and dry.

I first learned about this issue with my old 4x4 Isuzu Trooper. I was surprised to find the front differential vent right up near the hood (about 3' of tubing). But if you've been slogging through mud, you want to make sure the air that gets back to the differential when it cools down doesn't bring water and mud/sand with it.

Often the vent is just a tube held out of the way; some (like my Trooper) have a little baffle/filter on the end of the tube. Most cars have vents built into the casting, somewhere near the top of the case; you probably wouldn't notice it unless you were looking for it.

Make sure you vent tube is held someplace where it can't get dirt or water into it.

it's also useful when some bonehead overfills your ATX and all that fluid needs to be dumped in environmentally friendly manner. earlier models had a nice looking mushroom on top of the tranny, but it occured to someone at ford that 1/2' of pcv hose is cheaper... there you go. TAH suggested that this hose should be replaced w/ a longer one and routed farther back to reduce occasional spills.

I seem to recall that one person suggested replaceing the hose with a longer one that would connect into the atx dipstick - that way you wouldn't lose any fluid.....


Bob