Air Intake Assembly Cleaning Woes
 

Well I'm still getting over the damn flu/H1N1 (whichever you prefer) so instead of sitting cooped up in the house like I have been, I decided to clean my K&N filter since it's time. I cleaned the filter up really nice and set it to air dry overnight and then went out to the garage again and decided I would clean the entire air intake assembly seeing it was quite dirty.

I figured the easiest way would be to take the entire air tube from the filter to the throttle body off and just rinse it down with Simple Green inside in the tub. Well, I have a few problems.

For one, oil is dripping down from what I believe to be a breather hose as seen here:

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6606/dsc00814v.jpg

The hose I am referring to is one of the two that must be disconnected from the right side of the air intake assembly and is the skinnier of the two. It can be seen just about above the PCV valve in this picture. One end connects into the air intake and the other end into the right-side valve cover. I've had problems before with the tube leaking oil at the valve cover connection and I've realized it's also leaking the other way through the tube and down the air intake assembly tube, through the MAF and even into my air filter itself. My dad thinks that this tube is a breather tube, but we're both unsure. I doubt it should be leaking oil like it is.

Before I go on, is it ok to clean the entire air intake tube in the tub like I am with Simple Green and is that an appropriate product? The inside is pretty damn dirty and I can say likewise for the outside. Would there be a better product to use to clean the inside and outside of this tube or should I stick with some SG and a cleaning rag?

I obviously took the MAF off, and also another little sensor which I'm not sure what it exactly is. You can see it here:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/734/dsc00809b.jpg

I did get it wet in the tub a little bit before I realized I should probably have taken it out, so it's not simply air drying in the bathroom.

Lastly, how exactly would I go about cleaning the MAF and/or the throttle body? I know they make seperate cleaners for both parts; should I pick up a bottle of each? Does brand preference matter?

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3066/dsc00813b.jpg

I'm assuming I'm just to spray out the inside liberally with the cleaner? And perhaps the same would go for the throttle body?

Thanks guys; I just have never really taken the air intake assembly apart like this and I just want to learn as I go along and make sure I'm not messing anything up too bad.

welcome to the fun world of modular Ford motors! overhead cam motors throw around alot of oil, which becomes aerated. those lines/hoses ARE breathers, and they cycle the oily air thru the TB and intake.
PLEASE DO NOT USE SIMPLE GREEN!! clean the electronics with some MAF cleaner. use TB cleaner for the rest. I would recommend pulling the TB and intake plenum off and cleaning those out also.

I've been using Simple Green on simply the plastic tubing from the air filter to the TB and I'm not sure if I am supposed to make the inside squeaky clean or not, but I'm having a pain in the ass doing so. There is an oily film inside the entire plastic tubing that's quite hard to get out; should it even be completely clean or is a little oil ok? Or should I be using TB cleaner on this part also?

And is there any specific way to clean/flush out the MAF and TB/Plenum?

DO NOT use simple green on the MAF sensor. Use only electrical contact cleaner. I use some stuff called Big Bath II, it's for computers I think. Otherwise, on the plastic SG is fine. Just make sure everything is completely dry before you put it all back together.

I did pick up some MAF cleaner; I'm not that ignorant to use something like Simple Green on the MAF lol come on guys!

I also cleaned out the plastic intake tubing with throttle body cleaner and I could visually see a ton of residue come out so that's a good thing! There's just some gunk on the little square areas on the outside of the tube that looks to have been caked on for years and never cleaned that I'm still not able to get off and I'm not about to scrub my ass off.

Everything should be dry tomorrow morning and we'll see if my slight idle issues were solved :)

don't worry about the tubing being spotless. also, disconnect the battery for about an hour or so before you hook everything back up. after everything is back in place, re-connect battery, start WITHOUT TOUCHING THE THROTTLE. let idle for 10 min. turn A/C on max. idle another 10 min. turn A/C off, idle 5 min. drive for a few miles without going WOT. idle should be better.

you need one of my oil air sep kits in the WORST way.

Looks like your PCV valves are failing and need to be replaced. My car has 40k on my current set of PCV valves and I don't leak oil like you at all. Replace them as they are cheap and that will fix alot of that problem.

The little sensor is called the IAT aka Intake Air Temperature sensor. Use the maf cleaner as listed on the can for cleaning both of them. Also make sure the K&N is fully dry before reinstalling or it will cover the maf in oil.

I to say pull the TB and plenum off as its very easy to do and clean them and the IAC (idle air control valve) while you are at it.

I just last week did a full clean up on my car and pulled the maf and all of that and cleaned it out and the EGR and IAC as well.

Should I just stop by Advanced Auto or Auto Zone and pick up a replacement Motorcraft PCV valve? It's something I'd like to have done before I put my car away for the winter early this coming week.

Well yeah just go get a new one for each side and toss them on. Super simple and easy.

Good luck getting a pcv from autozone/advance. They carry this 2 port F-shaped valve that I think is for the 5 liter and advertise it under the 99-04 model year. Got into an argument with this chick at autozone a while back about it. Tried telling me there was something wrong with my car because her system wouldn't list a part that wasn't compatible with my car. Told her she was stupid and her system is only as smart as the people maintaining it, smiled and left.

We need the single port L-shaped pcv valve. I'd suggest the stealership because they're cheap and you'll actually get what you need.