[wiswind]

The improved valve cover REDUCES the amount of oil droplets that are drawn out through the PCV valve.
It does NOT eliminate it.
I installed a catch can in the PCV line that also reduced the oil even more.....but I still had some drawn in.
In the winter.....I would get a LOT more fluid.....due to condensation.
I have a picture of my catch can settup in the pictures that the link in my signature part at the bottom takes you to.
I used a "Greddy" catch can.....and put long hoses in to be able to locate it up front, next to the washer fluid fill spout.
The idea was to give longer lines and have them slope DOWN to the catch can.....so that vapors would condense and run down to the catch can when the vehicle was shut down.
Over time, the hoses got soft and needed to be replaced because they were starting to collapse under vaccum.
No big deal......but ANY modification that you make needs to be monitored to make sure that it is holding up to the heat and oil exposure.


I DO recommend that you use a Genuine Motorcraft brand PCV valve.....some of the after market PCV valves are not very good.
The PCV valve is NOT just a check valve to permit flow in only 1 direction.
There is a spring in there and the plunger is tapered on the end.
Under high vaccum conditions (like at idle) the vaccum pulls the plunger against the spring and reduces the opening....restricting the flow (more air flows through a given opening with more vaccum....so reducing the opening size will offset this).
When you have low vaccum, like when you accellerate......the opening in the valve is bigger, so you still have PCV flow.

Sure, if you had no PCV flow.....the intake would be cleaner.....but you would certainly develop sludge in the crankcase......it is CRITICAL that the vapors be removed.
While I don't want to make it more (drawing more oil in), I certainly don't want to do something to reduce it from what FORD intended.

The new "isolator" bolts that the TSB for 1999 and newer Windstars had bushings that were made of a material that was much more resistant to breaking down due to exposure to oil.

As for cleaning out carbon that is already built up inside the cylinders.....there really is not much you can do outside of taking the engine apart.....not a small task at all.
Some have reported CAREFUL fine mist spray....the water droplets causing the carbon to come off in small spots.....but you have to be SUPER careful......too much water (and it does not take much) and you will hydrolock the engine (water does NOT compress......like air / gasoline VAPOR.)

Also....there is no cleaner that you can spray/draw into the intake....or put in the fuel that is going to do anything to clean clogged EGR ports........that requires that the upper intake manifold be removed so that you can physically clean them.