Anyone know there zetec engine problems? UPDATE!

[jamezz666]

Hello,

i just bought a 1996 1.8 zetec ford escort 16v.

cut the story short very very hard to start and run like horse cack.

1. turn the key keeps spinning
2. if it fires it's literally for a second
3. if you're lucky and it stays running with a pump from you're foot it's wibblepoo.
4. put foot down slowly and the revs will build up to the top out point 7000 rpm.
5 slam your foot down and it sounds like it wants to die.
6. take your foot off after trying to rev it and it picks up revs coming off the pedal but only for a second.

things done and checked

1. maf sensor replaced
2. plugs replaced
3 full tank
4. checked and it sparks fine while spinning "so not immobiliser"
5. fuel pump makes sound when key is turned.


so what am i missing D': i'm going man running around this car

please help or if there's anyone local to Redditch who don't mind popping in and having a look if i supply tea and dunkers

cheers james

[gazmk2]

Have you greased the end of the HT leads because they suffer with spark tracking down the side of plugs. I take it you have done compression check checked valve timing etc?

[Dez]

crank position sensor.

[secondchance]

From my experience with Zetec Fords of that era, plugs, leads, ignition coil pack, in-tank fuel pump/sender unit are things I've changed in similar circumstances.

Other than that, already mentioned crank sensor probably isn't a bad shout.

Possibly lambda sensor if it has one, or another exhaust sensor.

Sounds like a fuel/timing problem...

Good Luck!

[jamezz666]

sorry forgot to mention the guy who i got the car of did say it randomly started happening one day. timing is fine. someone mentioned on a different forum about the idle control valve or resetting the ecu by pulling some fuse out for 15 seconds or disconnecting the battery for a few minutes :s

[ChasR]

If I am correct your car *may* have a diagnostic port.

Before chasing things alot and buying things unnecessarily I would plug a decent reader in and see what happens. Where in the country are you?

[rodney]

these have the pre obd diagnostic sockets , if your near London I could plug it into my machine for you ,

[jamezz666]

i'm in Redditch Worcestershire and yes it has a port that's in the passenger front pillar and it would be brilliant if you could plug it in but i'm so far away from you the readers seem so expensive aswell :/

[ChasR]

Fire me a PM. I am around the 'ditch potentially this weekend .

[jamezz666]

pm'd pal

[jamezz666]

ok so i bled a bit of the fuel from the valve and it eventually fired up and now it does stay ticking over but at 2000 rpm and some times 1000 and just fluctuates some times. when it's revs, they can stick at times as it seems.

things changed

coil pack
leads
plugs
temp sensor
throttle position sensor
crank sensor
cam sensor
Maf sensor

still hard to start but when it eventually does fire it stutters but then comes into life but with problem above,
so i'm still missing something??

[jamezz666]

Theres fuel getting through and it's sparking even though the spark isn't the best one ive ever seen but got both of them but it just doesn't want to have it but as i said when it does fire it can go to 2000 rpm and tick over at that and rev like its got power with a bit of stutter then it can drop to a 1000rpm and end up like curse word. i just can't figure it out, i'm getting know where

[elmotheewokking]

You can either keep scattering new parts on it and have no idea what caused it, or, you can wait until you have access to the proper diagnostics, maybe save some money and do the job right.
Guesswork isn't the way to go.

[zippyobrien]

Then old zetecs will run and idle with most of the sensors u plugged. ( maf, water temp, lamba )


I think the timming may have jumped a tooth. Or you have a large air leak.

A bad maf will also give faults like that. Un plug it and see if it improves.

[jamezz666]

how do i check the timing?? i tried google searching and haven't got much idea, as i took the cam cover off and there's no marks what so ever!

someone said they use a 5mm thick bar to lock the cam as thats how you time them, using the locking point in the cam pulley.
i looked back and front of the pulley and there's no locking points

it is the silver top zetec.

also the cambelt is perished, so i'm not going to attempt to start it now. unless i know the timing is out and it can quickly be set for me to find out that was the problem all along and then i'd have a cambelt change

[ChasR]

The bar goes in the coilpack side of the head in order to lock the camshafts off.

As for TDC you can do it in one of two ways. Either line the crank pulley with a casting mark on the sump or if it has one use the timing pin at the front of the engine near the bellhousing and breather outlet.

[mattxr3i]

It sounds like a weak spark causing the issues, make sure the spark plugs are gapped to 1mm and not the 1.3mm that Ford stated when the zetec first came out, the gap was too big for the ignition system. Also, check that the ceramic part of the spark plugs are not cracked - I had this and it caused all sorts of problems.

What is your battery like, if the battery is weak then the engine may struggle to start with the result of a flooded engine. This is unlikely as I would assume it would clear once you rev to 7k. Have you checked all the earths in the engine bay too?

Trying to remember on these, is the fuel injector plug the same as the idle control valve - if someone previous to you has been working in this are they may have got these mixed up.

Have you tried cranking the engine over and taking a spark plug out and sniffing for petrol?

[ChasR]

I shall say a few things if jamezz666 does not mind (PM me if you want it removed).

When I saw the car the battery seemed fine.
It has a new coilpack and leads but they are pattern items ; not ideal but probably not the cause either.
If the revs are held above 2k once it gets running it will generally stay running OK ; I am told that the car will die however beyond these revs when trying to accelerate on the road.
Below 2k it either ran well or tried to misfire badly and then stall quickly.

IMHO I reckon it is either a vacuum leak from the ICV, albeit a large one, and/or the fuel pressure regulator ; in a previous thread it seemed that the pressure was not up to spec. I doubt a fuel filter change would help but you never know...

[jamezz666]

All sorted was the fuel pump causing so much greaf

[mattxr3i]

Excellent news - enjoy the car