My runabout Ford Escort's 1.4 SEFi engine starts well, runs ok in the lower rev ranges but refuses to rev under load even with full throttle - it just doesn't want to go anywhere in a hurry. It will eventually get up to motorway speeds (0-60 in an afternoon ) but anything like a gradient and the speed just falls away. I have also noticed that it often stalls when coming up to junctions although tickover is normally nice and steady.

I have checked the plugs - all a nice biscuit brown with no evidence of oil,
I have also cleaned the idle control valve and maf sensor, checked the air filter and changed the ignition leads. Still no good.

What else can I try?

[Edited on 22-1-08 by RazMan]

Cat broken up and blocking the flow maybe ?

I know nothing of engine management but is it possible that the ignition is too far retarded?


Paul G

Morning guys

I didn't think of the cat breaking up so that might be worth a look after doing the more obvious checks.

According to the Haynes magic book of words, the timing is fixed and you can't even check it - come to think of it that does feel as though it needs more advance to get it moving. I might take it down to my friendly MOT tester and get him to plug it in to his analyser and see if that gives any clues.

Morning Raz.

I had a Sierra once that wouldn't run above 1/3 throttle.

Turned out that it was a knackered fuel pump.

Paul G


p.s. Not normally up at this time.
Got a stiff neck and can't sleep. (no jokes please)

Hi Paul,

I wondered why you were concious this time of the morning. I'm just coming to the end of a 12 hour shift - only two more hours and then I'm home to my nice warm bed [yawn]

Fuel pump sounds quite likely too ..... but then so does the timing Maybe a blocked fuel filter could give the same symptoms - looks like I'll be busy later on this morning.

Another thing I'd check Raz, is all the air hoses to and from fueling/air filter points. It sounds like it could be bleeding in somewhere??

Steve

If the cat does not rattle when you tap it with your hand check for hairy stuff coming out of tailpipe, could well be the packing from centre or rear box blocking exhaust, quite common.

gezza

Also, DON'T forget to check for crud in the Fuel tank blocking the pre filter.

TPS??

fuel filter

Points to a fueling problem --- either the fuel delivery choked fuel line, fuel filter, fuel pump, or the ECU MAP sensor, CTS sensor. However I would also do a compresion test.

blocked or part blocked silencers, drop the system at the front pipe an rev it up to see if it improves just dont annoy the neighbours with the noise LOL. seen it lots of times

Fueling issue - most likely the filter

Ive seen blocked silencer before. Dont do what my mate did and suspect head gasket and replace it before doing what Rich says and crack the joint open first at the downpipe.

I also came across a Volvo once that kept on stopping. It was the HT leads and a relay, between them they put 22 (YES 22) fault codes on the ECU.

Oooh 'eck, so much to check now!

I think I'll start with a trip to my MOT tester and his analyser to see if the ECU will give up some fault codes and go from there. I am leaning towards a fuel blockage of some sort as it feels like it is struggling to get enough at higher revs. The Haynes book doesn't say where the filter is on my estate so that's my first 'challenge' before it gets dark.

Thanks for all he input guys - loads of great ideas

Once went over a speedbump too fast in an empty Sierra estate. Crushed the fuel pipe with similar though even worse symptoms.
I'd go hunting for a fuel blockage.

It's the kind of problem that will produce a lot of fault codes, the only ones that will be of help will be ones that point to a specific sensors such as the TPS, MAP, or CTS and immediately come back after the codes are cleared.

Funny you should say that - the first thing is that a KAM error 512 keeps coming back which suggests that there is an ECU fault. The KAM was erased a few times and then we did a driving cycle only to get the same error code. The engine does seem a bit more lively now but the tickover is very unstable - it starts fine but 'hunts' after a minute or so.
There is a possiblity that the Idle Control Valve is so far out that it is messing things up so I will go to the scappy and find another one and repeat the process again tomorrow.

Bloomin' Fords and there fancy ECUs

Hunting was traditionally a sign of weak mixture, but these days with ECU controlled mixture and idle speed it can be other things.

It if nothing is obvious (eg low fuel pressure or flow) then it really needs the live data from the ECU looked at rather than just the fault codes.

Replaced the Idle Control Valve with a scrappy one from an XR2 (vroom vroom)and reset the data - it actually seems a bit more responsive now. I reckon the ICV was misbehaving and weakening the mixture. Still doesn't feel like 75bhp but then its been a while since I've experienced this sort of power to weight ratio

The tuner in me is now thinking of cheap ways to coax a few more bhp out of this little beasty even though I originally bought it just to ferry bits of kit cars around and do the 60 mile commuter run ...... will I ever learn?

[Edited on 23-1-08 by RazMan]