Help, power loss, missing!

[snoborder42]

if your gas mileage has suddenly dropped this is a sign that the o2 sensors are not working properly. Sometimes they just get plugged with carbon but the CEL wont come on and there will be no error codes.

 

[barnieman]

The CEL comes on only when one of the trim-parameters exceeds the 42%. I don't know exactly what is trimmed here, but the O2-sensor-signal is one of the inputs of this fuel-timing-delivery system (based on air-flow, air-temperature, throttle position and O2-switching...).

 

[thecause17]

Put the pcv on, and checked the EGR last night, both were fine. I'm not even sure where to go from here. I really want to check the cam timing, but I dont have the tools, so I might end up having to break down and take it somewhere, does anything think that oneof the cams could have jumped time?

I didn't think this would've been it before, mainly because all the plugs I removed looked the same...and I've seen what plugs will look like when a head is out of time, usually the side that is off will have plugs that look like they've been running rich or lean. I had a car that jumped the timing belt a couple teeth once, and the one whole bank had white plugs in it, like that side was running rich.

Is there any way to check the timing without having to take it pretty much all apart?

 

[TPLYNCH]

List everything you've tested/replaced so we can see what's been done so we don't start repeating ourselves. I usually go with the KISS principal, and if I see a list of what's been done, I may see something simple that we may have missed.

 

[thecause17]

Plugs
wires
coil
fuel filter
cleaned MAF
Cleaned IAC
PVC valve
checked EGR
checked vac lines
sprayed carb cleaner around intake to check for leaks
called ford, suggested everything I already did...

 

[Billy177]

try some fuel injector cleaner

and white plugs are lean not rich

 

[thecause17]

I did run fuel injector cleaner through it a couple weeks back...

And yeah, I got that backwards, sorry, not as if it's relevant to the current situation really...

 

[expman]

i had and idle power loss problem before too. the first time i took the IAC valve off and cleaned with carb cleaner and it worked like a charm for one year then it started to go south again so i tried cleaning it again the same way but it just diden't work so I went to advance and bought a new one and it works perfectly. so what i'm trying to say is these IAC valves can only be effectly cleaned 1 time in my case.

have you tried this stuff called seafoam to clean out your intake. I heard it works good. Does anyone know where i can get some of this stuff and how do i use it. I would actuall like to try it out this weekend cause i know my intake is still dirty too.

 

[thecause17]

I've heard about the stuff before, haven't used it though...I was thinking about the iac again, just dunno...a friend of mine is coming to visit from out of state this week-end, and she works for Mazda, she offered before to bring me an IAC up to try out for free, if she's still coming I may do that, if not I might just buy one for it. Mind really wasn't dirty, so I dunno.
I am most likely going to check the voltage on that within the next day or so to see if it's within spec too...

 

[TPLYNCH]

Had you gotten gas right before this started? Have you filled the tank again since it started running like crap. I'm at a loss. The fact the cel isn't coming on doesnt help. Are you sure the CEL light is working? Make sure it lights up when you go to start. If it's running as bad as you say, I can't imagine it not throwing a code....

 

[thecause17]

I've run about two full tanks of gas since this has happened, doesn't take long at this milage...the first tank I added dry gas as a precaution. And yes, my CEL does work.

 

[thecause17]

Ok, I have an update...I hooked up a vacuum gauge tonight. I am getting between 11-12 inches on the guage, fairly steady, the only fluctuation in the range occurring when the engine misses.

My manual says I should be getting between 17-22 inches. So I take it there is something causing this leak somewhere...and to go back to my weak brake upon startup, this sort of corresponds with that, that my brake booster must not be getting proper vacuum cause of the low vacuum the engine is pulling, agreed?

Anyone have any suggestions now on how to narrow this down further...lots of things could cause this, intake gasket leaks, timing, etc...anyone got some input?

 

[Billy177]

didi you get the intake gaskets replaced under recall

 

[thecause17]

The intake gaskets were actually done less than a month ago because I had the cold start problem they seem to get when they go...it had been perfectly fine up to this point.

 

[thecause17]

The only thing I can find that could be causing the problem at this point is, I decided to through the tightening sequence on the upper IM bolts to make sure they were all torqued, and came across one that feels to be stripped out. So apparently when these guys did my gaskets a month ago, they stripped this bolt out. Would this cause the problem? All the others are fine, and if this is the problem, why would it take this long to surface?

I'll be giving them call tomorrow to tell them I want it redone, and if necessary my manifold may need replaced right?

Would my whole lower IM need to be replaced, or are there metal bushings that can be replaced like at the spot where the IAC bolts on?

 

[RickOTR]

Any intake leak will cause a miss. You can get a lower intake from Torrie at Ford Parts Network for something like $60.00. It comes with the revised o-rings lower/upper. Be careful tightening the screrws as they strip easily.

Good Luck...

 

[thecause17]

Hell, I'm taking it back to the place that did it. I stopped in to make a personal visit today to talk to them. They will be taking it back Thursday morning, and there will be no charge as long as that bolt is what the miss is from... Hopefully this'll all work out. I'm already a couple hundred down from this.

 

[thecause17]

Alright, I'm seriously out of ideas, this really sucks.

I had the shop redo the intake gaskets and fix the stripped bolt they did before. It was not the problem. It runs exactly the same as before. They suggested that the cats may be clogged and told me how to check them. They said that putting a pressure gauge at the O2 bungs in front of the cats would show if there was a blockage...anthing over 2psi denotes a blockage.

So I just got done doing that, check both sides, and there is almost nothing on either side. The guage just pulsates in the 0 range with each firing cylinder...no build-up of pressure at all....I started the engine once with no sensor in the hole, inserted the gauge(I have a fitting that seals in there nicely)...and then on the other side Iput the gauge in before I started it...same readings. I then went to start it with no sensor in the passenger side, and it won't start....at all, just cranks. I'm hoping the ecu just got some weird readings with no sensor in there and I'll just have to reset it.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS!?!?!

 

[thecause17]

Anybody know what normal compression readings are?

 

[thecause17]

Well it's been at a dealer for two days now, and they haven't gotten anywhere with it really. They had it all day yesterday and called me at the endof the day to tell me they hadn't finished diagnosing it yet. I got a call at 9am thismorning and they told me it was the MAF, so I told them to fix it, I got a call back later saying that it didn't work...and they are still looking.

They are charging me for the maf, they said mind WAS bad, but wasn't this problem...kinda pisses me off. They also put an o2 sensor onit which wasn't it, and they'll be taking it back off cause I told them I'm not paying them to hang parts on it...I can do that at home, cheaper. I paid them a visit, and now I'm getting the maf at cost...

They seem pretty stumped, has me pretty worried...they said all pressures (compressio, fuel, etc...) all checks out, and they're going to get back to me tomorrow...

This doesn't look good....