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Trouble Accelerating.. WEIRD

M

MemphisZ28

New CEG'er
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
18
Ok Im desperately trying to fix this so I can ditch this POS. I Get no power under acceleration, but if I take off smoothly like a hypmiler, it barely if at all does it. Seems like it has no upper rpm/mid rpm power. Since its such a peice of crap it has no tach, and I cant hold my scangauge and drive, so I cant tell you exactly where. Id guess 2.5 or 3k and up. It pulls, then hesitates , then pulls a little, then hesitates, if you floor it it doesnt accelerate. NO check engine light. I hooked a fuel pressure gauge up and it read 0psi.... SO im thinking FUEL PUMP. Replaced fuel pump, does the exact same damn thing. Filter too. I was thinking clogged cat?? But wouldnt that set of CEL code? Did on my camaro.. How do I test for that? What else should I check? Had new timing belt, tensioner, plugs, and coil about 8,000 miles ago. Has Mastercraft wires as well. The only thing I dont have a receipt for from prev owner is 02 sensor.. I do have a scantool. Can someone point me in the right direction who knows their stuff? I keep thinking it feels like a clogged cat but why would it jerk and hesitate like that? Does not feel like a transmission problem, it (feels like)misses at idle in gear only, in park it doesnt, which further confuses me...
 
Definitely a good point. How do you think Id go about diagnosing that? The strange thing is no CEL code. Its def getting fuel pressure now because thres no CEL for fuel rail pressure sensor malfunction or out of range. This is the damndest car Ive ever seen to work on since my GF had a Taurus. I desperately want to get it fixed, Ive found a ranger with 25,000 miles I want.
 
when where the plugs and wires last changed? I had an issue before that it would buck and chuck under load while trying to accelerate. it idled just file.
 
Well I bought it like 7k ago. Had receipt for new motorcraft plugs and what appears to be a new coil. Has motorcraft wires. Im kind of thinking the same thing, cheap to try anyway. Im going to disconnect MAF to put it into default mode to test that. I would like to test vacuum to see if i have a clogged cat also. Any idea where a good port to test is?
 
So you had a similar problem? I think your right. I suspect if its not the above things I wanted to test, it may be bad plugs, but did yours throw a misfire code? I have no CEL lights. It def feels like a misfire though, i thought it was from lack of fuel because of the fuel pressure issue. whoever buys this thing is going to have a new car with all of this work done lol
 
ahh sounds like im getting somewhere. I thought it would which is why I didnt attack that first. just grabbed some plugs, going to try that, if not fixed Ill grab wires too. Thanks for the info, this is a great forum!! Ill try tonight and update, im sure someone else will have this prob eventually
 
Dear lord. So I inspected plugs and theres oil all in the plug valley. Was leaking pask valve cover gasket. Removed valve cover, cleaned it, installed new gasket. Replaced PCV Valve (if anyone else has ever done this, this was the hardest thing Ive seen in my life and another reason I want to sell this car ). Replaced plugs and wires. Guess what? Wont even start now. It ran before, just hesitated/misfired on accel. Now wont even crank. Even tried the old plugs and wires, nothing. Just turns over... when I pull plugs they have oil on them, Im guessing from what leaked down from the valley when I pulled the old plugs (the puddles around plugs/wires before I changed gasket. When I pull them they have some oil on them. I could see where it was getting under valve cover gasket and into valley, left trails of oil. This car never smoked, so I think the misfire was oil in the boots/plugs... but WTF why wont it even crank now?!?! I hooked up my scan gun and it said P0320 engine speed circut malfunction, but idk if thats from it not cranking or what. Keep in mind I had NO CEL before I changed valve cover gasket. Torqued it properly and all... HELP!!
 
check to make sure you didnt unplug the cam position sensor and that the VCT connector is plugged in fully as well.
 
Thats the one coming through valve cover between the DOHC's right? Checked connection and cleaned it out with a qtip. Doesnt appear to be it, but from what ive read thats a different trouble code..
 
the one coming through the valve cover between the cams is for the VCT. I cant remember if the VCT Zetecs use that same sensor for the cam position or not. if not then there is a separate cam position sensor located towards the drivers side of the head. it would be on the intake cam side.
 
Ill check, but wouldnt it atleast start? My camaro had one go out and it ran,although not well. I have been seeing alot about the crankshaft position sensor and its issues as far as the wiring go. Im going to inspect the wiring when I get home, any other common problems you guys know of I could check? Where is the crankshaft position sensor at? Cant find good info on that. Once its fixed, anyone want to buy a contour REAL cheap? lol
 
well, if the PCM doesnt know where the cams and crank are at it wont fire either the injectors or the plugs (or both) depending on which sensor its missing a feed from. the crank sensor is at the bottom on the radiator side facing the transmission.
 
Ok Very interesting, because I would turn it over for like 8 seconds and it was strange, no gas on the plugs. I would think theyd have quite a bit, or atleast smell like gas. I think this may be it, is it not very strange that it did this randomly while changing the valve covers though? I know its getting gas, because i put a new fuel pump on days ago and its confirmed working. New filter too. I took the plugs out and turned it over to see if gas would shoot out, and nothing, its like the injectors arent firing and the plugs arent firing.. but everything in both systems is new... and it ran before I did this valve cover gasket swap.. Is it possible I hit the crankshaft position sensor and the wires were bad, making them touch?? Cant wait to get home and test.
 
oh dear god the crankshaft sensor is broken off... how the hell do you get that thing off?!?! i cant find a how to.. that looks impossible.. how do you even get to it?? is there a how to anywhere? I took a pic of it but my stupid email wont work to get it.
 
there should be a single bolt that holds the crank sensor into its mounting boss. its not all that difficult to get to if you go from under the car.
 
striker2 said:
the one coming through the valve cover between the cams is for the VCT. I cant remember if the VCT Zetecs use that same sensor for the cam position or not. if not then there is a separate cam position sensor located towards the drivers side of the head. it would be on the intake cam side.
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actually i believe that the cam sensor is on the exhaust cam. it will be the on on the front drivers side of the head, at least that's where mine is.
 
cetroutt said:
actually i believe that the cam sensor is on the exhaust cam. it will be the on on the front drivers side of the head, at least that's where mine is.
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you might be right on the VCT engines. I know the non-VCT engines (95-97 and Focus exc.SVTF) are on the intake cam.
 
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