• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Cold engine - No power - Someone lend me a MAF?

C

ck42

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
99
OK...I finally got around to finishing the latest planned replacements to try and address the problem I'm having with extreme low power problems with a cold engine. The first mild cold spell came through the area recently and it reminded me of last winter and how horrible it was. When it was below 40-50F, I'd have to let the car idle for 5-10min before I can even make an ATTEMPT to try to get the car on the road (totally bogs down and have to slip clutch to get it moving). Once warmed up though, it's fine. So......

Last weekend, I replaced the ECT and the PCV hose. I had high hopes that it may have been a bad ECT sensor since the other coolant temp sender did in fact have a problem a while back (constantly read way too low on the gauge).

No luck though.
At this point, I've replaced more items than I can recall. The one thing left that I keep coming back to is the MAF. But, according the the dealership, they replaced it about 30K mi. ago when they were working on fixing one of their screw-ups from the wiring harness replacement.

I'm wondering if maybe someone out there has a known-good MAF they could lend me for a week or so to try out. I'd naturally pay for all the shipping. If they didn't cost so much, I'd just go buy another one and be done with it.

Chris
 
Last edited:
You can unplug the MAF completely and the pcm will revert to a base set of tables. If your problem goes away, or gets better with the MAF unplugged, you found your problem.
 
Ray said:
You can unplug the MAF completely and the pcm will revert to a base set of tables. If your problem goes away, or gets better with the MAF unplugged, you found your problem.
Click to expand...


but on some the engine will not run with the maf unplugged. my 2k SVT doesn't ... pulled the plug when it was running and it died ...
 
Ran a quick test when leaving work yesterday. The engine wasn't totally cold yet though...only been sitting for about 7hrs.

Anyway, pulled the plug and then started it and took off.
I didn't have ANY bogging problems. Ran great. But like I mentioned, the engine wasn't stone cold and the ambient temp in the area was about 75F. I won't really be able to use this test until the temps around here really start to come down again.

NOTE: When running w/ it unplugged, it smelled like it was running really rich. I only drove about 3mi. with it like this and pulled over to reconnect it.

Chris
 
Just thinking out loud...

It reminds me of the behavior when the IMRC is stuck open. I was having cold off-idle bog issues, and it turned out that the linkage on the IMRC had come off the front bank. The rear bank was still actuating correctly, but the front had fallen open when the linkage came loose, and was stuck that way.

I had a similar issue right after I bought the car where the IMRC cable had shredded inside the metal box, but had not broken completely. The mechanism still worked, but it couldn't release all the way due to the frayed cable, and the sec's were always open a little.
 
Latest update: Just replaced the MAF this last weekend.
Temps in the morning here are just now starting to get pretty cool. First impression so far is that it hasn't helped. I reset the ECU after changing.

I absolutely DREAD going through another winter where I have to sit in a freezing cold car for 10min. while the engine gets warm enough to actually drive safely (horribly low power until somewhat warm).

Chris
 
ck42 said:
Latest update: Just replaced the MAF this last weekend.
Temps in the morning here are just now starting to get pretty cool. First impression so far is that it hasn't helped. I reset the ECU after changing.

I absolutely DREAD going through another winter where I have to sit in a freezing cold car for 10min. while the engine gets warm enough to actually drive safely (horribly low power until somewhat warm).

Chris
Click to expand...

Mine bogs too, I usually rev it up to 4k or so about 3 or 4 times and i dont have the problem until its stone cold again.
 
sounds like the problem my father had with his 95. turns out the vacuum actuator for the secondaries cracked and was leaking. since the secondaries on a 95 are always open when the car isn't running I would inspect the secondary system for correct operation
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top