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

    You can register to join the community.

Any Ideas where to look now?

B

Big G

CEG'er
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
72
Location
Northwest Pennsylvania
My g/f 95 contour won't start all it does is roll over. I thought maybe it was the fuel pump which I changed out and that was not the problem. changed out the fuel filter and didn't get nothing either. I have gas to the fuel rails. We checked it at the little pressure thing (looks like a valve stem right by the rail) and there is pressure when you turn the key on. I pulled out all the plugs and cleaned them and check for spark,which all have. I'm lost for what has happened to it. Jumped time? :shrug: I did the self test on the computer and it was flashing 551. I can't remember what that is off the top of my head but I know it's set at the factory and can't be changed.(so it says in the hanes manual. Any ideas before I take it into the garage? All fuses are good, Everything I checked was ok. It was running fine the day before then nothing. Thanks for any help. :help:

Big G

95 Tour V6/Auto.
 
551 is IMRC issue.
http://www.thorssell.net/hbook/3digit.html.

That should not prevent start up. Is the engine spinning faster than normal? Maybe the pistons are "washed out" (lost compression). Try pushing the gas pedal all the way down (this shuts off the fuel injectors). If not, you may want to remove one (or two) spark plugs and put in a teaspoon or two of oil to help regain compression.
 
It kinda rolls fast for a second then it slows down then it speeds up then slows down. It's barely noticeable but it's there. If they are "washed out" is that bad? Can it rebuild and maintain compression after this happens? I got it to run a little before this happened. It took some cranking but it did start up. It was missing some but I figured it was cause it was cold and maybe flooded from my g/f cranking it over. It does hesatate and miss a little till it warms up for some reason. My g/f went to back out and it was barely moving then it died and that was it. Just rolls and no fire. Can you get the covers over the tops of the cam gears off without taking the motor apart? I'd like to check and see if the chains bad or not. I'll try the oil thing. I hope it works. The car ran great before this. I don't want to dump a ton of $$ into it if it isn't worth it.

Thanks

Big G
 
Older engines usually have issues with engines "washing out". One way to prevent it is to not turn on the engine almost immediately after shutting it off. It usually happens when you have to start a hot engine up. Let it cool down a bit.
 
Well I'll try the oil thing tomarrow and see what happens. I'm not to optimistic that that is what it is though. Probably more like out of time or something. :nonono: That is how my luck goes.:rolleyes:
 
Check the crank positioning sensor connection, located right next to the crank pully. This happend to me and I just wiggled the wire connector to the sensor and it fired right up. You might want to clean up the contacts also.
 
ArtSvt said:
Check the crank positioning sensor connection, located right next to the crank pully. This happend to me and I just wiggled the wire connector to the sensor and it fired right up. You might want to clean up the contacts also.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea. I tried it but that didn't work.:nonono: I don't know It'll roll fast for a second then it slows down to normal then it speed up again. :shrug: I'm going to try and get it into the garage next Thurs and see what's wrong with it. If it's the timing chain it looks like I have some work ahead of me. There is no way I'm paying over $1000 to have it fixed. I'll change them myself. we'll see what happens.
 
Well the cars running again. I read a post on here about a car that was flooded and was doing what ours was. The car had been setting since I last posted so when I got home from work this past Fri. I tried to start it and It fired right up. :laugh: I'm just glad I didn't have to take it to the garage. Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

Big G :cool:
 
:cool:Fixed by trying it again later:cool: Good news! May want to check if the oil is too gassy smelling and change it.
 
Tony2005 said:
551 is IMRC issue.
http://www.thorssell.net/hbook/3digit.html.

That should not prevent start up. Is the engine spinning faster than normal? Maybe the pistons are "washed out" (lost compression). Try pushing the gas pedal all the way down (this shuts off the fuel injectors). If not, you may want to remove one (or two) spark plugs and put in a teaspoon or two of oil to help regain compression.
Click to expand...

im confused... I thought the 95's didnt have an IMRC box, I know they have vacuum controlled secondaries but is there a controller for them anywhere?
 
Aussie Ford said:
Since you have the 95 (me too) did your wiring harness get changed out under the recall?

AF
Click to expand...

No the harness was never changed. It is cracked at most of the connections pretty good. I'm going to get some liquid tape and put on it to where the wires go into the coverings and leave the rest alone. It is a bummer it wasn't taken care of but I'm not paying thousands of dollars to fix the harness. That would be more then what the car is worth.
 
One CEG'er on the previous forum repaired his harness, and I believe the new parts are in "hundreds" range.
 
FavoriteMystaque said:
One CEG'er on the previous forum repaired his harness, and I believe the new parts are in "hundreds" range.
Click to expand...

I only paid $600 for the car and have about $400 more into it in parts so it really isn't worth it to me unless I start have problems with it. This car is pretty beat down. It has dents all over the roof from an apple tree falling on it.Also has different colored driver's door and fender from accident damage so it isn't a very pretty car. It is a good daily for my g/f but would need some serious work to be a really nice car. As long as it runs good and gets us where we need to go that is all I care. I'm not going to dump a ton of money into it if I don't need to. If it last a few years I'll be happy.
 
Imo000 said:
Yes, they have them too and it's located at the same spot as the later ones.
Click to expand...

Hmm, beg to differ. Perhaps it depends on where in the model year it was built. Mine is early '95 and has vacuum secondaries controlled directly by the PCM. Never ever had any problem with them.

HOWEVER, my Haynes manual indicates code 551 as "Idle Air Control circuit failure." In this case it makes sense. No idle air, no start. I suggest the IAC valve is sticking closed and needs to be cleaned. Now there's a cheap fix to try before you start replacing anything and everything (been there too).
 
sleepr said:
Hmm, beg to differ. Perhaps it depends on where in the model year it was built. Mine is early '95 and has vacuum secondaries controlled directly by the PCM. Never ever had any problem with them.

HOWEVER, my Haynes manual indicates code 551 as "Idle Air Control circuit failure." In this case it makes sense. No idle air, no start. I suggest the IAC valve is sticking closed and needs to be cleaned. Now there's a cheap fix to try before you start replacing anything and everything (been there too).
Click to expand...

Mine is throwing that code and I changed the IAC valve and it didn't do anything. I'm going to recheck the codes again just to be sure but It is probably the same code.I had a MAF sensor code come up once then I rechecked it again and it was gone.:shrug: The car runs good I would just like to get it fixed so the light doesn't come on. It comes on after you have driven for awhile and the car is warm. Once you shut the car off and restart it it takes it a little bit to come back on again. Doesn't make any sense to me.:confused:
 
I'm having trouble with my IAC and it's less than a year old (see thread "Idle Air Control"). Very annoying. I haven't had a day without a CEL in 10 years. Other than that we love the car, but right now I'm VERY frustrated.
I guess my point here is that there may well be an issue with the quality of the replacement IAC valves.

These days, life with Contour cycles between:
:shrug: :mad: :confused: :help: :crazy:
 
Aussie Ford said:
Since you have the 95 (me too) did your wiring harness get changed out under the recall?

AF
Click to expand...

We've had the car since new and received several recall notices, but never for the engine harness. I asked 1st Ford about harness recall and they were not aware of it for the V6. Could it have been just for the 4-pot?

Sleepy in Seattle
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top