1989 Escort Puzzler (spark plugs, fuel, buy, engine)

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I sure need some help.

As previously posted, my step son's 1989 Escort was severely cutting our when started cold. The tachometer bounced around and gas sputtered into the EFI bowl. Changed the throttle position sensor and no good. The fuel pump was checked and it worked fine. Then, a mechanic changed something called the Ignition Sensor and it worked perfect for 7 days and then went back to what it was doing before. They bench checked the new sensor and it seems fine. What wlsw could be causing this? My thinking is that the sensor they replaced went bad. The mechanic is stumped.

Any thoughts?

[BLAZER PROPHET]

OK, how's this...

I just spoke with a service manager at a local Ford dealership. He tells me he doubts the ingition sensor went bad and that the most likely culprit is the processor on the main computer. Cost to diagnose ($95) and cost to replace ($400).

Does this make sense?

[M3 Mitch]

I would not go with the Ford dealer's recommendation. IIRC this car does have trouble codes, you need to read the codes. It's OBD-I so should be readable like similar era BMW cars - you just have to know the "tick" to get the light flashing and telling you what the computer is seeing.

Before I'd pay Ford to do what they propose, I'd buy a computer from the junkyard, swap it out, and see if there is any change. If not, you now have a spare computer.

There may very well be a bad connection that the mechanic disturbed, but didn't completely clean, when changing the ignition sensor. That the car worked right for 7 days is a good clue.

If you haven't already, do or have done a proper tuneup, including checking grounds voltages while cranking and running, etc.

If you don't at least have a Haynes or Chilton manual for this car, get one, it will be money well spent.

I'm not sure I follow what you mean by "The tachometer bounced around and gas sputtered into the EFI bowl." The tach bouncing I understand, but what do you mean by gas sputtering into the EFI bowl?

IIRC this car runs fine when warmed up?

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

I would not go with the Ford dealer's recommendation. IIRC this car does have trouble codes, you need to read the codes. It's OBD-I so should be readable like similar era BMW cars - you just have to know the "tick" to get the light flashing and telling you what the computer is seeing.

Before I'd pay Ford to do what they propose, I'd buy a computer from the junkyard, swap it out, and see if there is any change. If not, you now have a spare computer.

There may very well be a bad connection that the mechanic disturbed, but didn't completely clean, when changing the ignition sensor. That the car worked right for 7 days is a good clue.

If you haven't already, do or have done a proper tuneup, including checking grounds voltages while cranking and running, etc.

If you don't at least have a Haynes or Chilton manual for this car, get one, it will be money well spent.

I'm not sure I follow what you mean by "The tachometer bounced around and gas sputtered into the EFI bowl." The tach bouncing I understand, but what do you mean by gas sputtering into the EFI bowl?

IIRC this car runs fine when warmed up?

I have to admit I do not know what IIRC means.

As to the gas, when I take off the air filter the gas sprays into a single bowl from multiple ports. When started cold the gas sputters in rather than streaming in.

As to your other advice, I am greatly appreciative.

[M3 Mitch]

IIRC = If I Recall Correctly.

Ok, on the fuel injector spray, if it's not looking right with the car cold, but, is spraying normally with the car warm, this is probably your problem. Just have to find out what exactly is causing it.

Then again, depending on what exactly you are seeing, it may be normal operation of the cold-start injector, if this outfit has one.

Another possibility is that the tach signal to the fuel system is not good when the car is cold. I don't know why it would be a problem only when the car is cold, though.

So, does the car run more or less normally when warmed up?

Do you have a Check Engine Light lit up?

How old is your fuel filter?

Do you have any deferred maintenance issues - old spark plugs, old filters, etc?

Frequently when a car won't start well when cold, but otherwise runs well, the *computer* temp sending unit (as opposed to the one that feeds the dash gauge or idiot light) is to blame. But don't go changing that on a guess. A manual will give correct resistance readings hot and cold for this item.

Good luck. Get a manual, methodically check everything, this isn't that complex a system. I am about 99% sure you have a problem code that you can read, if you figure out how to read them. That should be in the manual as well.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

IIRC = If I Recall Correctly.

Ok, on the fuel injector spray, if it's not looking right with the car cold, but, is spraying normally with the car warm, this is probably your problem. Just have to find out what exactly is causing it.

Then again, depending on what exactly you are seeing, it may be normal operation of the cold-start injector, if this outfit has one.

Another possibility is that the tach signal to the fuel system is not good when the car is cold. I don't know why it would be a problem only when the car is cold, though.

So, does the car run more or less normally when warmed up?

Do you have a Check Engine Light lit up?

How old is your fuel filter?

Do you have any deferred maintenance issues - old spark plugs, old filters, etc?

Frequently when a car won't start well when cold, but otherwise runs well, the *computer* temp sending unit (as opposed to the one that feeds the dash gauge or idiot light) is to blame. But don't go changing that on a guess. A manual will give correct resistance readings hot and cold for this item.

Good luck. Get a manual, methodically check everything, this isn't that complex a system. I am about 99% sure you have a problem code that you can read, if you figure out how to read them. That should be in the manual as well.

Mitch, thanks again.

The car has a recent tuneup (5,000 miles ago) and runs terrific when warm. But the cold starting problem is so bad sometimes he never can get it started. I'll followup on some of your suggestions.

[okie333]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

I have to admit I do not know what IIRC means.

As to the gas, when I take off the air filter the gas sprays into a single bowl from multiple ports. When started cold the gas sputters in rather than streaming in.

As to your other advice, I am greatly appreciative.

sounds like the injectors need to be replaced if what Mitch mentioned isn't the culprit ( which most likely is)

[M3 Mitch]

Not sure if your mechanic checked this, but it might be worthwhile to check the fuel pressure on a stone cold engine.

The bouncing tach and the "sputtering" fuel delivery when cold may mean the computer (and the tach) are not getting the signal from the coil/ignition sensor consistently when cold.

Try cleaning the connectors, using Contact Gold, which you can get from Radio Shack. Second reason to think this is the car ran well after replacing the Ignition Sensor. Even unplugging and re-plugging it a few times may help.

Does the car run well *all* of the time except when first started from cold?

Do you store this car outside or in a garage? Are you in a humid climate? How old/good are your spark plug wires? If possible, bring in into the garage and see if that cures the problem - if so, probably plug wires are weak.

Start the car after dark, open the hood, in a dark area. If your plug wires are bad you'll see the leakage - sparks and/or glow around the wires.

You may have injector cleanliness issues but if it runs well warm, I doubt it.

Does the car run well at full throttle? I mean when warm.

[KevK]

When somebody says "Escort" and "Trouble", I think "Hamburger" and "Fries"!

[yo vanilla]

Have you tried running a bottle of heet through the tank? Just for kicks. But we are talking about a 20 year old car here and it's likely there is all kinds of water vapor in the fuel system. Never good for cold starts. Also I would not count out the possiblility of dirty injectors; on the next tank dump a bottle of Seafoam in. Beyond what Mich has already said that's my cheap and quick advice.