99 Ford ZX2 Escort high idle (gasket, fuel, exhaust, engine)
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2.0 Zetech motor. Car has been running like crap and giving a O2 Sensor code for a month. Today belt tensioner broke so 3 hours under the hood replacing that and belt. Code went a way but car bucks like crazy, can only keep it under control in 4th gear. Stalls out every stop sign. Tryed to get the MAF sensor off, couldn't. What quick fix could I do just to get me to the DR.s tommorow. What'll settle that idle down, adjustment screw?, unplug a sensor?
Have you checked for vacuum leaks? Did you maybe disturb something while working on the belt tensioner?
Many shops around here will waive the tow-in charge if you have them fix the car.
Seems to me that a new O2 sensor is going to have to be part of the fix.
Full disclosure - my comments are based on general automotive knowledge, not hands-on work on the 2.0 Zetech engine. With which I have no experience at all.
I'm not to good at checking vacuum leaks but have noticed that sometimes I take off a hose and plug it it settles the idle down (on other cars). Do you suppose it hurt to drive it like that for 50 or so miles? I just don't want to overheat or jump time.
If you had an O2 code before, could be you were running rich which caused unspent fuel to ignite in your cat which then melted and is clogging up the exhaust stream. Just one of the possibilities, of course...
For vacuum leaks look on the front side of the engine. I helped a friend out with a vacuum leak, it was between the radiator and engine, a little line that bumps the exhaust or something and melts it. While try to figure out the part number saw it wasn't uncommon. This was on a 99 zx2
Find your vacuum hose leak. A hose is either off, brittle and cracked or thereabouts. Or maybe a bad intake mani gasket leak.
Definitely not caused by an O2 sensor, but that sensor certainly is doing its job and picking up excess oxygen in the exhaust stream somewhere behind the MAF sensor.
Good luck.
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