Lack of power

[mclovin9091]

Ok first off i have done a search for my problem but couldn't find one similar to mine.

 

its an escort 1.6 N reg

 

When in neutral, the car idles slightly roughly but stays below 1000RPM and above 500, it will rev smoothly all the way up to 6000+

 

In gear (1st+2nd) considerable lack of power but smooth acceleration no flat spots

 

3rd and 4th very little acceleration and occassionaly jerky for half a second or so seems as though there is not enough fuel getting through/ running out of fuel

 

5th just about holds speed i am at and no acceleration whatsoever.

 

The clutch is on its way out but i doubt thats the problem as there is no clutch slip, the revs correspond with road speed.

 

There does apprear to be a slight blow from the exhaust/intake but i can't find it.

 

The possible faults i have came across are MAF, ICV, sticking valves and blocked cat.

 

Could it be anything else?

Cheers in advance for any help/ suggestions

[mclovin9091]

Right today i:

 

removed and refitted the cat, mid section and back box and changed the gaskets.

Replaced the air intake pipe, air filter, airbox and ICV with known working ones (from my other escort 1.6)

Adjusted the clutch (works better now so probably don't need to change it)

Replaced fuel filter and spark plugs also from other car (they were brand new anyway)

Removed the MAF electrical connector and that allowed the engine to idle smoothly but the lack of power was still there.

 

Would it be visually noticeable if the cat was blocked? as when i looked at the exit of it, the mesh inside was intact and nothing fell out of the other end where the lambda sensor is.

 

The only other thing im thinking of is the lambda sensor is fooked but i can't change that until next week. or i could take it to a garage i really dont want to

 

ANY IDEAS????

[stuey650]

could you not have swapped the cat with the other escort aswell to eliminate that as it does sound like that.

 

I doubt its lambda, im my expierence a dodgy lambda just overfuels that car and doesn't have a noticable difference on performance.

 

Does that car ever misfire, or splutter?

[mclovin9091]

Don't have the cat, im up in glasgow this week and ma other one is in dartford just chucked the other stuff in the boot before i travelled.

 

Doesn't misfire or splutter but in 3rd+4th occasionally when trying to accelerate it seems as though there isn't enough fuel getting through.

[mclovin9091]

Ok todays change:

 

Gave the engine a flush with Wynns engine flush and then changed the oil, filter and sump plug. as you can probably tell im working my way from least expensive to most expensive next on the list is a new cat for £60 as i don't really think i should swap the one from my other escort as its done 76,000 miles plus id need to get back down to dartford to change it.

 

Also found out that the radiator has split and i'll need to change that as well. Happy days, Yep still not much power either.

[Tez162003]

has the car always been like this? or has it developed this problem?

 

Id put it down too you drive a 1.6 escort, they aint fast. lol but if it is a new problem and the car felt better before then id say the cat myself. By a decat and be done with it!

[mclovin9091]

Wouldn't know, just bought the car on Saturday. It was a quick buy as i needed to get to glasgow only cost £300 and a little bit of rust. When i say there is little acceleration i mean a little. For example

 

My last escort would go to just under 30 in 1st, 55 in 2nd, would easily get to 70+ in 3rd and would continue to pull in 4th and 5th, with top speedo reading over 110+ MPH (on an airfield)

This one just over 25 in 1st and 50 in 2nd, takes about 10 seconds to get from 50 to 60 in 3rd, very little pull in 4th and none at all in 5th and can't get over 95 MPH (on same airfield)

 

Both are 1.6s, standard air intake, similar mileage, no mods.

 

Also decided to replace the cat today as that was the next thing on my list and have noticed a slight improvement in power, doesn't quite take 10 seconds to get from 50 to 60.

 

When i get back to dartford i'll be changing the coil pack, alternator and anything else i can pull off ma other car.

[mclovin9091]

No engine work today just a bit of cosmetic rust prevention and curing. Car seems slightly more responsive but still lacking a lot of power can only think now that it must be a blocked/ damaged vacum pipe but wihich one still eludes me. This is turning into a bit of a project thread.

[stoney]

the only side the cat would be blocked from is the engine side so no u wouldnt see it and from the other end i may well look in tact. i would advise just takin the down pipe off or reoving the lambda sensor from the exhaust and nippin it round the block to see if there is any improvement if yes then uve got a blocked kitty cat.

 

if its the plastic inlet manifold version of the zetec there is a breather pipe wich comes from the back of the inlet manifold and goe to the breather system near the block/coilpack this pipe normaly goes soft and sticks together or even splits to cause an air leak wich will cause weak mixture etc.

[mclovin9091]

Changed the cat the other day, gave a bit better performance. Its got the metal EFI inlet.

 

Measured my 0-60 time just to give a better guide as to how bad the problem is and my 0-60 time on a flat clear road was just under 26 seconds. YES 26 foooooking long seconds. that was 1st+2nd to 50 MPH and 3rd upto 60. Short of an engine swap from my other escort i dunno what to do. Practically i don't have the time or tools to do it, so its off to the garage tomorrow to find out exactly whats wrong. (hopefully)

[mclovin9091]

right been to the garage got codes:

 

171 Lambda Sensor (right)

157 Low voltage MAF sensor

452 Vehcile speed sensor

172 Lambda Senor (right) too lean

 

So i'm going to change the speed sensor next week and hope that solves the problem, may as well change the lambda while im at it.

[Stu]

Speed sensor is nothing to do with it. You should clear the codes down and go back in a week to get them read again and see which ones are actually current.

[mrfixit]

right been to the garage got codes:

 

171 Lambda Sensor (right)

157 Low voltage MAF sensor

452 Vehcile speed sensor

172 Lambda Senor (right) too lean

 

So i'm going to change the speed sensor next week and hope that solves the problem, may as well change the lambda while im at it.

171 Lambda Sensor (right)..............fule system at adaptive limit/no h02s switching detected

157 Low voltage MAF sensor...........mass air flow sensor circuit below minimum voltage

452 Vehcile speed sensor................insurfficient input from vehicle speed sensor to pcm

172 Lambda Senor (right)............... too lean......ho2s system indicates lean

 

this what the codes mean i dont know if this helps but i would go for a lambda senor first the rest of the code should clear when you change the lambda

[Stu]

The MAF is the most likely culprit there...... the other two have no effect at full throttle.

[mrfixit]

The MAF is the most likely culprit there...... the other two have no effect at full throttle.

dident he already say that he change the maf out for one he know that works but no change