1999 Ford Escort Flight 1.6 - is it OBD-I or OBD-II?

[JC]

where about are you?

 

As have tool reader, tools etc

[mosis]

SOLVED.

 

I fitted the new lambda sensor this evening, and the car drives like a dream now, no more hesitation when pulling away, idling at normal revs (before it would change from 800 to 1,000 odd revs every second while I was waiting at traffic lights).

 

 

To anybody else who has similar problems, I recommend temporarily unplugging the lambda sensor electrical cable, then drive the car for five or ten minutes. If the ECU doesn't get a signal from the lambda sensor it will automatically revert to a rich mixture, and if your symptoms go away when you unplug the sensor, then the sensor is most likely at fault.

 

Another little hint: I tried to unscrew the sensor on Saturday, but no luck. Today (Monday) I tried again, this time I used a breaker bar on the spanner, and used the round end (I don't think it wouldn't have undone if I'd used the open end, but obviously the round end is better if you can use it, and as I had already cut off the cable to attach it to the new sensor, I could get the round one on), and it started to undo the first time I pulled it - so I think the penetrating oil had worked its magic over the weekend, plus the breaker bar gave me that extra leverage that I needed.

 

If only somebody had suggested I temporarily unplug the lambda sensor way back when somebody here first suggested it might be the cause of the fault, I would have had a working car several months ago.

 

Thanks for all your help guys (and gals!), the car drives like a dream now, not bad for a T reg that only cost £500 odd.