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

    You can register to join the community.

Finally Stumped...

fun2b1

New CEG'er
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
11
:help: :help: Got a 98 zetec with atx and about 130,000 miles, also has vct. so since replacing the timing belts and pullies,the water pump, the head gasket ( head only out .004 in but had milled and rebuilt with new valve seals), the plugs, wires, coil, air filter, exhaust manifold gasket, intake plenum gaskets, the monstrosity cooling junction, the upper coolant bypass pipe.... and then checking.... the MAF( SPOTLESS), IAC (light carbon deposits... cleaned out) ... I' m stumped... it lopes within 3-5 min of starting the car... and continues to go from a normal idle down to sputtering and struggling not to stall.. then spikes back to regular idle.. and continues this pattern.. tho sometimes AFTER it has run for awhile ~30 min it'll run fine no matter WHAT you throw at it...slow turns to 0-60 speed tests...lol.. no missing or hesitation or idle getting sluggish... NOTHING... from 5mph to 85mph not a single hesitation...but if I shut it off wait about 30min-1hr.... and it's back to the same ole loping problem and black smoke... there's no sputtering at wot.. it DID throw two codes.. which is what is stumping me.... P1131, P1130... which would mean its running lean.. BUT I pulled the plugs and they're COVERED in BLACK deposits... (which I thought meant it was running rich)...I tried the propane thing and carb cleaner looking for vacuum leaks.. and nothing.. I'd think the fuel filter or fuel pump if it didn't smooth out...but it DOES smooth out for a period of time..with no exact cause.. it jsut seems like once it gegts hot and you blip the throttle it'll even out... the MAF seems touchy. though I know nothing about them... but the smallest shake and it seems to want to die out.. I've cleaned any wiring harness I can find with contact cleaner. and greased them to prevent further corrosion...couple of questions.. I have an oem o2 sensor coming tomorrow..along with replacing the f'd up plugs and the pcv valve... but other than everything I have listed and the symptoms.. can ANYONE think of what may be causing this problem.... thanx in advance
 
Last edited:
your on the right track, changing the the pvc and fuel filter should def be next. After those I suggest checking the Throttle position sensor, and searching for coroded wires throughout the car.
 
stumped...

stumped...

:shrug: any ideas as to why it would make the car think it's lean and in reality it's running rich????
 
faulty O2 sensor or a leak in the exhaust manifold before the O2 sensor. either would cause the PCM to think there is more Oxygen in the exhaust then there really is. the PCM then adds fuel to compensate for it. it then reads rich and lowers the fuel input. thus you could get a surging/hunting idle. since it goes away when it warm i would be suspicious of a small crack in the manifold. when it heats up the manifold expands just enough to seal the leak stopping your problem. after letting it sit for a little bit the manifold has cooled off enough to open the leak again.

i would see what an exhaust monifold costs from a junkyard. they shouldnt be too expensive.

edit: when you put the head back on did you use a new exhaust manifold gasket or the old one?
 
a new one... and it doesn't run good forever it'll run good for ~30 min the start to sputter again.. and if it was a crack wouldn't I see the same black soot seeping out from somewhere?.. like blown exhaust gaskets that I've seen.. that's why I'm not really leaning towards the crack in the exhaust manifold... and what would be the reasons for the lean codes???
 
a crack in the exhaust manifold actually sucks air into the manifold. if its before the O2 sensor then the sensor will read that there is more air (lean) than there should be.

since what your saying seams to be more intermintant then i would look at the O2 sensor. make sure all the connectors for the O2 sensor are tight and there is no corrosion in them. you may just want to replace it however its about $70 IIRC
 
ok now down to cost.. the"oe" one that I was told is coming in.. is ACTUALLY a bosch # 13115 so is that ok or should I return it and go get teh motorcrat one for $115... also just to clarify its not so intermittent... it will happen every time I start the car... it seems to be when certain conditions are right that it smooths out and doesn't have any issues...and while it's running rough I have to blip the throttle... then it runs smooth... so I unno if I've left anythign out if I have please feel free to ask.. I'll give as much info as i can....

oh and what's iirc????

BTW IT WAS A PRODUCTION DATE OF 05/1997 MAY not NOV
 
Last edited:
well then.... yeah.. found a hairline crack on the underside of the exhaust manifold... looking REALLY close on the inside you can see it goes all the way through....going to look for one soon... good call striker.... it was on the opposite side of the o2 sensor... well hope i can find one and it works.. in the mean time I've ordered the motorcraft o2 sensor... installed the new pcv valve... anything else i should look for????
 
MOTHER@#$()%&

MOTHER@#$()%&

well got a new motorcraft 02 sensor and an exhaust manifold from the junkyard... strangely it seems to have a crack forming at the same spot... on the underside of the manifold between cyl 2&3 more on cyl 2 right across from the o2 sensor... ( is this a common problem??? and now that everythign is back together.. no more loping idle issues.. but the exhaust does sound louder and now it's throwing a code p0136.. any new ideas???? if possible I'd like to stay away from a mil eliminator.. I have found a catco & an eastern cat and downpipe for around $320 -$370 here so if it's the cat I'd rather have it done right and replace it. any more advice would be greatly appreciated...
 
P0136 Downstream O2 sensor circuit fault. Check if wiring/connector is broken or maybe the O2 sensor has a broken tip. You may need a new sensor if wiring/connector is not broken.
 
update

update

well we cleared the code.. and nothing has come back yet.. tho the exhaust does seem louder... any chance the false lean condition and the excessive fuel could have blown a hole in the cat??? did reseat connector with some dielectric grease since the splash shield is gone.. and code has not come back for about a week
 
there is a very real possibility that the cat has melted down suffeciently to make a hole. the cat will run hotter when the engine is running rich cause it has to do more work to get ride of the extra fuel.
 
the exhaust as I've said is louder than it was when we got the car.. it doesn't have a tuned exhaust.. it's stock.. but when you rev it it sounds like a tuned car... would a hole in the cat give it a high exhaust note??(like a honda with an exhaust system). and would a hole in the cat trigger the p0136??
 
Back
Top