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95 Mystique engine issue

6

64bit939

New CEG'er
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
8
Location
NY
So I think I have the record of the worst luck with my car.


I was driving down a hill when all of a sudden my brakes tighten up bad (like push as hard as you can and all though it slows the car down it doesn't do it fast) well I was 5 mins from home and was running late so I turned around parked the car at my house and took my wifes car. 3 weeks later I found time to work on my car, which was what I thought, a brake booster line that was cracked on the UIM, simple black tape just to check if that is the fix, get in the car and start it, well now the battery is dead. OK jump start with my wifes car, with no success. invite a friend with bigger car to jump it, no luck. yet another friend with a truck and a tire and pushed the car, well it started!! but, now miss firing, also nasty engine noise. waited 15 mins just thinking maybe oil was not coming up in the engine, needless to say the oil was there, kept it running for a total of 20 mins shut the car off ( also the engine didnt want to run, so I had to keep my foot on the gas just for it to stay alive.), and tried to start again, but cant start it. I know the problems are not related, but what gets me is how can engine damage happen when the car hasn't been running? I mean minus the brakes the car was running good when I parked it, now it sounds and feels like the engine is about to shoot a piston.... any thoughts? I was thinking this could be the timing tensioner that didn't pull the timing chain tight therefore chain slap, and miss firing due to lack of timing? please help as the car is in great shape and I would hate to throw it out over something simple.


Thanks!
 
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Welcome :) . First of all, charge up the battery and test it. If the battery is shot, you could have problems with stalling engines. You may have a massive vacuum leak somewhere.

Scan for CEL codes and post.

1995 OBD I, you can use a paperclip and count the flashes on the dashboard or buy a $30 Ford OBD I scanner.

Link to OBD I testing. The connector is located on the driver side strut tower.
http://www.thorssell.net/hbook/eectest.html

Edit. Autozone link
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1b/cc/1c/0900823d801bcc1c.jsp

Start by charging the battery well. Then test the battery and alternator.

Charge the battery well, then test battery and alternator.

Battery test. Engine off, headlights on for one minute. Voltage across battery terminals should be 12 to 12.5.

Alternator test. Engine running, voltage across battery terminals should be 14 to 14.5.
 
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The battery was bad but the new battery is fine but with same issue. the alternator is new and also tested fine. I didnt know about the I didnt know about the OBD1 self testing I will try that tonight. there was no flashing CEL although with it mis firing I would think there woiuld have been.
 
here are some pics of what I found last night, although once I took the cover off I realized something, if it was the timing chain tensioner I couldnt find out with the engine off as there is no oil pressure to keep tension on the chain. the only other thing I can think of is maybe there wasnt enough pressure ( like oil was low) for the tensioners to tighten the chain when I ran it. kinda running out of options now. and thoughts would be very helpful

http://trudellbio.com/micah/video1.3gp <--- this is a quicktime video of how much the chain moves





pic1.jpg
 
I believe that chain is OK, the tensioner does not come on until oil pressure comes up. (I hope you didn't accidentally over-rev the engine while keeping it running) A large vacuum leak could cause it to run bad and EGR stuck open would do that too.
 
how would I find out if the egr is stuck open? would a leak create a nasty noise? I understand idle being bad, but a noise like the engine was about to blow?
 
A big leak in the EGR pipe would make noise (exhaust leak), stuck EGR causes stalling. A spun bearing makes a loud tapping from below. Clutch throwout bearing can knock (push clutch in will stop), not usually very loud though.
 
So how does a car that has been sitting spin a bearing? I covered the tips of the exhaust with 2 pieces of wood real quick to see if I could hear a leak somewhere else. well I couldnt the car just stalled with it. so there is no exhaust leak, and I am really not believing a bearing going bad while it is just sitting, but then again, I am running out of options at this point.
 
It really didn't sit very long. You could put the car on ramps and listen where the noise is from. Also, maybe have a shop look at it/check oil pressure.
 
you just said the S word in my book, I hate going to a shop to figure something I can hopefully do. I will find some friends 1 to keep the car running, another to help me hear.
 
Im sure you did all this, but I'd start at the begining again and double check everything. Could be a short, bad insulation thing. If you moved wires around that could have done it.

Battery dead, did you have a problem with it before? You said that your battery was bad, but now new, i think, and the altenator was good. Why was the battery bad? was it old?

Then the basice of fuel, spark, and compression. Check timing by mark and TDC or so of the #1 piston. All the basic stuff. I only say this because in looking for solutions sometimes we over look the basics and in doing that the cause. If you can turn over the engine pull the plugs and since you have the top end open you should see the oil pressure spin up.

It sounds like a very possible electrical issue. They can cause many wierd problems. Unfortunately vacuum can also. You really need another pair of hands to help with this stuff.

Just thinking out loud.......
 
A bad starter drive (the part that engages the flywheel) is often the culprit with the sound you describe. Some have experienced flywheel damage but it is the exception rather then the rule. Go get a new starter and clean your connections.
jeff
 
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