Need help with where to start . . .

[Destron]

Hi, I am new to this site but find it quite interesting

Anyway, I have a 1995 Ford Contour with a Zetec 2 Litre engine and it runs great, but the CEL started to come on recently, at first every now and then, now it comes on everytime. When I start the car and let it idle, it does not come on, but once I take off and start driving around it comes on and stays on. I checked the codes and this is what I got:

157 Mass Airflow (MAF) sensor Circuit below minimum voltage below
214 Cylander Identification Circuit (CID) Failure
327 EGR (EGRP/EVP/PFE/DPFE) below minimum voltage
335 EGR (EVP) voltage lower than expected

The car runs and sounds great with no apparant problems, the engine does not make any noises or anything, the only other strange behaviour I get is sometime when I go to stop the car will just die, but it starts right back up with no problem.

I have noticed that when it does the voltage drops sharply, is usually runs about 14.2 - 14.5 but when I go to stop it will suddenly drop to around 12 volts and the car will die. But when I start it back up its back to around the 14 area.

Any help with this issue would be appreciated.

 

[Tony2005]

Welcome .

Charge battery well, then test battery and alternator. Post results and go from there.


Edit
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.

 

[Destron]

OK, I did that, and the voltage was fine, 12.6 on the battery test and 14.5 on the alternator test, but the problem seems intermittent . . .

The brings me back to a problem I had with another car, a 96 Couger . . . while driving around the voltage would slowly drain and the car would die, and not start again. However if you let it set an hour or so or jumped it off it would be OK. This would come and go, some days it would be fine, other days the problem would return. The alternator was tested on 4 diiferent occasions 2 on the car and 2 off the car and tested good everytime. When I was finally at my wits end and called to take it in the mechanic urged me to change the alternator first . . . and all my problems were gone.

Do you think it could be another alternator issue that comes and goes?

 

[Tony2005]

...
Do you think it could be another alternator issue that comes and goes?

Could be. Check/change Fuse 5 if you have foglights.

 

[Pale Horse]

This sounds more to me like a really dirty MAF sensor causing the car to die when you are braking to stop. Remove the MAF and clean it with electronics cleaner in a can. Spray it on liberally. There is no need to remove the sensor itself from the MAF housing. Don't bend or brake the sensor!
Secondly, remove your throttle body and clean it with some Berrymans Cleaner. I bet all the EGR passages are clogged up with carbon. Make sure you have a spare throttle body gasket if it is jacked up beyond a good seal. It probably wouldn't hurt to replace the PCV valve as well. Just some things to mull over.