Blackcoog
Hard-core CEG'er
Looking for some feedback on a car I'm trying to troubleshoot. It's a 98 SVT with a 07 Escape motor. Heads are ported out (porting plates stuck to heads with gasket maker) so it's running SVT intakes (still has 3L cams). It's been running/driving fine for 2 years now.
Recently the car has had a lower than normal idle and the engine is shaking a bit (occasional stall). I pulled the codes (CEL light wasn't on so I'm guessing some dumb ass pulled the bulb) and it had codes for bad upper o2's on both upper banks. I replaced and now codes are P0174 and a P0171 (lean both banks). I figure its a vacuum leak so I get some carb cleaner and spray it near spots that could leak. The engine revs when it is sprayed under the fuel rail/lower intake/head area so a vacuum leak is confirmed. It will rev wen sprayed from far left (engine mount) or far right side (throttle body) of upper intake into the valley area (very odd). I figure it could be PCV box so I block the PCV off completely (remove from intake and block breather lines). It still revs when sprayed under there. It can't be PCV if no vacuum is going to the PCV box to suck it into the intake. I pull the upper and lower intakes off and check the gaskets. One gasket had a slight tear so I replace with a used one I had(still no change). I pulled the injectors. Some o-rings looked bad so I replaced (no change). I used gasket maker around the two lower intake to head (porting plates) gaskets (no change). Spraying at the upper to lower intake gasket doesn't do anything so I think that is safe. It seems to be around the lower to head but I don't understand why. The intake is tightened down in sequence and looks great. I checked the plates and lower intake for flatness and it looks good. There is a vacuum leak down there but I can't find it. I suppose the car could have been running lean for quite some time. CEL hasn't been there to tell the owner there is an issue. Could there be a leak through a head gasket that would cause this? Car drives perfectly normal above idle at speed. No odd noises other than what seems to be a vacuum hiss we can't pinpoint. Anyone have any suggestions, tips, or tricks to find the issue?
Next I'm going to try removing the porting plates and re-sealing them to the heads and then installing a new set of LIM gaskets. One idea I have is that the injectors are still leaking in the LIM area. They are 19lb orange mustang injectors which are fatter than normal SVT injectors and for some reason seem slightly shorter than normal (will compare to normal ones if I find a set). They seem to move up and down more than normal but should still be sealing (no fuel coming out and I pushed them down into the LIM to make sure they were sealing). Another idea I have is that the intake is hitting the front valve cover. 06+ 3L valve covers sit higher so I had a welder friend of mine cut the humps off and lower them so the 2.5L intake would clear. You can't use 2.5L cover or older 3L covers on the front because ford added another bolt hole on the covers/head and moved the water pump to the front exhaust cam (also can't use SVT cams). I'm not sure why clearance would change after 2 years but maybe heat was the culprit. I think this is far fetched but I'll check it anyway.
It is a step-brother-in-law of mine so I'm helping out to be nice. Although, they did popped me $20 and a case of beer (Mich Golden Light Bottles). I suppose it's been about 20 hours of work so far... Time to go drink.
Recently the car has had a lower than normal idle and the engine is shaking a bit (occasional stall). I pulled the codes (CEL light wasn't on so I'm guessing some dumb ass pulled the bulb) and it had codes for bad upper o2's on both upper banks. I replaced and now codes are P0174 and a P0171 (lean both banks). I figure its a vacuum leak so I get some carb cleaner and spray it near spots that could leak. The engine revs when it is sprayed under the fuel rail/lower intake/head area so a vacuum leak is confirmed. It will rev wen sprayed from far left (engine mount) or far right side (throttle body) of upper intake into the valley area (very odd). I figure it could be PCV box so I block the PCV off completely (remove from intake and block breather lines). It still revs when sprayed under there. It can't be PCV if no vacuum is going to the PCV box to suck it into the intake. I pull the upper and lower intakes off and check the gaskets. One gasket had a slight tear so I replace with a used one I had(still no change). I pulled the injectors. Some o-rings looked bad so I replaced (no change). I used gasket maker around the two lower intake to head (porting plates) gaskets (no change). Spraying at the upper to lower intake gasket doesn't do anything so I think that is safe. It seems to be around the lower to head but I don't understand why. The intake is tightened down in sequence and looks great. I checked the plates and lower intake for flatness and it looks good. There is a vacuum leak down there but I can't find it. I suppose the car could have been running lean for quite some time. CEL hasn't been there to tell the owner there is an issue. Could there be a leak through a head gasket that would cause this? Car drives perfectly normal above idle at speed. No odd noises other than what seems to be a vacuum hiss we can't pinpoint. Anyone have any suggestions, tips, or tricks to find the issue?
Next I'm going to try removing the porting plates and re-sealing them to the heads and then installing a new set of LIM gaskets. One idea I have is that the injectors are still leaking in the LIM area. They are 19lb orange mustang injectors which are fatter than normal SVT injectors and for some reason seem slightly shorter than normal (will compare to normal ones if I find a set). They seem to move up and down more than normal but should still be sealing (no fuel coming out and I pushed them down into the LIM to make sure they were sealing). Another idea I have is that the intake is hitting the front valve cover. 06+ 3L valve covers sit higher so I had a welder friend of mine cut the humps off and lower them so the 2.5L intake would clear. You can't use 2.5L cover or older 3L covers on the front because ford added another bolt hole on the covers/head and moved the water pump to the front exhaust cam (also can't use SVT cams). I'm not sure why clearance would change after 2 years but maybe heat was the culprit. I think this is far fetched but I'll check it anyway.
It is a step-brother-in-law of mine so I'm helping out to be nice. Although, they did popped me $20 and a case of beer (Mich Golden Light Bottles). I suppose it's been about 20 hours of work so far... Time to go drink.
