I have a 97 ford contour with 63000 miles on it.engine light was on with cyl 1 misfire code. changed plugs and wires and erased code. idles ok in park or nuetral but in gear its rough. Cleaned maf but didn't help. i can hear a tapping on the timing belt cover like something is hitting it but took it off and didn't see nothing except the belt was bouncing around a little in between the gears. would this cause rough idle? or maybe dirty fuel injectors? thanks for any advice..had the rough idle before new plugs and wires but didnt fix the idle problem
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Rough Idle
- Thread starter contour97
- Start date
Your timing belt is bouncing around? Or is the belt frayed and looks like a bouncing effect?
1st off I would inspect that belt, it is not cause unless you jumped a tooth, but you would not want it to break on the road...
If the coils can be moved around, move #1 to another location, clear codes and see if it follows the coil, coils when failing can start to show symptoms under a load, reason why idle may still be good. If that doesn't reveal anything continue...
Take spray bottle of water or oil and aim around #1 intake and injector, note any raise or lowering of RPM, would depend if you used water or spray oil, water it would go down and oil may rise with solvents if there were an intake manifold leak. Any vacuum runners near #1, if they are leaking could cause performance issues...
If that didn't reveal anything, compression test, all plugs out after a warmed up engine, pull connector to coil pack off so you don't get zapped by a plug wire, fuel pump fuse too if you can access it, and wire open the throttle while testing, somewhere in neighborhood of 150-160# would be good reading, taking off top of my head from previous experience...
If still stumped then injector or some other electrical component or connection, but try what I posted and see if those steps take you in right direction... good luck...
Also when looking around an engine compartment if you think you see a ground connection that may be corroded, clean it up, sand down bolt-where it connects-connector and grease them up and re-connect.. remember the negative on a battery is where all the power comes from, that is where the excess of electrons are stored and even some techs will overlook a bad ground when troubleshooting...
1st off I would inspect that belt, it is not cause unless you jumped a tooth, but you would not want it to break on the road...
If the coils can be moved around, move #1 to another location, clear codes and see if it follows the coil, coils when failing can start to show symptoms under a load, reason why idle may still be good. If that doesn't reveal anything continue...
Take spray bottle of water or oil and aim around #1 intake and injector, note any raise or lowering of RPM, would depend if you used water or spray oil, water it would go down and oil may rise with solvents if there were an intake manifold leak. Any vacuum runners near #1, if they are leaking could cause performance issues...
If that didn't reveal anything, compression test, all plugs out after a warmed up engine, pull connector to coil pack off so you don't get zapped by a plug wire, fuel pump fuse too if you can access it, and wire open the throttle while testing, somewhere in neighborhood of 150-160# would be good reading, taking off top of my head from previous experience...
If still stumped then injector or some other electrical component or connection, but try what I posted and see if those steps take you in right direction... good luck...
Also when looking around an engine compartment if you think you see a ground connection that may be corroded, clean it up, sand down bolt-where it connects-connector and grease them up and re-connect.. remember the negative on a battery is where all the power comes from, that is where the excess of electrons are stored and even some techs will overlook a bad ground when troubleshooting...
the belt looks like it wobbles i guess, kinda hard to explain. i rubbed my finger across the sides and got a piece or metal or wire stuck in my finger so i guess its worn. Only idle in gear is rough, as soon as i give it gas and even if i stomp on the gas it drives perfect. I accelerated quickly up to 55 and no problems, just at a stop in gear while idleing, so not sure if the coil idea is the problem. i sprayed a bottle of soapy water around the plugs and stuff but couldn't see any changes. I should also mention that the car has sat at my work for the past 5 years only being driven about 10-15 miles a week just to keep it running. That's why i'm kinda suspecting a dirty injector but wasn't sure if a dirty injector would cause rough idle in gear but not nuetral or under load.
1 comment I will make about the short trips is that it wreaks havoc on the catalytic convertor, they need to get up to operating temperature and run a good 15-20 minutes there to keep them clear of unburned hydrocarbons, many of the cars you get behind in traffic that have the egg smell are cars that only take short trips, that is a good 45-60 minute drive, once a month, drive out to some favorite spot for dinner or a view...
but gas sitting for unknown length of time, breaking down hydrocarbon chains, and if not full will take on extra moisture and make the car run like crap too..
if you don't need the car, drive it for a week to see if it clears up and get rid of it, those short trips may start to cost you some money... <3
but gas sitting for unknown length of time, breaking down hydrocarbon chains, and if not full will take on extra moisture and make the car run like crap too..
if you don't need the car, drive it for a week to see if it clears up and get rid of it, those short trips may start to cost you some money... <3
i just bought the car for $300, a lady lived at an apartment complex i work at and her son came over to take care of her and he drove it just to keep it going because she never drove it, hence only 63000 miles. She passed away and the cel came on so he sold it to me. light was cyl 1 misfire and i put new plugs n wires and no more light but still rough idle. Other than the idle it runs perfect. I know the guy did say that it died once at a stop light about a year ago but hasnt since.
If it sat that long and hasn't had highway miles on it, I would siphon the tank, put on a new fuel filter, and fill up from whatever gas station in your area you trust... just don't buy where cheap, buy from 1 station, or the chain, avoid the dive gas stations... if the code is gone, then I would suspect the gas and the possibility the cat is getting plugged up... the old gas is good enough for a lawnmower or other low demand 4 stroke motor...