Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Starting noise /other issues

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95SE manual 115k, maint up-to-date.


Returning here after several months. Awhile ago was havng intermittant starting issues, local mechanic ended up saying it was the fuel pump (a good trustworthy person). So i replaced it and it ran well for several moths. Then the last month or so the problem seems to have returned. Again its very intermittant - like running well for a week, then it will turn over strong but never start, leave it a bit and its fine again. Now a couple times it started but the idle hunted around for a couple minuteds before settling in - no response to the throttle at all while it was doing it, then settle down and be OK. If it would stat it would run ok - hesitate at certain revs, almost stall coming to a stop....

So anyway - after the last prob, I cleaned out the IAC as in the tip sheet, checked all my connections, gave it some fuel injector cleaner, and changed the air filter. Started since then but we'll see on that.

But - one thing have noticed and just nailed down, is a scraping, metalic noise during the first second or so during statup. Really like metal scraping - finally pipointed it - i think! - to whatever that round UFO thing is in front of the IAC. Sounds pretty scary - seriously like letal scraping for 1-2 seconds. What is that thing and can it make a noise like that? Lost my haynes manual.. BTW - Air cond does't cool anymore either - not sure if the timing ws similar or not. I do need to change the cabin air filter....


any ideas on that noise?


Reading through old posts has helped me fix a stereo issue, a blower switch thing, and the IAC clean - so thanks for all the knowledge beforehand.

The big round thing is probably the EGR valve. Maybe you have a vacuum line leak. The green hose often cracks. It could be the starter motor itself needs replacing, scraping screech noise.

Starter motor is kinda far away from the EGR vavle right? Seems like noise is emminating from the EGR valve, right by the IAC. ALso it doesn't make the noise when turning over - just RIGHT after is starts - so I can't see how its the starter.. Is there something mechanical in that EGR that could come loose - a bearing or something? or something right close to it?

I had some idling issues similar to this. I decided to replace the tubes coming out of the air intake hose. The back one had obviously been laying on the egr tube for a while. It was melted in half. The one on the front was dried up and cracked everywhere. It changed my idle tremendously! Don't know if the SE is set up the same way or not.

Mine made a strange noise on startup. All of this happened right after Ford did the wiring harness recall. I found the problem when I had the intake system off a few months later. They didn't bolt the rear hanger up on the starter motor. There are still noises I can't seem to track down what's causing them after they had my car for a week and in the process, they blew up the ABS unit twice!

FWIW, starter is pretty close to EGR.... below EGR, etc.



Ray

k- but if it was a starter issue then why does it make the noise right AFTER it starts. Again - it turns over fine. Scraping noise happens for like 2 seconds after car has started to run?

K - well - it ran ok for a few days and then dead again. Listened close this time and did not hear the fuel pump prime. so I got out, cracked the filler door until the hissing,pressure dropped. The closed it, tried again, heard the pump prime, and started right up.

whats up with that?
Just got a new fuel pump a few months ago.
Fuel filter about 1yr.

AGAIN!

Well - I cleaned the IAC out real good - and it ran like a top for about - what - 3 weeks now. Then one morning - the old no-start gremlin reapears.

Whats next again? (There have been so many posts on this kind of stuff - it almost needs its own FAQ line - steps for a no-start!)

But anyway.. I DO NOT hear the fuel pump prime when I turn the hey. New fuel pump less than 6 months old. Crank no start. So what can cause the fuel pump not to turn on - besides a bad pump????? Can the CPS do that? Right now i have it sittingn out these with the battery cable off to reset everything - see if that does something.

If I need to change something can you post intructions or link?


skiller