Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Cel light came on and the car not running smooth

First of all I want to say hi to everyone .I have seach but i can't find the stuff I want.
I pulled the CEL code and there were misfired cylinder 2 and 3 and something about the effeciency of the cat. with the CEL code being there, my car hesitating to rev at about 2k rpm to 4k rpm, then i try to see if my timing is off, but to my knowledge the distrubless setup on the 99 2.5L can't be adjust except the ECM or something I didnt know about. however I cleared the code w/ a OBDII reader then the car run a little better, i assume the Cel being on to kept the Car running rich for safety purpose, right now I have no clue what's going on. I thought it was the tranny but even i'm in netural or park the car still doesn't like to rev at 2k till 4 k. it started happening after a long distance driving form Calif to Tx twice. after 4k rpm , the car can rev fine but no power. I changed the spark plug and oil change,sparkplug wire hasn't been changed since i bought the car brand new. but it's hard to believe the wire has problem and still can rev at high rpm( I would like to slove the problem first, then worry about the wire later). The car had never been modified, I really hope that just somet type of eletrical failure instead of blown piston .please share if it happened to you ? what did u do to fix it..any common and useful info would be appericate

can somebody tell me how to reset the ECM?

I was wondering if any expert near DFW or Austin area that can help me.

Welcome . Scan the CEL codes again and post the exact codes. You may have a plugged exhaust (inefficient catalyst), bad IMRC, bad fuel pump, fuel filter, air filter or just a bad ignition coil. It is hard to tell without the CEL codes.

As for clearing the CEL, it is Fuses 4 and 11 for earlier models and Fuses 6 an 11 for later ones.
Download an owners' manual from www.fleet.ford.com for location of the fuses.

Thanx for the quick respond, the code I think is P0302 P303 and I remeber one of them is ineffeicent cat, I will ask my brother what exact it is. however,

if the coil do not have enought juice and if the exhaust is plugged, I can't explain how it can rev smoother after 4k rpm.
when the car start having problem, the first code came on was a bank 1 o2 sensor was respond slow, so I had changed it before I went to cali, 3000miles after I got back to Tx, the car got wrose and throw the P302 P303 misfire code, what else do u think it is happening from what I describle above, the only thing the I'm thinking of is that I might have low compression , but I don't know how can I blew the piston if it's daily normal driving. yes I have not change out the plug wire, but as I stated before, I would like to find the problem before I change those out. if the plug wire is the problem, then I will do it.

I should run a fuel pressure test while in driving condition, can someone give me a quick note about the constant fuel pressure at idle, crusing and WOT,

30 to 40 psi. Should rise with opening the throttle off idle.

thanx for all the help and respond, i will run serveal test once I get home. I would like to clarify that 99 2.5L V6 contour can't be ajust on the timing? however what's the stock timing on it?

No timing adjust, the degrees of timing are in an underhood sticker, I think.