Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Variable Valve Cam Timing sticking?

Took the wife's 98 zetec atx Mystique in a couple of weeks ago and a vacuum line was replaced, along with the water pump, serp belt, and temp sensor unit. After getting it back, when the engine was dead cold, giving it a little gas made it miss, and almost stall (as if you turned teh damn engine off), but got better when warm. When warm it would do it a little, but not as much if you gave it about 1/4 throttle. It really seems to accelerate slower (both of us notice it). Since it happened at the time it was fixed, I took it back thinking maybe the comp needed a reset, but not sure. They told me it was the Variable Valve Cam Timing sticking and it should work out, but not for sure.. and if didn't or got worse, bring it back. Anyone else have anything like this happen???

I had a real similar problem, but I don't have a VCT Zetec. For me it turned out my MAF was dirty and needed cleaning. The "great" guys at the ford dealership did not latch my Air Cleaner back down and dirt got in and mucked up the MAF.

I used electrical contact cleaner to fix the problem.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=47402&Forum=trouble&Words=MAF&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=2&Limit=25&Old=6months&Main=45997&Search=true#Post47402

MAF == Mass Air Flow sensor. It is right past the air box on the way to the throttle body (before the resonator.) It has the electrical connections on it.

I was also throwing a CEL. Are you getting a CEL?

Rick

Originally posted by zaphod_fl:

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I had a real similar problem, but I don't have a VCT Zetec. For me it turned out my MAF was dirty and needed cleaning. The "great" guys at the ford dealership did not latch my Air Cleaner back down and dirt got in and mucked up the MAF.

I used electrical contact cleaner to fix the problem.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=47402&Forum=trouble&Words=MAF&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=2&Limit=25&Old=6months&Main=45997&Search=true#Post47402

MAF == Mass Air Flow sensor. It is right past the air box on the way to the throttle body (before the resonator.) It has the electrical connections on it.

I was also throwing a CEL. Are you getting a CEL?

Rick

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No CEL, I may try to clean the MAF, Elec parts cleaner is expensive though for such a little can.

They may have installed the wrong temp sensor.

Maybe you should tell your mechanic "it ain't a Honda dumb***" Contours have no variable valve timing. Honda has the VTEC. Just my .02

Cheaper than a Diagnostic. If your not throwing a CEL, probably not the MAF. Mine is idling a little rough, but at nearly 91k miles, I know I need new Plug wires (on order 9mm baby! Yea!) and I'm going to check my plugs.

Did you do a search to see if anyone else has had the problem?

Originally posted by SVTMike99:

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Maybe you should tell your mechanic "it ain't a Honda dumb***" Contours have no variable valve timing. Honda has the VTEC. Just my .02

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98 and newer zetecs do have variable cam timing. It is on the exhaust cam except on the Focus SVT where it is on the intake cam.

The most common form of failure is from using the wrong oil or allowing the oil to get a bit slugged up. It would be wise to do an oil change. Drain the oil hot. Use a high quality 5W/30 oil. If it does not free up, the variable cam timing unit will probably need to be replaced. The exhaust cam must be removed from the engine to do so.

Originally posted by Big Jim:

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98 and newer zetecs do have variable cam timing. It is on the exhaust cam except on the Focus SVT where it is on the intake cam.

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Jim, the only Zetec Focus with VCT is the Focus SVT. Normal Focus and Escape Zetec engines do not have VCT.

Originally posted by procyon:

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Originally posted by Big Jim:

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98 and newer zetecs do have variable cam timing. It is on the exhaust cam except on the Focus SVT where it is on the intake cam.

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Jim, the only Zetec Focus with VCT is the Focus SVT. Normal Focus and Escape Zetec engines do not have VCT.

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The 98 and later certainly do. Do you need me to scan a page from the shop manual to show you? I have seen a few replaced. As I said before, the 98 and newer uses VCT on the exhaust cam (to eliminate the need for an EGR valve) while the Focus SVT uses it on the Intake cam. You can see a bluge in the cam cover to make room for part of the mechanism. That same bulge moves to the intake side on the SVT. This will be my last post on this thread. I don't care to get into a pissing match.

Hmm interesting. I'm a tech at a repair shop and I just tuned up a 99 Zetec Contour. If they don't have variable cam timing, why does it say VCT on the valve cover??