Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Engine cold, hesitates from stop

So the 98 Mystique (Zetec ATX, 87k now) comes back from the shop a month ago... got new serp belt, WP, TSU, and hose from the intake to the PCV. When the engine is cold, I could barely touch the gas and it acted like it didn't want to go, almost as if it were missing or turned off... then would take off if you gave it more gas. I took it back, and they said the valves are sticking, maybe they will work out, mere coincidence that it happens when I get it back... if it gets worse bring it back. Mind you this is the wife's car... so I ask her if it still acts up and she say yes, and I ask same, not as bad, worse??? She says she doesn't know, about the same she guesses. I ended up driving it today and it's worse... with the engine warm it did that, and when it was cold it was really bad, had to floor it... then fine.... it drives fine otherwise. So, is the shop BSing me? Are we sitting on a time bomb? Anything I can do to remedy this???

Since they replaced the PCV valve hose I'd like to suggest that they either disconnected or pulled apart another hose connection or made poor connections with the new hose they installed and now there is a vacuum leak. A small vacuum leak will be worse when lightly pressing the gas pedal than if it were pressed down further.

Thanks I'll take a look, but I don't hear any leaks, the engine is as quiet as a mouse.

Reading some other posts, I heard of some having hesitation from a stop and the pulg wires being the culprit. I am going to check those, but the only thing that makes me think it might not be that is that it is worse when the enigne is cold...

ttt Any ideas?