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I have a 2000 Contour with the V6. It will run fine for a day or two and then just start sputtering, missing and sometimes dying and it takes in 5 minutes to 4 hours to restart. Took it in to a mechanic and he said the intake manifold gasket was bad, had it replaced and the temperature sensor for $450 and that didn't seem to help a bit. Today, driving along on the interstate, the thing started bogging down, missing, CEL starts flashing, and finally died, died 2 more times in the 4 miles home, and the last time took about an hour before it would start again though the CEL didn't start flashing again. Running fine now but will start again any time I drive it. It seems worse at 1/2 tank of gas or less but can't be certain. The mechanic now says it needs spark plug wires for another $200 though another mechanic friend looked and said they are fine. I think this guy has ripped me off and is just guessing now. Drove the car by his place with the codes in hand (after I stopped at Advance Auto to get a read) and he says "you can't trust those codes to tell you what is wrong". Also, over the last few months this thing has been getting worse. Last fall it only did it on hot days but now any time (though warm days seem to be worse). Below are the codes that I got today after today's incident when I took it by advance auto parts. One other thing, after I bought the car, I noticed a slip of paper slipped into the owner's manual that had written on it "fuel rail problem". Any thoughts on what the problem is or what I can do as right now I'm not taking it back to the mechanic as he is just pulling ideas out of body orifices...I mean really, spark plugs and/or wires don't have these symptoms. HELP!!!!
p0420 - Catalyst efficiency below threshold (bank 1)
p0430 - Catalyst effiecieny below threshold (bank 2)
p0190 - Fuel rail pressure sensor malfunction
p0301 - Cylinder 1 misfire detected
Better to ask a question and be THOUGHT a fool for 5 minutes than to never ask and BE a fool for life.
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1) Need to take care of the fuel rail problem (which is probably related to the cylinder 1 misfire).
2) Precat 1 and Precat 2 inefficiency is probably also related to that or worst case scenario caused the P0420 and P0430.
3) Hold on, on the wires for now.
A scanner with live data readings would confirm the fuel rail and cylinder 1 problem. The dealer or most competent mechanics should have one to test and diagnose.
"Always do the cheap and easy ones first."
1996 V6 ATX 96K miles
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Fuel pump or screen filter??
00 Mystique LS V6 ATX
57K miles
K&N air filter
TH Fix
B&M 70268 Atx cooler
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I would strongly consider letting another mechanic have a crack at this.
You may have a component which fails under changed heat conditions, like the coil or the fuel pump.
Scott
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When you say "take care of the fuel rail problem", what do you mean? Thanks for the help guys, this contour is killing me.
Mitch
Better to ask a question and be THOUGHT a fool for 5 minutes than to never ask and BE a fool for life.
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Originally posted by Contour_dave:
... One other thing, after I bought the car, I noticed a slip of paper slipped into the owner's manual that had written on it "fuel rail problem". ...
The previous owner had this issue. I doubt it went away after you bought it if it wasn't fixed.
"Always do the cheap and easy ones first."
1996 V6 ATX 96K miles
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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With the flashing CEL, do you know how your alternator and battery are doing? I was getting some of those kinds of symptoms before mine went.
MSDS, SHO-shop Y, custom 2.5" catback; xcal2; 63mm TB, K&N 3530; Koni struts, Aussie bar; THaines forks, Quaife, SpecII, UR fly; DMD; Nima UD pullies; Stazi brakes; f&r Pole120 mounts. Just a daily commuter car. Silver '98 SVT E0 #3159
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OK guys, what can go wrong w/fuel rail? A local junkyard has a LIM/Fuel rail from a 95 for about $50. Will the 95 fuel rail work on a 2000?
Thanks again for everyone's input.
As far as the alternator/battery, they are good.
Better to ask a question and be THOUGHT a fool for 5 minutes than to never ask and BE a fool for life.
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Originally posted by Contour_dave:
OK guys, what can go wrong w/fuel rail? A local junkyard has a LIM/Fuel rail from a 95 for about $50. Will the 95 fuel rail work on a 2000?
No!
You either need a new fuel pressure sender, or the wiring to it is bad and must be fixed. This is causing your fuel pressure to go out in left field.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -George Santayana
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Changed plugs on this about 2 weeks ago and while the weather was still cool, during moderate to heavy acceleration/load at 35-50mph, it wasn't skipping completely missing but is still surging/hestitating unless I put my foot into it completely then it seems to smooth out. Yesterday, it got up to 92 degrees here and the thing would start hestitating/missing (like it is starved for fuel), and anytime you try to put some gas to it, the engine actually bogs and slows down, it then died a couple of times, leave it off for a minute and it would start and run well enough to move on for awhile before dying again. CEL blinking again. As mentioned above, put new plugs, new fuel rail pressure sensor in the thing, new fuel filter, IM gasket. I'm trying to guess what the next steps should be...any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Here is the order that I'm currently thinking but would love some help.
1) Plug wires
2) O2 sensor
3) Fuel pump??? Just wondering as it seems to get much worse during hot weather.
4) Fuel tank screen??? I don't really want to mess around with the fuel tank for obvious safety reasons but, cheaper and easier than gutting precat or replacing cats.
4) Somewhere on the board I saw that if you disconnect the upper 02 sensor and it runs better the problem is ????something????, any help here?
5 and 6) The last 2 things I want to do would be to gut the precat and/or replace the cats.
Better to ask a question and be THOUGHT a fool for 5 minutes than to never ask and BE a fool for life.
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