Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Starts but then stalls instantly ???

Hey guys, I just bought a 96 ford contour 2.0 @ police auction. When I first tried to start it, all it did was click... so I tried jumping it - didn�t work. Had the battery checked - was good.


So I replaced that damn starter


Now it starts. But then it stalls.


It kind of makes a high pitched noise when it turns over and it dies instantly.
IF I hold down the gas petal when I start it, it stays on for only as long as I hold the gas petal down. then it dies. When I do this, it like revs up and down while I�m holding the gas petal at a constant rate. The throttle plate moves erratically...

PLEASE HELP!

Welcome . 4 things come to mind. Water in gas (use HEET or fuel stabilizer), Fuel filter, MAF sensor and IAC valve.

Fuel filter.
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=v6maint&Number=958655&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=186&fpart=1

MAF
http://www.contour.org/mods/mods.php?s=howto&displayid=36
and
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=zetecmaint&Number=989728&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

IAC cleaning
Zetec IAC location.

For the Zetec I-4, you need to access the IAC from the bottom of the car.

IAC cleaning
from Ray's UIM/LIM how to in Duratec Maintenance how to.

"Replacing the IAC gasket:
(From IAC faq)
Over time, the IAC (Idle Air Control) valve becomes sticky due to buildup from the EGR and PCV systems. It can stick partially open such that idle quality is adversely affected, and engine RPM's will not drop below 1500. For a while, blipping the throttle will restore normal idle, but this only works for so long.

The fix is to remove the IAC valve by unbolting the two 8mm bolts that hold it on and disconnected the wiring plug. If you are careful enough, replacement of the gasket will not be necessary. The gasket costs less than US $1.00, so it is no tragedy if you destroy it. Once the valve is off, spray it out with some carb/intake cleaner and make sure any gunky residue is gone. Reattach, and you are done. It is a lot cheaper than a new IAC, which runs around US $70. Note: Ford claims the IAC cannot be cleaned, but this is not true in my experience." Ray.

Location of the IAC for the Zetec.

"It's on the back side of the intake plenum under the throttle body area." DESIGN.

I looked at the Haynes manual and the Zetec IAC valve is located next to the starter. Below are the steps from the 1996 Ford CD to remove it .

Idle Air Control (IAC) Valve


Removal

1. Disconnect battery ground cable

2. Remove the air cleaner outlet tube and resonator assembly.
3. Disconnect the main chassis vacuum line.

4. Disconnect the ignition coil and radio interference capacitor wiring.

5. Remove the fuel line bracket retaining bolt.

6. On 2.0L engine equipped vehicles, raise vehicle on hoist.
7.
7. Disconnect the engine control sensor wiring or fuel charging wiring (depending upon application) from the idle air control valve (IAC valve) at the idle air control valve connector.

8. On 2.5L engine equipped vehicles, remove retainer for engine control sensor wiring from the upper retaining stud bolt.

9. Remove the two idle air control valve retaining bolts or stud bolt (depending upon application).

10. Remove the idle air control valve and idle air control valve gasket.

Installation

1. Note: If scraping is necessary, be careful not to damage idle air control valve or intake manifold idle air control valve gasket surfaces or drop material into intake manifold.

Clean idle air control valve gasket mating surfaces.

2. To install idle air control valve, reverse Removal procedure. Tighten the fuel line bracket bolt to 8-12 N-m (71-106 lb-in).

3. On 2.5L engine equipped vehicles, tighten the retaining bolt and stud bolt to 8-12

4. On 2.0L engine equipped vehicles, tighten the idle air control valve retaining bolts to 8-11 N-m (71-97 lb-in).

Edit. Actually five things come to mind. . Also clean the throttle body.

TB cleaning.
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=920243&Forum=trouble&Words=p0401&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=919728&Search=true#Post920243

thanks tony

Just realized the pictures were not working in the MAF link.
Try Autozone. In addition, you don't need to remove the clamp next to the upper air filter housing. Just spray through the housing. You do need to remove the clamp between the MAF and Inlet Air Duct (accordian tube?)
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1b/cb/25/0900823d801bcb25.jsp

Also remember that a cracked, or unplugged IAC elbow will cause the exact symptoms, and is a COMMON occurance after cleaning the UIM on the V6's (get's unplugged but is easy to overlook)


Perhaps the same on your Zetec?

I put the addtive into the fuel tank - no change

removeD idle air control valve and cleaned... it was really dirty but it also had no effect on the problem.




could that valve still be bad? should I replace it?

JUST...

REPLACED FUEL FILTER,

CLEANED THROTTLE BODY

AND CLEANED MAF SENSOR.


now I have done all that Tony suggested.

PROBLEM IMPROVED!


Now when I run it, @ low RPM it does not rev itself. At high RPM it still revs itself, but not as bad. Still dies when I let off the gas. Still makes high pitched squeel when I start it.

Thoughts??????

No check engine light and I dont really have a way to get it to autozone for them to check it anyway

No obvious leaky exhaust...