Richie Russ

Out in the car again last night, still tapping, thought it would go away, but it didnt, then, after being stuck in a traffic jam for 45 minutes, i was taking it home, then, it made a funny deep buzzing noise, and started to cough and splutter and not tick over unless i kept the revs up, i got it home, the amount of fuel it was kicking out was crazy, so im thinking maybe a valve has gone, checked all hoses as this is what it felt like and they are all fine, thought it might be electrical, but in all honesty i dont know, so i have a car, that owes me 32k, thats just going to sit in the garage now, grrrr, i hate these things

DaveEscos

map sensor?

fuel pump?

DaveEscos

also rich, im at home today, so if you want to pop down and rob some bits to test

Richie Russ

Dave,

Im going to nick a few hours off work, if i give you a bell, would you come and have a butchers at it ?

I'll come and pick you up etc....

DaveEscos

ok mate, not a prob.. im going to pick my bits up from pro alloy this arvo.. but sure, bell me and if im about, ill have a look

ryan_belfast

Now why dont I have mates like that over here?

DaveEscos

pay for my flights and put me up.. ill be your mate

ryan_belfast

Richie Russ

I did call you Dave but you must of been elswhere at the time, but anyhoo, i think i have it sorted, the problem was (hopefully) spark plugs !!!!!!!!!!!!! fecking hell, i've been through 3 sets in 2500 miles, basically 2 cylinders were not working, so i swapped the plugs over, then the other 2 werent working but the other 2 were, so im off to get some new plugs and some new boost hose as my hose to turbo and actuator have gone very soft and i value my head gasket !!

MATCOS

iTrader: (1)

Rich you are having a time of it with this car
I hope you have some good luck soon and dont head back to the land of the rising sun,
it will be awesome.................... when it's not broken

Richie Russ

Cheers Matt, it is becoming a nightmare, i also thought a new set of plugs would cure my problem, but its still running on 2 cylinders and throwing out a serious amount of fuel, i think its either a wiring fault somewhere or maybe the map sensor, but this is new.

I spent all Tuesday afternoon hoovering, polishing, waxing and then some more waxing, and its just sat in my garage now looking sorry for itself

Damo V

Running on 2 and running real rich?? The same 2 cylinders all the time?? IMO mate you need to get a pectel monitor on it for electronic diagnosis or possibly get a compression test done just to elliminate valve issues

DaveEscos

map sensor.. cant hurt to try

Richie Russ

Cylinder 2 and 4 were working perfectly, 1 and 3 weren't, so, i took the plugs out and swapped them over, this time, cylinders 1 & 3 were perfect and 2 & 4 weren't working, so i assumed plugs, but it was the same i'll do a compression test tonight, it doesnt sound mechanical at all, more electrical methinks, i'll plug me little gizmo in that checks for broken wires in the loom, then i'll test the map sensor, then i'll burn it in a field

Damo V

can i have your box first please

MATCOS

iTrader: (1)

mine did a very similair thing when the MAP sensor broke, got another, was fine for a while then did exactly the same thing , took it to MADmark and he diagnosed the MAP sensor was faulty, new one in, job done-has been fine ever since
touch wood frantically

Richie Russ

Cheers Mat, then it may be the map sensor, i must admit i havent tried anything else yet as the girlfriend keeps giving me the 'you love the car more than me' treatment

Damo, my gearbox was done by Paul at Helicol gearboxes, did me a good price for a complete rebuild and was cash

Damo V

What dd he charge and what was done??

Richie Russ

I had a full rebuild, charged me 300 ish which i thought pretty ok, but saying that, if Fords do them for 450, might be better off getting one of those, if they ever decide to take em off back order that is

Damo V

Yeah thats about right, just wanted an idea like

Richie Russ

Well this ongoing saga is still going on, after trying a new fuel pressure regulator, new fuel pump, new map sensor, new plugs, new leads and new dizzy i have finally found out what the problem is, and its the one i was fearing most

After doing a compression test (which i really should have done first) i have found that number 4 cylinder isnt a happy chappie, but its all coming into place now.

I noted that i had a slight top end rattle which was described as a possible stuck lifter, oh i wish, number 4 is dead

Cylinders 1,2 and 3 were all at 130 psi, cylinder 4 nothing, so looks like a valve has decided to give me some grief.

With the car covering just 2300 miles since a full and expensive rebuild, i didnt imagine that this would be an engine problem but it is, so its off back up to Peterborough to be fixed.

Anyone know of any decent recovery companies as the RAC who we have been with since 1978 wont help me out

Damo V

Łcuk Łcuk Łcuk .... Thats shite news, for more than one reason

Why wont the RAC recover the car??

I reckon drive it a few miles from home, whip the chip out the ecu, then ring them

Richie Russ

It wont cost me a penny, HG said they will of course sort if out for me, I'd be rather upset if they didnt....suppose its a good time to get the anti lag set up too, the RAC said to me that as i havent got home start (and even though i have been a member since 1978) they cant help me, they said if i pay 60 quid home start, then they'll come out to my and either fix the problem, lol, or recover me for 10 miles or to a suitable garage, good huh, i can see my mate towing me up there at this rate

MATCOS

iTrader: (1)

gutted for you Rich

Chris Honeywell

sorry to hear that m8

Richie Russ

Thanks chaps

Its off back up to Harveys tonight and he couldnt of been more polite and dumbfounded as to why this has happened, i have to tow the car too which will be a bit naughty but seems my only choice, so if you see a Vectra towing an Escos, its moi

Damo V

DO NOT TOW IT,,............ You will fuck the centre diff/transfer stuff.... unless you mean on a trailer...

Honestly DONT tow it,

Damo V

or take the front prop off

DaveEscos

surely if its on all four wheels, towing will be fine?

bad news mate! but good that harvey is sorting it !

Damo V

Nope, unless its for no more than 10 miles and not above 30MPH

Speedy G.

iTrader: (1)

I can not believe why this would be bad Damo.

Isn't towing exactly the same as coasting in neutral, ie no drive to any of the wheels???

Damo V

This topic has been done to death .. How often do you coast in neutral for more than 10 miles ROFL

Speedy G.

iTrader: (1)

Euhm, never.

Still can't understand it though. Can't look in the manual if it says anything in there. Why would it fuck the center diff m8?

Damo V

dunno but aparantly it does lol

DaveEscos

depends on how long the hill is and how out of petrol I am!

Richie Russ

Well, it was towed all the way, seemed fine, Harvey didnt say anything about not being able to tow it but anyway, i've replaced more or less everything so replacing a diff is no problem

Was just a bit of a nightmare when my battery went flat and i had no lights along the A1 but Harvey was there waiting for me and had the bonnet up and working away in 5 minutes, this was a 9pm and said it'll be fixed for today