trouble_magnet

Having some problems with my 02 plated ford mondeo estate. It is a manual petrol. There is a bit of a list of problems, all of them seem connected, but none are persistent. Kind of hoping that it will spark a memory in someone. Its a bit long winded, but I don't want to miss anything out.

It seems to have started when I had the Clutch and Fly wheel replaced at a local garage.
When I got it back it was a bit sluggish, seemed to want to drive slow all the time. Nothing that you could demonstrate to a garage, but enough so I could notice it. I queried it with the garage at the time but they just said it was normal, since this is the first car I have had with a flywheel (to my knowledge) I couldn't really argue from the point of any knowledge.

I was in a very minor bump on Saturday, someone backed into me. Not a huge bump, it didn't even scuff the bumper. So I didn't think anything about it. I only mention this in case it could have shook something loose.

Then on Sunday, (about a month after the clutch replacement), it started chugging. Same sort of thing that happens when you run out of petrol. It wasn't even low on petrol. About half tank left and it cut out while chugging. It started straight away though. A mate of mine said that it could just be a loose plug caused by the bump. So I popped the bonnet and removed the plastic screen over the engine. It was instantly obvious that one of the spark plug connections to the distributor was completely off and another was sitting loose. The completely off looked like it hadn't been put on. I put them back on and the car started no problems.

Monday I ran it a while, and it was fine. Until it started chugging again and cut out. This time the engine warning light came on, and the petrol gauge dropped to zero. Again it started straight away and drives off fine. Later that day on a short run it chugged again and cut out, this time the engine light went out, the petrol gauge reads zero again and the speedo wouldn't move. Turning the engine off and on again made the speedo start working and the petrol gauge read correctly.

Today it has been chugging and cutting out, but starts straight away again. The engine light is not always on, and the petrol gauge either reads zero or the correct value. To add to the list of weird. The temperature gauge sometimes goes straight to the middle, even though the engine is still cold.

I have checked the radiator breather tank and it has water in to the max level, oil is fine, no white muck and it isn't going down. I have tried petrol from another garage, just in case I got a bad batch or something. The radiator pipes aren't going hard.

I don't really want to go to a garage with "it sometimes does this" just in case it decides to behave while I am there. One of my mates said I should try replacing the battery and spark plugs, does that sound like a good idea? As the spark plugs are buried deep in the engine and I would need a special tool to get there.

Anyone help?

saph4be

If your lights coming on I would get the stored code read and go from there.

trouble_magnet

Will it read if the light goes out? I thought it had to be on to be reporting the code.

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

The speedo dropping out and the engine cutting out sounds like the VSS (vehicle speed sensor) could be on its way out. It's located on the gearbox so it may be possible that whilst changing the clutch this has been damaged by the garage. Fairly sure that a 2002 1.8 Mondeo is a blacktop zetec. With some of your spark plug leads being loose, you could have also knackered your coil pack.

trouble_magnet

That makes sense, although it sounds like an expensive job. I think I am just going to take it to a garage. Spark plugs I can do.. actual parts, not so much.

Thanks for the help though.

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

VSS is not an expensive job, it's just a sensor on the gearbox. It's not massively difficult either just a bit of a pain as the pin that holds it in can be an arse to remove.

trouble_magnet

Excellent, not being expensive at least lessens the annoyance that the garage that might have left spark plugs unconnected, might also have broken a sensor.

Thanks.

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

No, it will 'store' the code.

trouble_magnet

Just thought I would come in with an update. It's took some time to find the real fault.

First off the fault code being shown was that the engine was misfiring on Primary and Secondary. P0351, P0352 code where showing. So I replaced the coil pack, wires and spark plugs. Still chugged. Replace the VSS and the speedo still dropped out. Which according to the guy at the garage is "F**king weird", and I agreed. He played around for a bit and checked fuses and battery connections. He even replaced the control circuit that connects into the coil pack, and it seemed to settle down. That night while driving it did it again, and in line with natural laws refused to do it when I took it back to the garage. Fortunately the guy that runs the garages dad was around, he was retired but used to own the garage. He was interested and had a look, everyone loves a mystery. Anyway, he pretty much got it straight off. The headlights where causing a short. Popped them off and replaced them.. works perfectly. 3 wires was all it was. Cooked the damn battery having to restart though.

As a final up yours from the car though the handbrake went and it rolled into a wall.. I get the feeling this car is trying to kill me.

trouble_magnet

And it looks like I spoke too soon. 3 days with not a stutter or a chug. The light went out for the warning and it looked done and dusted. Damn thing started again.