spgurden

Right I have a problem with my 1996 escort Si 1800 silver top zetec.

As the title states it will not rev above 4k rpm, but only in gears 2 to 5 (neutral and 1st ok). It does not matter, if the engine is hot or cold or the weather conditions.
I saw a locally recommended engine diagnostic/tuner, twice this year regarding a lean error code engine. This turned out to be a faulty EGR valve, PCV valve, and a knackered jubilee clip on the air intake hose. All were replaced.
But during his investigations, he informed me of the problem that I am asking for help with, I thought it was some thing to do with the lean issue. A suggested cause was either the fuel filter (which I duly changed 2 months ago), and the injectors. The fuel pressure, and hydrocarbons (exhaust) was said to be ok, a strong engine with no other problems. It had got him stumped.

I have tried the with the lamba sensor removed, but wiring still connected. It sounded great, like a tank, but the problem was still there. So I don’t think the Cat is gone.

I have checked the resistances of the injectors two are 16.3 ohms, and the other two are 16.4 ohms. Are these readings right? I am waiting for the right time to remove these and getting them checked properly, which should be soon.

I can hear the fuel pump priming when the ignition is turned on.

The plugs are brown on colour. So they seem to be ok.

In the past 2 years I have also changed the following:

Thermostat, water temperature sensor and sender.
Cam belt pulley wheels, water pump and Head gasket.
Plugs, HT leads and coil pack
Lamba/oxygen sensor.
The MAF sensor twice.
ISCV.
Air inlet temperature sensor and air in take pipe.
Throttle position sensor.
EGR pipe cleaned with carburettor cleaner.
A VSS.
PCV valve hoses.
A new DPFE sensor changed and cured the following problem -Revs held for 1-2 seconds before dropping more noticeable when the clutch is depressed changing up the gears.

I use 5w30 oil.

Each time a sensor is changed the battery is disconnected over night.

I do know there was a previous thread last year, but was the problem fixed that time?

I have had this car since it was new, it has now done 95k miles. I try to do all the work on it my self, and use ford parts. This is really getting to me now, and I am getting fed up not having the little extra power when needed.

I would be very grateful for any advice.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Have you tried banging the cat to see if it rattles? That would indicate the cat is breaking up.

Either that or I'd be looking at fuel pump.

spgurden

Thanks for the reply.
Yeah I have fit the cat with a spanner. It is located between the engine and the radiator heard nothing but got a face full of rust and dirt for trying. All the emissons at the last MOT were ok to pass.
I thought having the fuel pressure checked and being ok, meant the pump is alright?

I checked prices at ford today for new injectors are Ł68 each, I forgot the price of the pump. But the Cat was Ł550. So my next move to try and get this sorted will be pricey.

tabetha

Just go along to a injector cleaning place, the resistance is fine, but if they've ever done any sitting around they can be sticky, the injector tester can flow them to check pattern and out put cc/min, would not be a bad idea whilst there having them cleaned, this usually drops the cc/min but can help the engine, recently done the 16 year old ones in the gf's astra, flow dropped but performance was improved noticeably, esp cold running and idle, though even power through the gears was markedly better, emissions were perfect prior to the clean.
I don't think the injectors are your problem on their own, but suspect a mixture problem, or mechanical fault.
Plugs shouldn't really be brown, unless the engine had just been run from cold when the plugs were taken out.
Have you done a compression test ?, is the valve timing defo 100% correct ?
The fuel pump can be duff even though checked, it ideally needs checking under load now on a rolling road, this could well be a much cheaper way of getting to the root of the problem, even ford send bran new cars to the rollers with independants where they can't cure them, rare but does happen.
tabetha

spgurden

Ok, thanks for your reply.The car had sat around for about 2 years over 5 years ago, but I run the engine at least once a month. I am going to arrange to get the injectors checked and cleaned (if needed), or a rolling road session the latter makes more sense.
The plugs were removed from a cold engine, which had not been used that day. I wondered if they were brown due to the lean issue.
I can do a compression test over the weekend.
I am assuming the timing is ok, as I had the water pump (and cam belt) changed last month, and this problem was there before and after. But as is said about assumption….To check the timing I think I get #1 cylinder at TDC and I should able to insert the bar into the slot in the end of the camshafts?

tabetha

Lean ness will make the plugs more white in appearance but if the engine had run for just a minute or two it would have been that bit richer and the brown colour would reflect that, as brown would indicate carbon that hadn't burnt off due to not being hot enough, assuming plugs are the correct grade.
Sitting around for 2 years can clog the injectors up with varnish, that is naturally present in the fuel, it doesn't tend to be removed even with injector cleaners of the put in the tank variety when bad enough, but the correct ultrasonic injector cleaner will remove 100% of it.
On a 96 zetec, not only do you need to check the cams are in alignment to each other, but the crank(pistons) are at dead on TDC, this is done by simply inserting a TDC pin in the hole and it contacts the crank web, take the plugs out as it easier to turn over, then set to tdc as indicated by cam slots, then rotate back say 15 degrees, now insert a TDC pin for your engine(about Ł12 for the kit), and rotate clockwise when viewed from the crank pulley until you hear it ping on the crank web, you should then be able to insert the TDC plate, or 8mm bar across the slots so the slots are dead flat with the head, if they are off by any more than needing heavy hand pressure to push in the slots, then the cams need the pulley bolts loosening, so they can be rotated, loosen just 1/2 turn rotate as needed and lock bolts to correct torque.
tabetha

hoei

The symptoms you describe are similar to what I experienced with my '94 escort 1.6 zetec. The engine needed to be loaded for the problem to show, it didn't happen in idle.

The solution was to simply change the ignition cables.

Check your cables for tiny, tiny holes or black stripes on the ceramic of the spark plugs. This indicates sparks jumping the wrong place! I found some examples on this page http://www.magnecor.com/magnecor1/te...h_mrbishi1.htm (sorry its mitsubishi but you get the idea)

In any case ignition cables are not that expensive and might as well be changed every couple of years to get the best performance and economy out of your engine.

Good luck.

spgurden

Again thanks for the replies.
I have changed the leads twice since this problem occurred, and they have always been ford parts.

I had the injectors checked and cleaned over the weekend and refitted, now revs up to 4.5k and struggles up to 5.5k and stops. #2 injector was slightly dirty. But this has improved the performance.
I never got round to the compression test, so will try when the weather improves.

I have been thinking about when this problem started, which I think I noticed it after the cam belt was first changed. I never knew about the crank pin, I used the marks on the crank pulley and sump. So I am going to check this, using your method tabeth. Just got to wait for the weather to get better.

Has any body got a picture of were the crank pin goes or were the crank sensor is please?

spgurden

Please I need help, were is the crank position sensor please for a silver top zetec? is it above the starter motor? and if it is, does the starter motor have to be removed to insert the crank pin?