Really need help with the focus...

[Adam95GT]

Because i trust my family here in the 94/95 section i was wondering if anyont can look at this....
Problem Starting Need Help To Make Sure Im Home For Holidays! (DPFE???) - Focus Fanatics

Im overly pissed off at this point and dont know what to do...



Summary:
Had code p0401 for a year car ran fine assumed DPFE... bought the sensor 4 times over the year... never fit... recently found out they made a conversion kit to the new style dpfe.... my car was an oddball one of a few hundred produced with this weird DPFE...

The problem: Car would crank normal, Start and die if no gas was given...

Solution (not really): Took off and cleaned my IAC... Ordered the Correct DPFE kit... Ordered a new IAC just incase...

Tested new and old IAC both looked and acted the same...

Put old IAC back on.... Put new DPFE on...

NEW PROBLEM: Crank crank crank crank no start... slight popping sound...

After 2 mins of cranking and giving gas car starts and idles....

Doesent sound right... When i rev the car the engine shakes hard and the exhaust note sounds off....


I dont know whats going on... the car seems to be on 3 cyls...

 

[Adam95GT]

Just thinking out loud...

Would an IAC make this big of a deal... Should i try the new one...

What about an ignition coil...


Egr system.....

 

[Chads95GT]

i dont claim to know a lot about cars, and im new to the ford focus, but hows the timing? seems maybe it could be a timing issue with the crank crank crank and slight popping sound.

 

[Adam95GT]

i dont claim to know a lot about cars, and im new to the ford focus, but hows the timing? seems maybe it could be a timing issue with the crank crank crank and slight popping sound.

Thats what i was thinking... maybe the belt jumped or is missing some teeth... but im not sure if it would cause the former Crank run and die till i took my foot off the gas...

Id like to think they are related but who knows...

 

[Chads95GT]

its a DOHC right? i played around with some DSMs in my day and they are notorious for jumping teeth on the exhaust cam and timing belts snapping. not saying your timing belt snapped, but it could have jumped a tooth or two and be out of time a little bit. my eagle talon was off 3 teeth and when i tried to start it it would do like yours does and crank crank crank and pop out the exhaust.

again just some food for thought

 

[Adam95GT]

its a DOHC right? i played around with some DSMs in my day and they are notorious for jumping teeth on the exhaust cam and timing belts snapping. not saying your timing belt snapped, but it could have jumped a tooth or two and be out of time a little bit. my eagle talon was off 3 teeth and when i tried to start it it would do like yours does and crank crank crank and pop out the exhaust.

again just some food for thought

yep 2.0 dohc ztec. I would like to think these problems are related...

 

[Chads95GT]

what was ur first problem again?

i know that i had to keep my foot on the gas before to keep the old talon running and thats because it was out of time. if i left off the gas it would stall and die.

it there a cover over the cams that you could pop off and take a look at the cams to see if they are off?

 

[Adam95GT]

well i drove to my grandparents to just pop off the top of the timing cover... belt looked ok...
So i decided to crank the car to inspect other parts of the belt... i put a dab of spit on it to make sure it turned... and to my surprise the car started right up... idled fine other then the normal valve tick at cold start... i pulled the plug wires again... the idle didnt drop when i pulled one so i pushed down on it harder and the idle increased...


Still has a cel... im gonna grab the scanner in the morning from the garage

 

[Chads95GT]

well thats good news that the belt looks good and it fired up and idled fine

 

[SableSal]

Yeah, in order to further help. We need the codes that are current in the system. I'm only assuming this is ignition related. Atleast that's what it sounds like to me...

 

[Adam95GT]

Yeah, in order to further help. We need the codes that are current in the system. I'm only assuming this is ignition related. Atleast that's what it sounds like to me...

Like i said....

i think:
iac- bought new, cleaned old both worked the same
vac leak- felt around all vac lines inspected for cracks...
egr- new dpfe... did not check the valve yet

 

[Adam95GT]

Good news...

Codes: P1401 which is probably since i was messing with the dpfe...

P0304- Misfire on cyl 4... which happens to be the same one the plug wire i found loose on..


SO just did an oil change and its up and running... however its still taking a little long to finally turn over...

Which is what started happening when the crank, start, die problem started... so im unsure if thats gone for god or will come back shortly... gonna drive the car a little locally and see what happens... it ran fine for a day before then started the problem again so who knows.

But atleast im back to square one if the problem isnt fixed

 

[Killercanary]

How many miles are on it? My SVT has been taking longer to start than normal. I know they recommend a timing belt change at 100K miles, mine has 109K on it now. I called about a month ago and was quoted $500 to replace it. OUCH! I know it requires a special tool to hold the cam gears but I'm tempted to try it myself.

 

[Adam95GT]

How many miles are on it? My SVT has been taking longer to start than normal. I know they recommend a timing belt change at 100K miles, mine has 109K on it now. I called about a month ago and was quoted $500 to replace it. OUCH! I know it requires a special tool to hold the cam gears but I'm tempted to try it myself.

137k on it... but the ztec is a non interference your svt is interference.... ill run mine till the belt snaps...


I did while i was driving around stop at a body shop and asked about my keyed rear 1/4 and the other one thats got the messed up body line... the guy said $300 each side to fix it... and said if it was him he wouldnt worry about the body line but would get the side that was keyed fixed because its down to the metal..

Put 35 miles stop and go on the car... stopped at a few places ran some errands and its still running fine..