My Escort started fine in the morning (as usual), but not this afternoon.
I checked the sparkplugs, and found that only 2 and 3 was working.
Replaced position with 1 and 4 (complete with cables) - no change.
Tried with swaped wires for pin 1 and 3 on the coil unit and got sparks on 1 and 4 !
As the coil seems to be connected directly to the ECU, is the ECU likely to be the problem? or could it be any sensor (camshaft) or anything else causing sparks on cyl 2 and 3 only?

I will try to find an old ECU to try with.

Any good hints appreciated.

/Klubbrik

do you have a distributor cap and bug? or one of those electronic distributor blocks?

do you have a distributor cap and bug? or one of those electronic distributor blocks?

It's a distributor block with dual coils, connected on primary side
pin 1 = control signal coil 1
pin 2= +12V (ignition on)
pin 3 = control signal coil 2

coil 1 secondary side is connected to sparkplug leads 1 and 4
coil 2 secondary side is connected to sparkplug leads 2 and 3

/Klubbrik

Sorry dude, I know nothing about those blocks. Maybe the wire going to the pin, 1 or 3? pull pin 1, then see if plugs 2 and 3 still work. Then attach pin 1 and pull pin 3, check again. Now you know which pin is for which set. Check wires and connections from there. I wish I could help more, but these computer setups baffle me. Why couldn't everything just stay carbureted(sp?)??

I got an old ECU today, connected it and .... problem solved !

With a simple Failure Code Reader (a switch and a LED) it was possible to scan the ECU for error codes, and I got 1 1 1 = No errors.

There is still "low power", I was asking a FORD service station and he was convinced tha the catalyst is melted and blocked. I opened up the cat canning and inspected the catalyst - it was in exelent condition, no melting, no cracks.
Any ideas what else to look for.
It looks that there is a bit more power when the engine is cold, couls perhaps be due to enriched fuel mixture during warmup.

/Klubbrik

1.8 zetec? you in europe?

yeah, he's in Sweden