My ZX2 suddenly shut off?????

sli[ · 01-19-2005, 09:55 PM

I started to pull out of the parking lot at work after a 12 hour work day, when my car suddenly shut down. Damn, the way it happened I knew this was not going to be one of those 5 min jobs. Of course I tried starting it and the starter turned over good, but nothing. Mind you it is 18 degrees and snowing, and I am 30 miles from home. I pulled a wire and let it sit on the valve cover and turned it over again, nothin, notta spark to be seen. It is a 1998 Ford ZX2 with a 140k miles on it. I am thinking computer, if that is what is driving the ignition coil. The wife was not too happy about having to come and get me. Good thing is I have a couple days off. What does the collective minds think. Thanks

Slip

ZX2000 · 01-20-2005, 02:19 AM

any mods done? what's been replaced lately? could be a dead battery, alt., busted timing belt, dead ignition coil, clog in a part of your fuel lines or injectors.. etc. etc. i dunno man, what have you replaced as far as maintenance and how long have you owned the car? any info you can provide would be easier to diagnose.

sli[ · 01-20-2005, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZX2000

any mods done? what's been replaced lately? could be a dead battery, alt., busted timing belt, dead ignition coil, clog in a part of your fuel lines or injectors.. etc. etc. i dunno man, what have you replaced as far as maintenance and how long have you owned the car? any info you can provide would be easier to diagnose.

I am the original owner. The battery is good, the starter cranks just find. But like I said, no spark any where. For some reason I was thinking timing belt, the way it went out on me, cause it was so sudden. But would a busted timing belt cause the no spark condition?? I hope it is an igniton coil or what ever drives the coil!

jeffcoslacker · 01-20-2005, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sli[

I am the original owner. The battery is good, the starter cranks just find. But like I said, no spark any where. For some reason I was thinking timing belt, the way it went out on me, cause it was so sudden. But would a busted timing belt cause the no spark condition?? I hope it is an igniton coil or what ever drives the coil!

Depends on whether the signal for the coil comes from a sensor on the crank, or the cam. Easy enough to just take the oil cap off, and look for valve train movement while the motor is cranked.

ZX2000 · 01-21-2005, 07:58 AM

it all comes from the PCM and ignition module then coil, wires, plug blah...at any given time depending on the speed sensor it will know when the piston for each indevidual piston will be at the end of it's stroke. the speed sensor is on top of the transmission. may as well check that while your at it. i dunno when/if you ever have to change that.

still though, if the timing belt is busted then there's no air or fuel to combust.

could be a # of things. i'd say check the timing belt first. if that fails, coil, ignition module etc...

zx2srdotnet · 01-22-2005, 12:17 PM

Its sounds like the PCM blew that happened to me 4 days ago

ZX2000 · 01-23-2005, 07:45 AM

PCM blew? that happens? hope they didn't give you GRS0?

zx2srdotnet · 01-23-2005, 12:57 PM

Im the guy that did the GRS0 dyno lol

im on my 4th pcm in 3mo lol

ZX2000 · 01-23-2005, 05:12 PM

shitty deal... sorry to hear that.

hotrod_chevyz · 01-28-2005, 08:59 PM

Mine did that 500 miles away from home.It was still under factory warrenty.They replaced the fuel pump,a bunch of relays,and some wiring.Then they replaced the entire computer.the computer ended up being whats wrong with it.And i saw fords bill on it.Im glad it was under warrenty cause it was over 1500 dollars.

It was also about 15 degrees outside when it did that to me.I live in oklahoma.It died in the middle of missouri.It took a ford dealership over a week to figure out what the problem was.I rented a car and left the zx2 in missouri and headed home,after waiting a week for them to fix it.It was over 100 dollars a day survival fee for all of us,so after four or five days of that crap,i decided to spend what money i had left to rent a car to get me home.I lost hope with the ford dealership in missouri.
I had to rent another car in okc to go pick it up when it was finished.And when i got it home after the dealership was done with it,the ac light was stuck on and air blew out the dash hot,in 30 degree wind chill with the switch on off.Thats was another 1,000 dollar trip to the ford dealer in okc.
I like my zx2,i wouldnt take any other car out of state,i still trust it to haul the family out of state.
but that really sucked.It was three adults,and a newborn infant stuck way away from home,and ford was no help at all.The car had only 24,000 miles on it.And we had to fit the bill on the rental car,and everything but the labor bill,with an extended bumper to bumper from ford and full coverage from insurance.

My advice to you sir if find a shop with proper diagnostic capabilities,and pay the full diagnostic fee,and pay for the towing.and hopefully they
will figure somthing out.The people at ford spent 1500 dollars of their own money,due to poor diagnostics.

zx2srdotnet · 01-28-2005, 10:26 PM

1500 for a pcm? BS its a 300 part and it only takes 5min to install

or was that 1500 total?

hotrod_chevyz · 01-28-2005, 11:13 PM

Dont bs me i have the envoice receipt to prove what they did and how much it costed.They couldnt figure out what was wrong with it,and replaced a bunch of crap the diagnosis didnt even say was wrong.

This same car has had the entire front end and engine ripped off,cradle and all.I have a $8,000 dollar list of parts that were replaced after a collision.The car has had the frame straightened ,three new front clips,two drivers fenders,one passengers fender,passenger door,passenger tail lights,trunk lid,engine and transmission,and two paint jobs.And its needing a fourth front clip too.The entire front end was ripped off,and has been replaced.Pep boys charged me an arm and a leg to get it alignable again.tell me thats bs and i will start pulling invoices and posting them.

The computer problem was that expensive because they replaced the fuel pump,the fuel pump wiring,the computer,and a bunch of other crap cause they didnt know what the problem was.Inexperience i presume.

zx2srdotnet · 01-28-2005, 11:42 PM

i ment charging 1500 for a pcm replacement would be bs.

read my whole post

hotrod_chevyz · 01-29-2005, 12:13 AM

I read it.your avatar looks pretty cool>maybe i should get a front clip like that.

zx2srdotnet · 01-29-2005, 12:01 PM

its the budy club kit, its a scan of the only t-shirt to have a S/R on it(ZOOMspeed), i just edited the black shirt back and the focus out.

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