'97 Escort Dilema

Bit of a dilema. Wink

Long winded, but ive tried to include as much info as possible ot help. Wink

Got a left footer that I brough back to UK from France when I moved home. Im just putting it through its MOT etc etc now.

Its a 1997 MK7 Escort

About 6 months ago, the car started running like crap from cold, and i noticed that the fuel consumption wasnt as good as it used to be. I also noticed that there was a strong smell of petrol fumes coming form under the car [near gearbox] when i was getting in and out of it. Although this could just be a small crack in the exhaust underneath?

From cold the car idles at about 500rpm, and cuts out at junctions for the 1st couple of minutes. When its warmed up it is not too bad, and doesnt - at least - cut out.

Any way, I took it to an auto electrics places for some work in June and he put it on the engine management machine thingy. It came back that it was the "idle speed control valve" as he called it. [although Ford are calling it something else] The valve is aparently about an inch and a half long and costs £70, it controls the amount of air and petrol going into the mix? Huh Its a common fault on the Escorts.

I took it for its MOT yesterday and the fella said when he put it on the emissions test it was 0.2 over [not on the Co2, but on the other side of it, i forget the name]. But when the car had been left for a couple of hours and he tried it again form cold it was 2.0. This is a massive jump, and needs fixing to pass the MOT. I suggested it was the valve, and he said if the management machine said it was, then it most likely will be. All though he thought it could possibly be a problem with the catalyst, possibly blocked and is disldging when warmed up???

So I called Ford today who said they will charge £60 just to put it on the machine again, and I could possibly be paying for that twice now [as I paid the auto electrics place to do it in June]then and it not be the case. So I dunno whether to just go with the reports that came bck from the test in June, pay the £60+ fitting to get the valve put on and risk it?

Or should I pay top dollar for Fords to make sure it is the Valve, and if not I may have to have hte Cat looked at?

How reliable are these reports form the machines?

Its a dilema.

Thanks.

Andy

In addition....

I called the garage back who did the original test in June and asked them for their opinion on it. Cos I dont wanna spend £67 for the idle valve and then £60 fitting only to find it has only solved the fact that the car cuts out. I need to be sure that it would effect the emissions test on the car.

The garage said it would effect it, because it controls the amount of air etc in the mix...but i dont wanna waste £120 to find out that its something else.

Know what I mean?

why dont you go to your local auto parts store and put the part on your self. disconect the battery hopefully that should reset your computer. You can also buy catalyic converters off the shelf pretty cheep.

why dont you go to your local auto parts store and put the part on your self. disconect the battery hopefully that should reset your computer. You can also buy catalyic converters off the shelf pretty cheep.

Its apparently a fiddly job to do, and Im not experienced enough at this sort of thing. So Im stuck really as far as that idea goes.