1989 Ford Escort Problems

Car was stalling at slow down/stops; had fuel injector cleaned, sensor checked out o.k., spark plugs were adjusted (were at 60 before adjustment), rotor cap cleaned. Car drove fine for a few hours. After parking at home for a few hours, hard start again, ran very rough, cutting off at stops and then settled down and drove smoothly. Next morning, started and cutoff continuously and unable to keep idled or running even with gas pedal depressed. When it was running, went out onto freeway and car started jerking badly constantly. Any suggestions (other than give up the Escort of course)?

I'd look at the EGR valve. Wild guess.

This is THE time of the year for ignition problems.Or the beginning of them.The days are still warm,dry..sun BUT! the nights come faster..and are considerablly cooler and longer.This creates a LOT! of condensation.Everything gets beyond "damp" in the am it is WET!

Check out/replace.. plugs, wires,caps,rotors,coils.Spray stuff with WD40..if it works then..then ya gotta replace it.Ditto for drying stuff out.Try and avoid the "put it in a nice heated garage" and see if that fixes it.Probablly will.TAKE that garage with you when you are in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm.

I'd look at the EGR valve. Wild guess.
A mechanic replaced the ECT(?); not sure what the EGR is. After that the car ran for about a day. Second mechanic did other work I noted and the car ran like a dream, then back to the same old problem PLUS the "bucking horse" movements.

Thanks for this suggestion about basically doing a whole tuneup. That was my next step but after spending so much already trying to figure it out, I'm just wondering if it's worth it to spend another $200.

Mystery solved for now. I bought and installed a new fuel filter and the car now starts and runs w/o cutting off. Definitely need a tuneup and oil change and that should help it run much better. Three different people (2 mechanics) also suggested using Premium Chevron to keep the engine running clean. I hope this helps some other Escort owners.

Don't waste your money on 'Premium' gasoline. You don't need it. It will do nothing for your car that 'regular' does not do. The difference in them is the octane. Octane is the fuels ability to resist 'pinging' or predetonation. Premium is made for hi-performance engines but will not make your engine perform any better. This is one of the biggest rip-offs in the oil industry!

Thanks for the info Az Tumbleweed. I've already spent a small fortune on this car and many have told me to "give it up", but hey, it's still running strong and I believe it's a great car.

ANOTHER PROBLEM with the 89 Ford Escort. When hose is connected to MAF(?) sensor, car cuts off. When hose is removed from MAF, car runs. Bought new MAF sensor, connected connector and hose and the same thing, so it's not that. One end of hose is now connected to the engine but NOT the MAF and it runs but sounds like a go kart idling and burns gas like crazy! Hose was checked to see if dirt of anything else was in it but it wasn't but the inside smelled of gas. Is this normal? Any suggestions?