cough grind cough clank sputter

[Jet-Lee]

okay, here goes.....i just got into work this morning, at 10:30...supposed to be here at 7:30.....heres why: I started round a corner (in 1st) then shifted into second on the straight road, btw i have a '99 escort lx, right after i got back on the gas...not hard...it sounded like the engine was choking, then i heard some metal to metal noises, grinding, clanking, then it coughed and sputtered, then I let off the gas and let it die. It started right back up no problem, I can drive it just fine, but if i give it too much throttle, it coughs and sputters and tries tis hardest to die. The only mods I have made to the car are I removed the air intake silencer and replaced the spark plugs. Now, when I replaced the spark plugs, I noticed cyl. 1's plug was bent over touching the post, no spark was ever made...I've checked my new plugs and none of them are bent, no signs of anything bad goin on inside the cylinders....can anyone help me with my sick car??? Thanks!

[mentos]

did you push your car too hard recently? or maybe let a younger (friend, son, whatever) drive it without you there? that might be your problem right there...

[Jet-Lee]

I always push my car hard...I actually jus got off the phone with a mechanic buddy...he said if I didn't gap my plugs right, that'd do all that...the metal to metal sounds would've been my tranny from all the jerking of the engine...he said for my year and model and engine type...i should gap the plugs .050 and it should quit immediately....I never knew plug gap could affect it that much, but it does make sense...

[Jet-Lee]

K, I've checked my plug wires, MAF sensor, injectors, O2 sensor, reset the computer twice, gapped the spark plugs, checked the distributor block, checked air flow temp sensor, timing belt is fine, cam timing is fine, brand new air filter, put the silencer box back on, check ALL hoses whether vacuum or not. What else is there? AutoZone and O'Reilly both say fuel filter, HEET, and crank sensor (in that order). What ya'll think?

[mightymoose_22]

A bad crank or cam sensor wouldn't cause all of this... at least I don't htink so. If one of them were bad I believe the check engine light would be on...
Sounds to me like it may have a vacuum leak... you have checked the hoses, what about the manifold and throttle body? Have you verified that you are getting a spark at each plug now? New wires?

[FreakScort]

I would check the fuel, without the check engine light on it shouldent be a sensor. The vacuum could be another prob.

[Jet-Lee]

It's got new plugs, all wires are good, each plug sparks, each cylinder fires.....I've checked my hoses, how do I check for vacuum leak at the manifold and throttle body? There is a hiss when i tap the throttle, can only be heard when you have the hood up. Sounds like it's coming from the manifold, but dunno how to check it and can't pinpoint it cuz of the shape...

[mightymoose_22]

I think you just answered your own problem. You find the leak by listening for a hiss. If you have a mechanic's stethoscope you can isolate the leak very easily. If you think you hear a hiss from the manifold you should probably replace the manifold gasket. When under the hood manually rev the throttle and try to pinpoint where the leak is at... you should at least be able to tell if it is coming from the area of the throttle body or if it is lower at the manifold gasket.

[Jet-Lee]

around the gasket, been under the hood doin it manually...i dont have a mechanics stethoscope.....is that gasket difficult to replace or expensive? How's a mechanics stetho work, can somethin be oki rigged enough to suffice?

[mightymoose_22]

The gasket should be $10-20. It is not hard to replace, ut is time consuming. You will have to draing the coolant from the block and detach most of everything attached to the intake. You may not have to take the intake all the way out, but just push it far enough back to clear the studs. Use a scraper to take off the old gasket and clean the surfaces as best you can. Then just slip the new one in there and put it back together. There is a tightening sequence for the manifold... Basically just start at the center and then alternate left to right until you get to the ends.

[Jet-Lee]

How do I drain the coolant from the block? I can drain the radiator...same thing?

[FreakScort]

buy a hayness manual or chiltons... they will come in handy

[mightymoose_22]

You can drain the coolant from the radiator, but it likely will not get everything out of the block. When you go to pull the intake you would spill coolant inside the cylinders... which is bad.

On the front end of the engine, behind the exhaust manifold you should find a small plug that you can turn with an allen wrench... that will drain the block.

[hate2loveford]

I just replaced a head due to the intake valve seats dissintigrating in cylinders 1 and 4. Little bits of hardened seat beat the piston tops and head. I sanded the piston tops smooth, but the head was a goner.

$70 from the Unbolt-it place down the road, got me another head. I am still waiting on cam timing diagram to finish. No, I'm too cheap and broke.

Check the cylinder that had the damaged plug with a compression tester. I hope that you don't find that it is very low, but I'll bet it is about 20~30 psi.

[dxrflyboy]

Spraying carb. cleaner around the intake will help isolate a vacuum leak. The leak will suck the carb cleaner in and either cause the engine to stumble or rev up.

Also, check the operation of the split port mechanism. If it is carboned up or inop, your car won't be able to breathe under heavy throttle, high RPM operation.

Draining the radiator will remove enough coolant from the system to drain the cylinder head, so you won't have to worry about coolant in the cylinders unless you are removing the head.

The 1.9L and 2.0L engines were designed before Ford decided it was cheaper to design special tools to time engines rather than put timing marks (and keyways) on them. Line the marks up on the crank and cam, put the belt on, and fire it up!