Living with the Escort

[Snow93]

Last January me father aquired a 1993 Ford Escort LX with a 1.9L 4 cylinder, automatic trans (4spd i beleave) & A/C. She has round 254 000 km's on engine and body(derusted) and mainly used for highway driving.
Whats been done sence then?
Spark Plugs and wires
All fluids flushed and changed
New struts
New brakes
New alternater aquired from junkyard
Timeing and accessory belt
and a couple other little things.
And like any 11 year old vechile with high milage problems arise:
1. Slow accelleration
2. Low seeming idle(ruff round 870rpm)
3. Shuddering, jerking, when idling in Drive, coming to a stop, coasting
4. Shuddering, jerking upon start up (some days are good, some days are bad, just like #3)
almost like no fire in the number 1 or 2 piston but coil good

Any ideas? Anyone?..

Ive had it into the school shop a multitude of times attempting to find out what has been causing 3 & 4 but there is a limit to what you can do. Compression tests showed vary good compression all round. The hydrolic valves have been inspected for any problems there, most vaccume lines have been tested(or so me father tells me- no trust there) but that bout covers it.

[Snow93]

I should have also mentioned that when i was bout to change me oil a couple day back i noticed were the tranny meets the block of the engine there is quite a leak.. looks like burnt tranny fluid(its over filled by bout half an inch on the dip stick.. last time i let a shop change the fluid) but the odd thing is it has no odor what so ever.

[BLU CIVIC]

have u gone online and check out the safety recalls for that year escort?

i know that escorts have had problems and that should be one of the things u need to check b/c the problem u may be having i covered in one of those recalls

but that's just a thought

[Snow93]

have any sites to recomend? been looken through google for the last hour now.. havent come up with nothin but complaints and unrelated recalls.

[BLU CIVIC]

there u go:

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/19/93191544.html

[Snow93]

Thanks.. this one here sounds bout right:
93116 MAY 93 A/T - 4EAT Fluid Leak From Torque Converter Area
But not quite sure if im correct.. haynes manuals aint the best thing to be usin it seems.. i will take a pic on tuesday show yall the nice little leak but this sound bout right..

How do you read codes? tryed doin it the haynes way with first the check engine ligh then a voltmeter but couldnt get none.

[BLU CIVIC]

i'm a honda person so i would know on fords...but generally the ecu flases a light in intervals and u take the number and find out out what number coder that is

u should check and see what mandatory recalls were preformed on your car to be sure

[nditech]

You might also want to make sure that that is tranny fluid and not oil. These cars are known for blowing the head gasket. The 96 i have had a simular problem. The #4 valve broke and went throught the motor. I have since rebuilt is and replace many parts. All pollution stuff and even the vaccum lines.

[Snow93]

Head gasket? well.. least you can the head off with then engine in the body.. but as far as bein oil or tranny fluid? no odor, brown fluid looks like oil, and looks like tranny.. maby both but i will find that out when i eventualy get roudn to puttin some new synthetic in it.
Found a tranny for 375 bucks cnd at a junk yard they pull it out.. new one for this here car bout 3000 US.. way to much... so hopefuly this "new" tranny good... if not.. canabilise it.

As far as manditory recalls go. goin to call ford canada later on.. mos the time there are differnt recalls between the states and canada.. pain int he arse to.

[Snow93]

any one know how to replace a rear main seal?... shop teacher seems to think tis that leaken.

[jeffescortlx]

yeah, drop the tranny.

[Snow93]

oh well good.. vary good.. be doin that this mouth.. ah.. 4 hours under a car lying on a bed of gravel.. a bit painful.. what could i use inplace of a engine jack or what ever the heck an A frame is...?(anyone know the rough weight of this here engine?)

[Snow93]

you know what i hate? when you finaly think you got a problem tracked down and the bastard goes away.. The tranny's worken perfect. No vibration, no meshing, perfect.. bah.. but the oil leak is still there.

Tell me yall.. my father wants me to just let it leak a quart amouth(thats when its not running) but considerin this oil i got for it costs 32 bucks for 4 L i dont think it will be worth it.. not to mention having the crank go sloppy.. any ideas?