Hey all, need some help now that the weather is a bit nicer.
This is gonna be quite long, sorry.....
2000 SPI Wagon, manual tranny, no mods
Had a problem a while ago with my EGR tube breaking off at the manifold end, but I couldn't get the danged thing off to replace it (seized, it is was danged cold too)...so after talking on the forums, I just capped the manifold end and left it as it was....no problems that I was aware of....just no gasses except air going up the tube.
Now, about a month ago, the engine has started to surge at idle or low revs, enough that I have to be aware of it while crawling in traffic. It probably goes up to 950rpm, and down almost to stall at times...low enough to feel lumpy anyway. Also, sometimes once the engine has warmed up, I get what feels like a misfire at low revs (like it used to feel on my old Sierra/Merkur when she had damp leads), which clears as soon as the revs go up, probably to over 1500rpm I guess....but the misfire doesn't always happen.
When the surging happens, I hear a light 'thump' from the engine bay, and I think a click of a relay, just before the revs climb, and again just before they drop. Upon listening closely, it 'seems' to be air related, but I can't tell exactly where the 'thump' is coming from.
I don't have a CEL (yes it works when iggy first turned on), or any other symptoms that I can tell, and the car behaves normally when driving along at normal speeds. I haven't noticed any excessive fuel use, but I live in the city, and don't fill up once a week or anyhintg...just when I need it, lol.
Any ideas? Could it be EGR rerlated...have I damaged something by leaving it open like that?
Oh, and can I get a code from the dash LCD?
(Oh bring back the days of the Pinto engines...no electronics! So easy to work on...lol)
Thanks,
Scorp.
Do you have airconditioning?
If you do, and you see the idle climbing, or feel the car running a bit rougher and you hear a click that accompanies the change, make sure you don't have the HVAC control set to airconditioning, or defrost. If you have the defogger on (set the dial to blow at the front window), that clicking you hear and idle climbing may be the airconditioner condenser switching on and off.
darkpuppet,Apr 29 2006, 12:12 PM Wrote:Do you have airconditioning?
If you do, and you see the idle climbing, or feel the car running a bit rougher and you hear a click that accompanies the change, make sure you don't have the HVAC control set to airconditioning, or defrost. If you have the defogger on (set the dial to blow at the front window), that clicking you hear and idle climbing may be the airconditioner condenser switching on and off.
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Darkpuppet....if you have a large wet fish, feel free to slap me around the head with it! You got it dead right!
How stupid of me not to think of that?! Never occured to me! But then, I've never owned a vehicle with Aircon before (being a Brit only here 6 years, and this is my first car here in Canada)...but still, I shoulda thought a bit harder!
As for the misfire then, it could have been a little damp I suppose, as it had been raining...but it only happened with the engine warm. I think I'll gibe it a once over service wise, check the plugs etc, even though it was all done before the winter set in.
As for the EGR...peeps told me it wont hurt to leave it as is...any long term effects that might occur?
Darkpuppet, thanks again for that 'nugget' of info!
Scorp.
i had a cut egr tube for a few months, couple of thousand kms as well. its not a big deal. also, i had an easier time taking the egr tube off when the engine was warm. i put on some gloves that had some heat resistance and i just went for it. went off a lot easier than when it was cold. the part was like $35usd if i remember right, so maybe you should just go ahead and replace it so you don't have to think about it anymore
Another perfect example of what FC.NET can do!
Another satified member!
WOO-HOO.
Ok, so, poll time......sorta.
Do those of you with 2000 SPI Foci and aircon have the same problem, or is it just me? I mean, should the car do this 'surging' so that I have to be aware of it while driving?
Any thoughts?
Scorp.
2001, SPI, auto with AC.
Never had that before, although I do get the usual lack-of-go from running AC in the summer. I tend to deflect it by running it as little as humanly possible.
Upgrade your wires if they're the original wires with the 8mm replacements right from the dealer. They're a huge help with cleaning up the idle and adding a bit of responsiveness. Also, consider replacing your plugs even if it isn't around 160,000 KMs. I'm coming up on 100K and considering replacing mine.
Ford, like every other OEM other there, considers "does it run?" over pure performance.
Also, if you still have some nagging idle issues, there's a couple of things that can be checked still:
Is the IMRC actually closed below 3200RPMs? Test this by watching the driver's side of the block and revving the engine manually at the throttle body. As you ascend beyond 3200RPMs, the IMRC motor should engage and open the butterflies to the secondary intake tracts. If you watch below and behind the distro cap for the sparkplug wires, you should see the IMRC arm swing to open the butterflies.
If you have a tach, have a friend watch the tach. If not, hold down the trip odo reset with the car off, start the car, hold it till the display flashes and the gauge needles do a sweep, then tap the trip odo reset button 9-10 times for the digital tach.
The thing is, the SPI will idle like s*** and run poorly below 2000 RPMs (potentially on the last part) if the IMRC's secondary intake runners are already open.
Also, you can disconnect the neg. battery cable and leave it off for 15 minutes or so to force a reset for the fuel/air map in the ECU. Afterwards, reconnect and drive around to let the engine relearn based on the air going past the MAF. A combination of everyday stuff and "drive it like you stole it" will calibrate it nicely in an hour or two.
Then, re-evaluate from there.
IMRC - Intake Manifold Runner Control. A two-stage intake setup on the SPI, a design characteristic actually shared with the SVT 2.0L engine. Below 3200RPMs the secondary runners are closed, boosting torque and around town driveability. Above 3200RPMs, as air needs increase, the butterflies open and the extra intake capacity of the manifold is used to funnel more air into the engine. It makes quite the difference on the highway and in situations when you've gotta go!
Thanks NOS, I'm gonna check it all out this w/end.
I had the misfire again on Tuesday, so during lunch I went out and applied liberal amounts of WD-40 to the leads....no misfire since then, even in more rain/damp, soooooo....I just went and bought new leads/plugs from the stealers ($103.02...ouch).
Is this normal as well?....I had a CEL, on for 2 days due to the prolonged misfire on Tuesday morning...but today, it was off......is that usual?
Thx.
Scorpion,May 5 2006, 05:21 PM Wrote:Thanks NOS, I'm gonna check it all out this w/end.
I had the misfire again on Tuesday, so during lunch I went out and applied liberal amounts of WD-40 to the leads....no misfire since then, even in more rain/damp, soooooo....I just went and bought new leads/plugs from the stealers ($103.02...ouch).
Is this normal as well?....I had a CEL, on for 2 days due to the prolonged misfire on Tuesday morning...but today, it was off......is that usual?
Thx.
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If CEL's go out after a while, then somehow the computer detected the condition was resolved. Unfortunately, you might need to run to the nearest place where they can check the code when you get the light on. Chances are, this is all related and you're probably just a few steps closer in resolving the issue.