New Cougar Owner (Help Needed)

[alvinwd]

I used to be a BMW/Mercedes owner and decided after getting through 7 of them in the last 3 years that I would pop over into the Ford camp and see what the crack is like over here!

The Cougar hits all my requirements for a car, good looking, quick and practical (though no one I know likes getting in the back, and one of my colleagues said she was about to have a claustrophobic panic attack sitting in the back behind me!).

I have got a couple of questions, if anyone could help me out

1) Why does it seem to whistle through fuel, the range seems to drop down and I go through what is a massive amount of fuel, in a very short space of time, I went to Tamworth from Birmingham and the range went from 150 to 30 on a round trip and I don't think I was particularly giving it the beans (even though the engine note is pretty good ) and my previous car was a 535 BMW so I am used to spending time at the pumps, but this is ridiculous!

On the way from Birmingham to Walsall today, it was averaging about 16 on the way, and then on the way back I was stuck in the average speed cameras, and that dragged it down. When I was driving at 50 in 5th, and wanted to accelerate the engine would judder from 2000rpm, and up to 4000 and would really struggle to get there

2) Why does it seem to struggle getting power, if I pull off in 2nd then it will pretty much stall, and when it idles it drops from 1000rpm to say 7-800 and flutters there nervously with the dash and head lights flickering, the lights dont flicker when I am moving (not noticeably) but when I am at the lights it feels like the car is always on the verge of stalling, and I have to rev the nuts off it when pulling off. Again this may be just because the BMW was so powerful that a little tap was enough to get it going, I feel that I am working it quite hard to get it moving.

3) it feels a little like the steering is heavy, sometimes like the power steering is off, mostly when walloping around car parks, I think it may be to do with the power thing but maybe it isn't getting power?

I have found through a little bit of digging on the net, a couple of possible causes for the flickering (high resistance in the battery wiring harness from the central junction box(CJB) in the engine compartment, to the B+ terminal on the generator) and also carbon deposits in the engine could be causing the juddering on the throttle, I have put some Redex cleaner and some high grade fuel, and it was immediately a bit better, So I think that has started to clean it up, I think another couple of tank fulls and that should clear it out a bit.

I will take it to have the IMRC checked as well as that could be one of the issues, does anyone know where I can pick one up? I will be taking it for a service next week, on the weekend, can anyone recommend a good Ford dealer (not a stealer ) in the Birmingham (city center) area, where I could get someone to check it out, my normal chaps are mostly German Cars specialists and I could do with someone who knows what they are doing!

[btmaldon]

Hi and welcome to the Foru.

Is it a V6 or the 2.0 litre version?

Either way it does sound like it needs a service. Fuel and air filters as well as plugs and leads etc. The fuel cleaner may help clean the injectors up as they may be partly blocked.

Both engine versions shouldnt be holding back and the tick over should definately be smooth. You have got a mis-fire by sounds of it.

I would also check the vacuum hoses are not split as air may be getting into the intake system.

Your battery may be on its way out, but I would check the connections as well as the earthing points to the body.

Cougars are nice cars but are getting on a bit now so odd syptoms are likely to arise. Good luck with it.

[BOF]

1) Why does it seem to whistle through fuel, the range seems to drop down and I go through what is a massive amount of fuel, in a very short space of time, I went to Tamworth from Birmingham and the range went from 150 to 30 on a round trip and I don't think I was particularly giving it the beans (even though the engine note is pretty good ) and my previous car was a 535 BMW so I am used to spending time at the pumps, but this is ridiculous!

On the way from Birmingham to Walsall today, it was averaging about 16 on the way, and then on the way back I was stuck in the average speed cameras, and that dragged it down. When I was driving at 50 in 5th, and wanted to accelerate the engine would judder from 2000rpm, and up to 4000 and would really struggle to get there

partment, to the B+ terminal on the generator) and also carbon deposits in the engine could be causing the juddering on the throttle, I have put some Redex cleaner and some high grade fuel, and it was immediately a bit better, So I think that has started to clean it up, I think another couple of tank fulls and that should clear it out a bit.

Presumably, it is a V6.

The RedeX is a good idea, and try to stick to Shell/Texaco (not BP!) for a couple of fills and see how that goes.

Do you know when the spark plugs were last changed? They should be relatively long life, but someone could have saved money there.

There really is a problem (assuming a V6) as, with care (not slow, but sensibly fast) you should be able to get into the mid thirties. Pretty lousy in stop-start traffic, but decent on A roads and motorways if you don't get too addicted to the noise.

Shouldn't shudder in traffic; there is a bit of a warble in lower gears if you hit it between 1500 - 2000 rpm, but it shouldn't shudder.

2) Why does it seem to struggle getting power, if I pull off in 2nd then it will pretty much stall, and when it idles it drops from 1000rpm to say 7-800 and flutters there nervously with the dash and head lights flickering, the lights dont flicker when I am moving (not noticeably) but when I am at the lights it feels like the car is always on the verge of stalling, and I have to rev the nuts off it when pulling off. Again this may be just because the BMW was so powerful that a little tap was enough to get it going, I feel that I am working it quite hard to get it moving.

There is a known problem with the electrics - you could try to get Ford to fix it for you (but, they'll rip you off, if my experience is any guide). Ford have a kit which improves the connections and improves battery charging at low rpm (commonly you see the stereo illumination being modulated with the bass in the music until you get above 1500 rpm). As far as I know the kit is effectively wiring that runs from the engine, near the alternator to the battery ground. It wouldn't be that difficult to do that yourself or get an independent garage to do it for you and the cost would be way less than what a Ford dealer would charge for their kit (theoretically, they ought to have done it under warranty if there was a real problem, but they were very unwilling to admit any connection between the obvious 'flashing' headlamps and stereo and the wiring kit).

3) it feels a little like the steering is heavy, sometimes like the power steering is off, mostly when walloping around car parks, I think it may be to do with the power thing but maybe it isn't getting power?

Try turning the steering wheel with the engine off - you'll find that the steering is impossibly heavy with no assistance. You'll probably think that the steering lock has come on.

Check the fluid level! But generally you'll find that if the level of assistance is a bit low, you'll notice the difference. (Check also the heat exchanger behind the front bumper...not the best bit of kit in the world, and they certainly can develop leaks. This might be a blockage rather than a leak. Unfortunately, not easy to get at. There is also a pressure relief valve that can block or the spring lose tension, which would mean that you get low assistance.)

Also, the drive belt can slip (partic with air con, steering assistance, heated seats, heated rear window all needing power at the same time) but usually this will scream at you in a quite disturbing way (sounds expensive!) if this happens....unless it has oil spilt on it, that might quieten it down!

I will take it to have the IMRC checked as well as that could be one of the issues, does anyone know where I can pick one up? I will be taking it for a service next week, on the weekend, can anyone recommend a good Ford dealer (not a stealer ) in the Birmingham (city center) area, where I could get someone to check it out, my normal chaps are mostly German Cars specialists and I could do with someone who knows what they are doing!

The controller for the second set of inlet runners does 'fail' at times, but

• It would mainly show up beyond ~3200 rpm (and you'd feel distinct hesitation as you get beyond that rpm when accelerating, but it will usually get to some rpm, hit a 'brick wall' and then accelerate again), but even with the controller 'bad', you should have a quite drivable car. Yeah, you wouldn't like it to stay like that, long-term, but even one set of runners ought to give you a decent drive below about 3000 rpm.
  
• My feeling is that some of the things that get put down as the electronic controller are actually the mechanics getting sticky and too difficult to move. For the Ford garages, it is easier to change the controller and charge as a standard number of hours than lubricate and fiddle with the levers, as you have to disassemble a fair bit of junk to get the access that you want. (And, if doing yourself, have a look at the back of the throttle flap, while you are there...that can accumulate a whole load of crud on a high mileage vehicle and easy to clean when you have everything else out of the way and difficult/impossible if you don't.)