'94 Escort, loss power no restart

[Guest]

Hey everyone, 

Pretty new here so looking forward browsing around the site/forums some more and getting acquainted. Recent ownership of a 1994 1.6 16v Escort, in great conditon for its age and only 49,000 genuine miles on the clock. Anyways I spent alot of money a few weeks ago on a new radiator/cambelt change and a couple of brake cycliners. The car runs great, always starts on the button and keeps up well in the modern traffic. I use it daily and enjoy doing so. However yesterday I was doing a U turn in the road and as I put her into reverse the car died, it was very uneventful as I initially thought I had stalled it. It would not restart and has not since. I am dumbfound as my Mechanic has checked it over and doesnt seem to be sure what the issue is, he replaced the crank sensor today and it still wont start! Its a nightmare as I do rely upon the car for work. For some reason my gut is telling me its the immoblisier. I know it has one fitted due to the owners manual and the flashing light next to clock, though that blinking is very random in nature. Does anyone have an idea of suffered the same issue and can tell me how I can get this damn car started. It cranks and has fuel delivery but just no spark to get it going!

Cheers, 

[Frembrit]

Hi, and Welcome.

Escort's around this age suffered from Fuse box issues, I believe they're prone to corrosion inside. From memory though, it was normally the electrical feed to the fuel pump that would fail inside the fuse box and a bodge was to take a feed from another switched Live and connect  it to the pump side of the wiring in the fuse box (using spade connectors and an in-line fuse).

The easy fix is to replace the fuse box with a new one, though I'm not sure if they're still available...used to cost around £300. I've replaced 5 in total, twice on a RS2000, 2 x XR3i's and an Orion Ghis Si.

However, as your car does not seem to be getting a spark then it could be the coil pack, though check the fuse for it first and maybe try bypassing that fuse location with a wire as mentioned above.

[Guest]

Hey Frembit, 

Ah yes I have read a few things online and the fuse box seems to be mentioned often, I really hope it isnt this!! The fuel pump does prime and deliver to the engine I recall my mechanic saying. He said he is going to invetigate further tomorrow when he has the time, maybe as you say it is the coil pack. If it is the fuse box, any tips on where to souce one? Or am I going on a good old fashioned hunt around the scrap yards 😅 I think I have established it is not the immobliser as I initally thought as the light is giving correct signals when ignition turned. 

Actually on that point, do you know what the ticking is inside the cabin on these old escorts? Its very infrequent in nature and almost sounds like a clock ticking (im pretty sure its not the actual clock as thats digital) 

Many thanks for your reply! I shall update here tomorrow once more has been done to the car. 

[Frembrit]

There are a few used fuse boxes on eBay for about £20 or New-old stock from £80 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-MK6-7-FUSE-BOX-GENUINE-FORD-96AG-14A073-BA-NEW-OLD-STOCK/352395262066?hash=item520c64f872:g:jyMAAOSwrLRaxm6~   not sure if this one is suitable for your 94 car so please do whatever checks you need to do before buying...if you need one.

No idea on the ticking noise...it's been nearly 20 years since I was messing about with MK5/6 Escorts, sorry.

[Guest]

On 7/8/2018 at 5:28 PM, Frembrit said:

There are a few used fuse boxes on ebay for about £20 or New-old stock from £80 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-MK6-7-FUSE-BOX-GENUINE-FORD-96AG-14A073-BA-NEW-OLD-STOCK/352395262066?hash=item520c64f872:g:jyMAAOSwrLRaxm6~   not sure if this one is suitable for your 94 car so please do whatever checks you need to do before buying...if you need one.

No idea on the ticking noise...it's been nearly 20 years since I was messing about with MK5/6 Escorts, sorry.

Cheers for the help, after 3 weeks without it running we discovered the ecu has fried! Sourced a replacement online and its back up and running beautifully. 🙂

Edit : Any opinions on why an ecu would die in such a manner? Kinda paranoid theres a short in the wiring or something as i'd hate for another one to die on me!

[Frembrit]

Ah, good stuff, glad you got it fixed.

No idea why the ecu would fail. Any water ingress near it or in  it?