Hi ive got a 1998 Escort gti it seems to struggle with power between 2-3000rpm? Can anyone HELP ME?????

A mate of mine had an Escort GTI 98 on an R plate, and it just had flat spots everywhere! Like all of the escort GTI's it must have had a good Booting sometime in its life and Shagged the Pistons, valves or even the head gasket. Get it checked by a qualified mechanic! Go and buy the 1.6 16v Zetec lump. get it bored out from 1597cc to 1798cc and your laughin theyre exactly the same, same clutch, gearbox everything!! Just the Bore and Stroke

More than likely the flat spot situation will be down to the MAF.

The 1.8 zetec engine is very strong compared to many of the others.

Hi, I got an R reg Ford Escort GTi...

Same as you i had flat spots.... But i managed to get rid of them all. First of all, the standard air box was removed and a pipercross air filter was added, i then changed the HT leads to new ones and changed the spark plugs for new ones. This helped straight away, but still had a few problems, so, i took out the spark plugs, threw them away and spent a few quid on a set of... Iriduim laser plugs... The best ones you can buy... this stopped ALL flat spots and now, with a change to a K&N air filter with forced air induction... my GTi goes like stink, with no problems at all...

Ok, i lie... the temp guage has started playing up, but thats something to do with the sensor...

If you don't have a clue about spark plugs... they basically come in three types...

1. Standard... (what your car comes with, cheapest)

2. Platinum laser and

3. Iridium laser... (most expensive)

(excuse spellings)

Changing to the better sparks increases performance, economy and ensures a cleaner combustion, lowering the co2 emissions.

The HT leads, i found need changing from the crappy Ford standard ones to a more uprated type... i got mine from "Daemon Tweeks" and have worked wonders...

The air filter (some say the standard one is best) i changed... as i trust them... K&N are best (in my opinion)... it allowed a better air flow into the engine and stops that "Sucking a golf ball through a garden hose" feel...

You could also chip it, but that'll cost you about 300 quid.

Other things you could do is service your car, get mechanic to look at it, or... if you really want to spend money....

Change these things below....

Uprate throttle body (Get a Mondeo 2.0L one)

Uprate ECU... remap or chip it... or use a RS Turbo one (i heard it can be done)

Uprate gearbox... get a Turbo Deisel one... about a 1.6 or 1.9L... in your petrol engined car...

Uprate cams and crank and pistons

or... just buy a reconditioned Mondeo V6 engine and have fun.

most of what i done to mine i got from "Daemon Tweeks" and "Superchips" with a little help and advice from people at "Modified Nationals" based in Peterborough showground (every year).

hope this helps.

Mark