Zetec Haunting And Undershooting Help !

[emma1992]

I have a 1.25 zetec 57 and ever since i got my backbox changed its been hunting and cutting out at junctions/roundabouts. I have taken it to a number of garages and no one will touch it :( has anyone had this problem and how did u resolve it ?

[Preee]

Maybe they damaged the Oxygen sensor when the were fitting the exhust , take it back and ask them to check

[emma1992]

i have they arent interested, its been a loads of dianogstics and comes up with no error codes but cuts out everyday and the exhuast sounds like its spitting and choking, had to take it to ford for them to run it through their computer but its going to cost £96 :( at my witts end now just want it fixes

[Preee]

Hmmm sound's like a right useless garage that won't look at your car , if they fitted the backbox. Is it a main stream fitting place or a small place?

Symptoms of a failing oxygen sensor includes:

• Sensor Light on dash indicates problem
• Increased tailpipe emissions
• Increased fuel consumption
• Hesitation on acceleration
• Stalling
• Rough idling

[emma1992]

small place they just referred me to ford ! my car does all them things, it mainly cuts out when ive been in traffic, hills , roundabouts and corners when the revs are low, shes very restained on power feels like ive got a heavy car

[Preee]

It's one of those times when you may have to go to ford , do you not have someone who can test the sensor for you?

I just think if all was ok before your back box change then they may have damaged it.

But some one may add a more logical reply.

When i picked up the wife's Nissan Micra , when we brought it , 2 miles from home , had the same problems as you list , took it back to the garage , was a nightmare to keep it going , they did not have a clue and sent me to Nissan who diagnosed Oxygen sensor and replaced.

[emma1992]

its been a whole month of in and out of garages just hoping ford can find a solution as its my last hope, i hope your right and its just the oxygen sensor as they arent expensive to fix

[FOCA]

You can buy a code reader you can use yourself, online for about £22 - cheaper than £96, does practically the same thing and you can use it again and again without extra expense (F-super code reader - do a search on ebay) - you will need a windows pc with a USB port for that one but you can also get "stand alone"/ handheld ones

Cheap backboxes can reduce back- pressure, this can make the car run lean, lean running engines can develop problems (it can even damage the cat and/or oxegen sensor) -

Was it a genuine Ford back box?

Ford tend to be expensive, sounds like you ought to give the people who did the back-box a wide bearth, ask around and find a small independent Mechanic or garage you can trust, find out where the local taxis go, is often a good plan - you may be able to get it sorted for £100, instead of just finding out what is wrong (maybe!) by going to Ford

If the worst comes to the worst, you could call that woman that used to be on Blue Peter (does most haunted now) or who you gonna call - ghostbusters! (sorry, could'nt help it ) seriously, good luck with the car

[emma1992]

haha thanks was too late to correct my spelling mistake :). No i dont think it was a ford backbox as i noticed when it came off it was a diff shape to my previous backbox. I dont think a code reader will help as apprently there is no codes stored after being on a dianogstics a few times

[wase16ll]

as a matter of interest, were you present when it was fitted...reason i ask is that if they had trouble removing the old one,

if the old box was given a hammering to remove, the shock could quite easily damage the cat or sensor

could also be a faulty box [wont be the first time i'd heard of this}

why was original box changed? was it holed/blowing, or was it collapsing... ie.. sound of rattling or fibres coming out of tailpipe.

[emma1992]

yes they had a lot of trouble getting it off can remember a lot of noise :/, the backbox was blowing

[wase16ll]

in that case i wouldnt be suprised if the cat has been damaged, but still could be a faulty box...

IF this is the case, a diagnostic is unlikely to show a problem, unless the sensor has been damaged..

do you have a light showing?

or do you hear a rattle at anytime under the car?

did the problems your experiencing happen straight after repair, or are we talking a few days/ few miles apart?

[emma1992]

when the car cuts out i get the oil, battery and engine light. The problem happened an hour after the backbox was fitted, i took it back and apprently the clamp wasnt on properly. It was fine for a few weeks then back to cutting out :(

[wase16ll]

not convinced by the clamp causing a problem...bit of a strange one,..

question is, is it related???

i cant see how a badly fitted clamp can cause this problem, so begs the question did they find something else but gave you a swerveball.,

sorry to keep asking questions, but were you present when they 'refitted the clamp' did they spend much time on it or was it in and out in a couple of mins..

also you remarked earlier that new box seemed different to old, could you give a bit more detail on that

plus...does this hunting etc occur consistantly or does it appear worse the warmer engine gets?

did you take to ford in the end?

there is a chance problem is totally unrelated, if so, first thing i would get checked, is if the engine is sucking air somewhere