posted this on technical but thought I would post here also

Today I noticed app 3-4 minutes after starting my car that when accelerating in 2nd gear there was a loss of power(like a flat spot) and then the same when I changed up to 3rd but then car seemed ok. I was sitting in traffice stationary when my engine management light came on, decided to turn back home and have left car there.

Can anyone suggest anything obvious as a fault as am not keen on putting my car to the local Ford garage(as have been let down by them on numerous occassions) and would like to have an idea of what the problem could be when booking in somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Happened to me on my last car,flat spot in 1st & 2nd gear,turned out to be the ignition coil,easy fix,cost me about £30 ;)

Thanks for input. I have just been told that it is the oxygen sensor as someone was able to connect a piece of equipment(don't know what it is called!) and message showed on screen.

I ordered an oxygen sensor and was asked if it was the top or bottom one - asked the person who had looked at the car and they said top. On checking online I am now wondering how do you know which one is needed and am panicking incase I have ordered the wrong bit.

Typically I have just put my car up for sale(the day before the light came on!) and don't want to throw money away getting the wrong bit BUT also do want the problem sorted for selling.

Help!

The top one is usually on the manifold which you can see from the engine bay,the lower being after the cat,easy & quick to replace as long as it screws off easily,some are a bugger to unscrew.

Good luck & hope you sell it quickly ;)

Would the machine that was attached to car have been specific about which one was faulty??

Yeah,the diagnostic reader identifies it,think it reads bank 1/bank 2(before & after the cat),the manifold plug is easier to get off because its in the engine bay & less dirt gets to it,unless its been baked on with the heat under the hood :P

As I said an easy fix & generally a quick job,always a good idea to suggest to the guy to put some copper grease on the plug threads,easier to get off in future.

Thanks very much for answering that for me

How did you get on! Is it back on the road now.