Hi,

I would appreciate any advice that anyone can give me.

I bought my Focus 1.6 Ghia (Petrol) in November, and I'm having a few issues with it. It was a low milage car for its age - 7 years old and only just over 20000 on the clock.

When the engine is cold, especially on very cold mornings, it is impossible to hold the engine anywhere between 2100 and 3000 RPM, the revs jump up and down all over. At idle, the revs hold at 1100-1200 RPM. The problem manifests itself when pulling away, the car lurches and kangaroos along - with very little power.

Once the engine has warmed, the problem goes and the car runs well.

The car does not sound like it is misfiring. I have checked spark plugs (which look OK and are not wet etc) and the Idle Control Valve (which is clean and appears to be operating normally)

Any ideas what I need to check next and look for? I'm worried that if I continue to drive it in this condition that I will cause further damage to the engine, or that I will cause an accident when trying to pull out of a junction (It hasn't stalled on me yet, but it has been close!)

Thanks for any advice.

Rabbit

Hi,

I would appreciate any advice that anyone can give me.

I bought my Focus 1.6 Ghia (Petrol) in November, and I'm having a few issues with it. It was a low milage car for its age - 7 years old and only just over 20000 on the clock.

When the engine is cold, especially on very cold mornings, it is impossible to hold the engine anywhere between 2100 and 3000 RPM, the revs jump up and down all over. At idle, the revs hold at 1100-1200 RPM. The problem manifests itself when pulling away, the car lurches and kangaroos along - with very little power.

Once the engine has warmed, the problem goes and the car runs well.

The car does not sound like it is misfiring. I have checked spark plugs (which look OK and are not wet etc) and the Idle Control Valve (which is clean and appears to be operating normally)

Any ideas what I need to check next and look for? I'm worried that if I continue to drive it in this condition that I will cause further damage to the engine, or that I will cause an accident when trying to pull out of a junction (It hasn't stalled on me yet, but it has been close!)

Thanks for any advice.

Rabbit

well first when warm the car should idle at 750rpm it shouldnt stay at 1200rpm for more than a few minutes when its cold it could be a number of things vehicle speed sensor being one of them it could be a collapsed cat it could be a faulty sensor when its like that you need to get it plugged ina nd check for codes do the dash trick on the front page and see if any are logged there and post them back

well first when warm the car should idle at 750rpm it shouldnt stay at 1200rpm for more than a few minutes when its cold it could be a number of things vehicle speed sensor being one of them it could be a collapsed cat it could be a faulty sensor when its like that you need to get it plugged ina nd check for codes do the dash trick on the front page and see if any are logged there and post them back

When the car is warm, it idles at around 800 or just below. I've had it plugged into a computer and there are no diagnostics codes recorded.

I dont know the name of the part you should be looking at but perhaps the cold air mix is not being computed correctly. Usually the air is calculated by the air flow sensor then the car adjusts itself to the amount of air thats passed in. Perhaps the sensor is dirty?

This is a shot in the dark though.

I dont know the name of the part you should be looking at but perhaps the cold air mix is not being computed correctly. Usually the air is calculated by the air flow sensor then the car adjusts itself to the amount of air thats passed in. Perhaps the sensor is dirty?

This is a shot in the dark though.

Where abouts is this sensor? Is it easy to get to and check?

Where abouts is this sensor? Is it easy to get to and check?

the maf locat on the intake pipe connecting the airbox to the throttle body this would usually throw up a code not that cheap to replace b ut it would give similar symptoms

the maf locat on the intake pipe connecting the airbox to the throttle body this would usually throw up a code not that cheap to replace b ut it would give similar symptoms

Why would it settle down when the engine has warmed up?

Why would it settle down when the engine has warmed up?

mafs can do all sorts of strange things if theres no codes it needs to go on fords diagnostic machine so everything can be tested

thats the word i was looking for as artscot79 said. MAF sensor can be cleaned. At least you will be able to see if it is that or not.

Here is one on my other website, its for a Lexus but you will get the idea of what it's about

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/knowledge...id=152&c=11

You need 99% pure isopropyl alcohol, you can get this at Maplins.

I have done this before on a Lexus and it did the trick. You may have thrown a code on the computer, have it checked by someone else to see if it stored the code.

Beware the sensor is fragile, do not touch the fine bit of sensor with hands or anything else. The 99% pure isopropyl alcohol will clean it off.

its worth a try anyway

thats the word i was looking for as artscot79 said. MAF sensor can be cleaned. At least you will be able to see if it is that or not.

Here is one on my other website, its for a Lexus but you will get the idea of what it's about

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/knowledge...id=152&c=11

You need 99% pure isopropyl alcohol, you can get this at Maplins.

I have done this before on a Lexus and it did the trick. You may have thrown a code on the computer, have it checked by someone else to see if it stored the code.

Beware the sensor is fragile, do not touch the fine bit of sensor with hands or anything else. The 99% pure isopropyl alcohol will clean it off.

its worth a try anyway

definately worth a try one other thing that popped in my head my old vw would do the same thing turned out it was a faulty coolant temperature sensor it was reading as hot all the time causing the car toi be poor when it was cold

I have done this before on a Lexus and it did the trick. You may have thrown a code on the computer, have it checked by someone else to see if it stored the code.

Its been plugged into a computer and hasn't stored a thing! I'll give the clean a go - thanks for the link. Am I likely to cause damage driving it in this condition? It will be the weekend before I can try this.

Its been plugged into a computer and hasn't stored a thing! I'll give the clean a go - thanks for the link. Am I likely to cause damage driving it in this condition? It will be the weekend before I can try this.

i9 wouldnt say so but we dont know what it is the fact no codes are being thrown woukld suggest youll be fine