need Help with Sara's Car--97 Escort

dixie_boysles · #1 06-15-2010, 08:38 AM

Its not a Ranger 4-cylinder, but an Escort 4-Cylinder.

It is idling bad now, to the point of shutting off unless she keeps the RPMs up. Its fine under acceleration and driving, only under idle does it mess up. ItT just has an unsteady idle, almost like a rythym. It goes down and up, down and up and then shuts off unless given throttle.

i think its the idle Air Control Valve. Does this sound about right to you?

Specs:

97' Ford Escort
2.0 SOHC
Automatic

trcothorn · #2 06-15-2010, 08:54 AM

when my IAC was bad it would make the rpms go up and down like crazy but once the truck got started it wouldnt shut off. im not saying that the IAC isnt the problem im just saying when mine was bad it wouldnt cause the truck to die.

dixie_boysles · #3 06-15-2010, 08:55 AM

it used to not shut off, now it is. it used to just idle bad a few weeks ago

richarddhoward · #4 06-15-2010, 11:13 AM

What year is it?

turbo · #5 06-15-2010, 11:37 AM

IAC, or a vacuum leak somewhere

dixie_boysles · #6 06-15-2010, 11:52 AM

have been researching the problem for the last hour and from what ya'll have said and what I have found, here is what I have come up with. I am no mechanic, I'm just using commen sense. Bob you're right she has had that check engine light on for about a year now with NO problems. I dont think that the Check Engine Light and the idling problem is related.

here is what I found:

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://www.aa1car.com/library/evap_system.htm

• If a blockage occurs in the liquid-vapor separator or in the vent line between it and the EVAP canister, the fuel tank will not be able to breathe properly. Symptoms include fuel starvation or a collapsed fuel tank on vehicles with solid-type gas caps. If you notice a whoosh of pressure in or out of the tank when the gas gap is removed, suspect poor venting. You can check tank venting by removing the gas cap and then disconnecting the gas tank vent line from the EVAP canister. If the system is free and clear, you should be able to blow through the vent line into the fuel tank. Blowing with compressed air can sometimes free a blockage. If not, you will have to inspect the vent line and possibly remove the fuel tank to diagnose the problem.
• EVAP Canister. This is a small round or rectangular plastic or steel container mounted somewhere in the vehicle. It is usually hidden from view and may be located in a corner of the engine compartment or inside a rear quarter panel. The canister is filled with about a pound or two of activated charcoal. The charcoal acts like a sponge and absorbs and stores fuel vapors. The vapors are stored in the canister until the engine is started, is warm and is being driven. The PCM then opens the canister purge valve, which allows intake vacuum to siphon the fuel vapors into the engine. The charcoal canister is connected to the fuel tank via the tank vent line. Under normal circumstances, the EVAP canister causes few problems. Since the charcoal does not wear out, it should last the life of the vehicle.

I know for a fact that when you open the gas cap it makes a loud whishing noise. And she as said that she smells vapors.

And i found this article:

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://autorepair.about.com/cs/faqs/l/bl489h.htm

Q. I have a 1997 Ford Escort, 2.0 liter engine and manual transmission. Service engine light came on. Autozone read the OBD-II code as P1443, but their charts didn't go that high to tell me what it was. I found on a web site that it means a EVAP emission control system control valve malfunction. What is it? What does it look like and where I can I locate it under the hood?

Thanks for your help,
Pete

A. Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1443 indicates a failure in the EVAP canister purge valve circuit. The Evaporative Emissions (EVAP) Canister Purge (CP) valve controls the flow of vapors from the fuel vapor storage canister to the intake manifold during various engine operating modes.

The canister purge valve is located at the LH front of the engine compartment, below the air cleaner assembly.

All of this makes sense,but i dont think that its causing the car to idle bad. I think that is a total different problem.

I think that the Idle Air Control Valve is sticking and faulty which is causing the engine to idle poorly. Like I said, it runs fine under all other condtions except idling. I may try to clean it with throttle body cleaner to see if that helps. if not its being replaced. She DOES live down a gravel road and her motor stays dirty especially the air filter

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=781242

Indications and Symptoms

The IACV is exposed to the intake charge, and grime can build up from both (these are my assumptions) a. oil blow-by and b. any impurities that manage to escape the air filter. A dirty IACV appears to cause both too high idle rates and too low idle rates. In my case, RPMs dropped immediately to zero (car stalled) when stopped. I needed to brake torque at a stoplight to simply keep the engine running. My idle problem took some time to manifest, and first appeared and disappeared after one day in January 2005 (bought the car in March 2002). By April 2005 it had returned, and was dramatically worse.

dixie_boysles · #7 06-15-2010, 11:52 AM

see ya'll are beating me to the problem

dixie_boysles · #8 06-15-2010, 11:54 AM

So now, I thnk she has tow problems. One isnt affecting the car other than gas venting problems and causing the check engine light; the other IS causing the car problem and can hopefull be cleaned

joealex · #9 06-15-2010, 01:01 PM

Have you check the A/C compressor?my focus was doing the same and drove me crazy,when acceleration the engine was kepping on but at idle died .Just in case Joe-

dixie_boysles · #10 06-15-2010, 03:43 PM

Alright fixed the car! It was the PCV Elbow! I finally got to look at it and while running, I heard a sucking noise. Found the back of the elbow had a nice hole in it. Put a new one on it, runs good!

Now all I have to fix is the purge valve to turn off the check engine light.

joldtown · #11 06-15-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dixie_boysles

Alright fixed the car! It was the PCV Elbow! I finally got to look at it and while running, I heard a sucking noise. Found the back of the elbow had a nice hole in it. Put a new one on it, runs good!

Now all I have to fix is the purge valve to turn off the check engine light.

BINGO!!! Same thing happened to Beth's Escape. Beat my head against the wall for about 2 days trying to figure it out.

turbo · #12 06-16-2010, 06:20 AM

Quote:

I heard a sucking noise. Found the back of the elbow had a nice hole in it.

...as I said, vacuum leak.

dixie_boysles · #13 06-16-2010, 06:31 AM

you would be correct! of course it didnt fix the P1443 code, but I just have to replace the evap solenoid

turbo · #14 06-16-2010, 08:13 AM

heheh... yeah, I used to have an Escort ('93 wagon, a real chick-magnet! ha!) before I bought the Ranger. ...as soon as I saw your description of the problem, I knew the probable culprit. FWIW, the Ranger has a similar attitude with vacuum leaks, and behaves in a similar fashion.