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Ford Escort ZX2

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  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    Ya i have actually read a little bit about that. I think im going to try it and if it doesn't work right then use a metal binding of some sort to put the wires back together.

    Does anybody know what the box under a '00 zx2 driver seat is?
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    yea mine does it too and nothing wrong with your cv's coz mine has nothing wrong with it... but in the event i am wrong then hears a little cv tip coz iv had them go out before just on a different car... this is the sound you want to listen for if you hear a knocking sound when you turn then you probably have a busted cv or a messed up bearing of some sort but as far as drifting tearing your vehicle up goes duhhh any sort of racing tears a car up it just kinda goes with the territory
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    yea tell me if it works or not coz if it does im sooo doing it
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    Ya so I cut my governor and it definately works. Because I was able to get my car up to 117 mph on the highway. It was amazing. But be sure that when you cut it, its the white wire w/ the black stripe. You may have to take out the center consol to get to it. But its worth it!!! Hope it works.
  • remowusremowus Member Posts: 40
    how many RPM's at that speed? Do you have a tach?
    Do they all have a tach? I do. :)
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    thanks man ill reply and tell ya how it goes
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    my 99 red lines at like 7 and when im going 105 im at 55 rpm
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    yea i just cut mine as well and im able to go 115 but thats just coz of traffic i could have gone faster
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    ya when I hit 117, i was at like 5.5 - 6 rpms. but ya I have a '00 and its a manual so it does. But ya I love it now. And just to let you know your check engine light may come on and dont worry about it. I had mine checked today at its jst bcuz of cutting the wire. Next I need a radar detector cuz i slowed down bcuz of a cop. haha
  • dan855ndan855n Member Posts: 1
    I have the exact same zx2 2001 and the same squeak and bill from ford for the same tensioner and belt. I found when I removed the breather, the squeak left. I will cancel my appt monday for replacement of timing belt and save some money ... I hit the breather with a hammer and the filter was clogged at the input from the air filter.. Thanks all
    your message confirmed that it will not squeak anymore.
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    yea i have a 99 and when ever im idleing my car squeeks at first i thought it was my clutch plate but now im pretty sure its my alternator belt has any one esle had this problem of a drastc squeking (not a squeel but a squeek) when your idleing
  • bjpominvbjpominv Member Posts: 4
    replace the crankcase breater filter for about $15 and 5 minutes. Just take it off and see if the squeaking goes away. That filter gets plugged and the air is being forced through, making that noise.
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    thanks man ill have to try that.... do you know about air intakes iv installed em before but not on a ZX2 i was wondering i know it makes like a five ten hp diffrence on a honda or toyota but how much if any of a difference will it make on a ZX2
  • mroscoemroscoe Member Posts: 2
    I am not sure this question is appropriate for this forum but here it goes. I have a 99 ZX2 cool.

    It has been raining heavily for the last week in Chicago. I have been smelling moisture in the car recently, but I thought it was just the rain outside. Today I noticed the rear seat is getting wet by the rain water seeping from the trunk. I checked the trunk and there is some rain water collected in the right hand side of the trunk, where the tire jack sits.

    I looked around in the trunk. But I could not figure out how the water is coming in. My brother told me it could be the water that is splashed by the tire from the road.

    Should I just drill a hole at the bottom to let the water out? Or is there any other solution?

    Thanks.
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    there probably is another way to fix it but that drilling a hole idea seems pretty alright... i mean if your liiking for a cheap fix then there ya go but it could also be weather stripping, or if youv wrecked the car then maybe the creases of the doors dont line up correctly who knows it could be any number of things but yea that drilling a hole idea sounds good i'd do it.
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    what is the best exhaust brand for my 99 zx2 Borla, Catback, Thrush, Flow master and how big 2, 2 and a half, or 3 inch exhaust and should i run straights and make it dual or should i leave it single
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Dry the trunk out, then line it with newspaper, then close the trunk and hit it with a hose to see where the water is coming in (that part of the newspaper will be wet).

    Very often a trunk leak comes from the gasket around the tail light lenses. If that's where your leak is, you can pull out the tail light assembly and smear some LATEX BLACK caulk (go to a hardware store) around the gasket. It's a lot easier than messing with silicone, because latex caulk cleans up with plain water (until it dries).

    If the leak is in the trunk lid, you'll have to get a new trunk seal and glue it in with 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive.
  • mroscoemroscoe Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the replies. I did not have to drill a hole :). Apparently there are holes in the jack well and spare tire well, with rubber washers installed. I removed them to drain the water.

    It seems that the water is in the trunk lid. I will work on it this weekend.
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    im looking to upgrade my ZX2 iv done a few cheap things like cut the governor, and lose some weight, octane booster, and khumo racing tires but i need some serious h/p and some serious results i know theres the cold air, the turbo, and the exhaust but what neccisarily is the best upgrade to do first.... i have also herd that ZX2 transmitions start giving out after so much added h/p soes any one know if this is true if so so you know of any after market trans mitions that would be compatible with a ZX2
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    Yeah that's a good question. My 98 has a 178000 miles on it and it's on it's third trans. They're pieces of crap. I was thinkin about puttin a turbo on mine but there really isn't much room to put it in under the hood. Put if you find any turbo kits let me know where and how much.
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    Will this mess your car up if it is an auto? Let me know if this is a smart thing to do? Because I put on a auto [non-permissible content removed] modual box from focus/zx2 racing and it shreded my fly wheel. thanks
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    It shouldn't harm it at all manual or auto. Because the only thing your governor does is set a top speed when driving. Its some protection thing for when running from cops and wut not, or so ive heard. But ya if I had an auto. I wud still try it, because even if it doesn't work you can get some wire connector things and put it back together... lemme know if it helps!!
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    I just bought a 2000 zx2 s/r and when paid for I asked the previous owner if the engine had always been so loud and he told me yes. But its really questionable bcuz i took it to 3 diff. shops and they said its not normal. Does anybody else's engine make a loud "pounding" noise. Almost like not enough oil in the head or sumin? lemme know cuz its worryin me if it need to b fixed or not.
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    Yeah I have about a inch and a half of slack in my gas pedal and I took it to the ford shop and it is 100 dollars to fix and only takes a hour for them to fix it.
  • decemberoutlawdecemberoutlaw Member Posts: 13
    did it make your reaction time any better... like did you acceleroat any faster
  • remowusremowus Member Posts: 40
    My '00 zx2 cranks too much before it starts. I had it checked out and the mechanic says that there is a ball valve in there that is stuck and is letting the fuel pressure decrease when the car is not running. So I have to give it a few seconds to build up pressure so it won't crank as much by turning it to the on position and then turning it off and then back to the on position. So I'm wondering if there is a way to fix this without having to tear the whole fuel injection system down. Any ideas?
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    I didn't get it fixed. I decided to quit spending money on my car after I put 700$ just in the timing belt and pulleys and some other stuff. But all they said is that thee is a lost of power, it takes longer for the car to accelerate. I mean you could always rig it and crimp fishing weights behind the pedal on the cable so it doesn't have as much slack.
  • igotthisigotthis Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2000 Zx2 automatic. When I bought it, it had 86,000 miles on it and it ran pretty good. About a month after I bought it, I put a ram-air-intake in it for various reasons.

    That was two years ago and now it has 120K miles. The car always seemed to have problems accelerating once it gets into 2nd gear. In 1st it is awesome and 3rd gear and up it is fast and smooth. But once it hits 2nd, it seems something is wrong. It could be at a dead stop, I would floor it: at the start I can keep up with any V6 or V8 car that wishes to race me, but as soon as it shifts to 2nd gear it seems to not accelerate much and over the past year, I have noticed a strange "gargling noise" as if it is not getting enough power, or fuel, or something. I replaced the fuel-filter and I keep all the fluids clear.
    I wasn't too worried, but I want to upgrade to a cold-air intake and I don't want to damage something by putting way more air than it can handle.

    PLEASE HELP!!! I'll accept any advise with appreciation. :confuse:
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    I had the same prob. on my 98 automatic. All I do is put in over drive. You can tell a bi difference. Just put in in overdive and brake trq. at about 2Krpms and take off. You'll go through 2nd gear faster. It's weird but it works. Let me know if this advice helped you.
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    Ok first off does anybody else's Zx2 sound obnoxiously loud. Almost like a weird pounding in the engine. And anybody know why my temp guage never goes much over Cold, but when I turn my car off the motor is burning hot. And the radiator fan never seems to turn on. And I've already tried replacing the thermostat thing. :confuse:

    Any Advice is Helpful!! thx
  • igotthisigotthis Member Posts: 9
    Hey, I put my car in overdrive anyway. Or do you mean that if I feel a power loss(which usually happens when I hear the noise), that I should put it in a lower gear? And what do you mean when you say "brake trq."? Also, I think that I hear the noise a lot more when my a/c is on.
  • ciannacianna Member Posts: 1
    In August my 1998 ZX2 (140k), which I have had for 2yrs started making a loud "valve-like" noise - sounds like a diesel engine. The garage I took it to said that the timing was okay and that the head was getting oil. They thought that the cams were going bad and wanted to put on a reman head. They said that the dual overhead cams wear faster. They called the Ford garage, which comfirmed their theory. A co-worker of mine who used to operate a garage said that the cams shouldn't wear out that soon. He also thought that the oil pressure seemed low. One of our theories is that the oil pump is weak and is not getting sufficient oil up to the head. Because of this problem and others, I've parked the car, bought another car, and put the ZX2 up for sale. :cry: I hope you have better luck!
  • milguymilguy Member Posts: 4
    I have two electrical issues: 1, the heater fan switch has a mind of its own. It turns on and off whenever it wants to. There is no rim or reason, AC on, heat on, doesn’t matter. It does seem to stop working at the most inopportune time. 2, the windshield washer, one day it was working the next it stopped. I have checked all the fuses, made sure the connections were tight, clean on all of them. It’s not the windshield wash the pump, I tried the pump direct and it works. I REALLY don’t want to rip the steering wheel column apart to get to the switch to test it there first. The blower switch, same thing, checked all fuses and connection. Any ideas suggestions?
  • mdkingmdking Member Posts: 2
    i got an 02 zx2 with 50k miles on it. its completely stock and im hoping to mod it. i was wondering what you guys put on your engines and stuff. im really just looking for power. i dont have a huge budget, so anything will help. thanks.
  • remowusremowus Member Posts: 40
    What year is it and how many miles?
  • remowusremowus Member Posts: 40
    if you have replace the thermostat , then you need to check the gauge itself. I assume you have flushed the cooling systems and replaced the fluid also?
  • milguymilguy Member Posts: 4
    It's a 2003, with 86,000+
  • igotthisigotthis Member Posts: 9
    Definitely get a cold-air intake, which you can find on e-bay for $40 plus shipping which currently is about $20.
    Replacing the exhaust headers with performance ones will help greatly also, and the cheapest I've found(and I am also currently looking for some) run about $140-$160 on e-bay, and that includes shipping. If you can afford it, I would go ahead and replace the entire exhaust system.
  • igotthisigotthis Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2000 zx2-automatic trans. Almost every time I start my car and I put it in reverse it jolts into gear(and no i'm not on an incline). I got around this by 1st putting the car in drive, to bring the RPM's down to about 1000, put it in reverse, and it runs smoothly. But then, sometimes when I am in city traffic(stop and go), and I have to brake hard but then I immediately let off the brake and depress the gas pedal(i.e.: stop and go), the car doesn't respond for a sec, then it jolts into gear.
    WHAT IS WRONG?? Is my car trying to tell me something? Please help me.
  • gutugutu Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 FORD ESCORT ZX2 and I have problem with light "check engine sun". I already changed the spark-plug, ignition wires and ignition coil........... and the light is still there, sometime flashing for a time (1-2 min) and stop flashing (but the light is still there) and sometime is off and reappear after some time.
    I make 31 mile on galon and I don't know if the light is real massage or it is wrong massage.
    Somebody can help me?
    PLEASE.
  • izaclown1izaclown1 Member Posts: 118
    Our 98 started that and the tranny seized up. $2500 for a rebuilt one since it is a Mazda drive train. There may be some other explanation.
  • mdkingmdking Member Posts: 2
    a cold air was the first thing i looked at. i found a k and n for 175 on auto anything. i trust it more than ebay. what do you think? ill look at a new exhaust. what about new cam shafts or headers? would it be worth it? thanks.
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    Does anybody happen to know what the little black box under the drivers seat is? The wires seem to lead to the radio but im not sure? Anybody got a clue?
    :confuse:
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    It's a factory amp for your stereo.
  • stunna2stunna2 Member Posts: 13
    Brake trq. is when you have your foot on the brake and use your other foot to rev your car up. When you take off let your foot of the brake and accelerate the gas. This will give you somewhat of a launch. Yeah my a/c doesn't work when I stop, the car idles really high and wants to die, but mine doesn't make any engine gargiling.
  • 2000zx22000zx2 Member Posts: 10
    oh sweet! Do you know how to re wire it into a bigger amp without having to buy a new deck, adapter, and all that mess?
  • remowusremowus Member Posts: 40
    How does a cold air intake help?
    And how much performance increase can you expect with new headers?
  • igotthisigotthis Member Posts: 9
    I bought my cold air intake on e-bay from an e-bay store (which usually get their supplies as overstock from larger companies like k&n) for $40. I have had it for 2 years now and for over 55,000 miles with NO problems. K & N is bs in that they charge way too much for some bent aluminum and a filter.
    As far as headers, I haven't gotten any yet, but considering that my stock ones are maybe 1 1/2" and go from 4 pipes to 1 in 4" of coming out of the block and new performance ones on e-bay are 2 to 2 1/2" and are 4-2-1 over 3-4 feet(not to mention replacing the very restricting catalytic converter).......they are well worth $150.
    P.S: Trust e-bay because most of the stores have a guarantee and Pay-pal guarantees their guarantees.
  • igotthisigotthis Member Posts: 9
    Hi, a cold air intake helps a lot b/c it is aluminum which allows air to travel faster around the smooth turns, it gets much colder air which is the optimum for the combustion process, it replaces the stock intake pipe(which at the smallest is about 1 1/2") with a 3" pipe, and it looks cooler. Plus you have a reusable filter which you can clean.
    Header also help a lot b/c they replace the very restrictive stock headers and catalytic converter with at least an inch wider, smoother, cooler looking pipe. Probably anywhere from 10 to 15 hp increase I'd say.
  • larz96larz96 Member Posts: 3
    Can the front wheel bearings on a ZX2 be changed without a press and "special tools?
    In Chilton's it looks like you have to remove the hub, knuckle and bearing assy. then press out the hub before accessing the bearing.
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