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Comments
Get the squealing out of the picture first (start with 'belt spray') to see if it really preceeds the no start.
Find the wet plug. Car should be running rough; doesn't have to be all the time, since the plug may be initially dry, but gets 'blown out' by the water leak.
Thanks
Thank you, Lois
the factory recommends changing belt about 60 000 ,but its expensive and usually not that critical under normal driving.
the speed at which the engine was going at the time of the problem will be of some consequence as to the damage .
When the timing chain or belt breaks, the resulting damage on a 'interference engine' (where valves and piston can touch each other if out of sync) can be catastophic. From nothing (lucky, happened at low rpm and no load) to bent valves (new heads or remanufacturing of heads, new valves, guides, seals, etc.) to basically new motor form damaged pistons.
If your engine has timing belts fails, first try to turn the engine by hand to feel if there is any interferenc; then see if cam shafts rotate or valves move (if one side moves, the other must move too and you belt is on).
Note: not talking about the serpentine or accessory drive belt. If that fails, nothing really happens, except battery not charged, power steering not working, AC not working, engine may overheat and similar.
No codes? Hmmmm. The V6 has a timing chain which never needs replacing likethe belts on some. However, just to be sure, take off the oil fill cap and crank the engine. You should see a bit of the cam moving. Also if it cranks smoothly and the cam moves you probably don' have that type of problem.
Could be a lot of things. That era had a recall on the fuel pump and what you describe happened to me. The car just died. It cost $700. However the next year the recall come up and they repaid me even the towing.
When you say "stepping lightly on the gas" do you mean when you start out normal driving? Or is this something that you just happened to notice happening with the car sitting still just after starting?
This makes sense to me and is where I'd check first (or have my mechanic check). If the sensor is malfunctioning and "thinks" that the engine is already at operating temperature, then the computers that now run our cars think that everything is ready to go as if the engine is warmed up, but since it's not, the computer trying to run the engine is using the wrong "settings".
Sound reasonable?
1. take off the air intake. Just inside there may be carbon clogging a couple of little holes.
2. There's differential pressure sensor that goes bad. Two types. One metal located just under the air intake, or it could be plastic just around to the back of the engine.
3. Take off the ignition coil block. Look at all the connectors. All should be shinny. If one is carbon dull, that one is missfiring. Replace the ignition coil.
Jump start keeps it running until battery is drained.
Back of alternator has pos battery voltage, and continuity (so 'mega fuse' is good).
Is there another fuse in the charging circuit that could be blown?
Other checks that can be done before alternator has to come out for testing?
Can I replace the engine with a 1999 2.5 that has a standard transmission?? ( i don't want to swap the standard trans because it is broken)
I am new to cougars so any info would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!
I just swapped the engine myself a few weeks ago and got some misfire problems also.
If you do the following you'll definitely eliminate the problem you are having right now.
Fuel Injectors (remove your fuel rail and inspect the injectors for leaks)
remove each injector from the rail, clean it and the rail itself, scramble the order of the injectors and re install them each into the rail)
Fuel Injector connectors remove the connectors formt the injectors, clean them with no residue electronics cleaner and reinstall...use dielectric grease on the contact when u reinstall.
Spark Plugs
Get NGK TRG55K sparkplugs - they are the platinum ones
install them and put dielectric grease on the wire connector, sparkplug ceramic and the connector that the wire goes on
Upper Intake Manifold Gasket take it off, clean it with rubbing alcohol, get hi temp silicone from your local parts shop and put it on the gasket then reseat the gasket to the Upper intake Manifold...
Throttle Body Cleaner
follow the instructions on the bottle. When I had my Upper Intake off the car, i just sprayed carb cleaner inside of it ,,,,scrubbed it best i could and sprayed the heck out of the throttle body opening with the cleaner
After doing these if you still get a misfire change your coil pack you can get a new one from rockauto.com or goto a local auto wrecking yard and pull one from another cougar.
reinstall everything back together....these few tasks should take anyone with basic mechanical know how about 3 hours or less to complete and I pretty much guarantee your problem will disappear. Good luck feel free to write me with any questions etc.
you can get the part at any ford dealer.
As for the fuel gauge, the fuel tank has to be removed to get at it. While doing that check the wiring to the tank.
That being said, similar things happened to me much more recently and it turned out to be the ignition coil.
An error code has probably been set. Go to Auto Zone and ask them to read the code. They might be able to point you in the right direction.
not a bad idea to have a spare lid and o ring/seal on hand (from same guy/junkyard you get the new pump assembly?).
I could not fit the hole assembly through the hole in the sheetmetal, so I did a few surgical cuts with the sheetmetal snippers and later bent those down again (and sealed with epoxy).
please can someone tell where this part goes just post the above url in your browser and the picture will pop up
Try again. Not sure how it works here, but there is a "IMG" button in the bottom. Or upload photos to photobucket or similar free web hosting side then post the link to it here.
I have a ton of Cougar stuff that goes to the junkyard very soon.
you can also email me to
info(at)regulatofix(dot)com
1. Switch to a different gas station.
2. Switch to a different parts store.
3. Switch mechanic tech.
4. Pour a bottle of Seafoam into your gas tank with EVERY OTHER gas fillup.
Outside of those items, perhaps there is some type of electrical issue? The Fuel pump is such an item that it is somewhat rare to need replacement so often.
Hope this helps.