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Ford Escort Engine Problems

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Comments

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,759
    I'm not sure that is what the OP had in mind when he said, "My escort won't start." :P
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • madcarpentermadcarpenter Member Posts: 3
    Sorry, but you are likely another of the many victims of Ford's 2.0 SPI engine's dreaded "Dropped #4 valve Seat". Google it, if you have a strong stomach.
  • madcarpentermadcarpenter Member Posts: 3
    The problem with the 'dropped valve seat' is that when it happens, bits of metal from the damaged seat can get sucked back into the intake manifold, and unless it gets cleaned extremely (like rinsed out with a garden hose!) well before reassembly, leftover metal bits can drop from the intake into the newly repaired engine cylinders and damage them all over again. Google it for more bad news... Sorry. Maybe time for a Honda or Subaru?
  • madcarpentermadcarpenter Member Posts: 3
    Are you getting spark @ any of the spark plugs? These Fords are notorious for killing their coil packs, a relatively inexpensive part.

    The valve clatter sounds eerily familiar to the all too common, dreaded 'Dropped Valve Seat' problem that plagues many of these 2.0 SPI engines as they approach 100k miles. Google 'Leakdown Test' to see how to determine if you have adequate compression in each of your four cylinders, and try not to get sick if you find out that your Escort just dropped chunks of its #4 valve seat into the cylinder. (Hint: if you pull the spark plugs, and find one (usually the #4) that looks mangled and/or cleanly 'sandblasted', you may need a valve job...)
  • izaclown1izaclown1 Member Posts: 118
    I just had a shop to replace the entire valve assembly to fix a 2001 SE with a valve sticking/dropping with 122K miles on it. Took about 4 weeks of Ford techs figuring our why the engine died randomly. Once it was fixed, runs like a new car. I figured since it was paid for, low taxes, teen driver insurance and gets good mpg, it was cheaper to fix it than trade it.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,759
    Interesting. I had never come across this issue before! I suppose, at 156,000 miles, this summer might be a good time for me to perform yet more preventative maintenance on my '98 Escort. :sick:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • izaclown1izaclown1 Member Posts: 118
    I think part of the problem was a possible overheating when I got a phone call from my son (when he was driving it) about "smoke" coming from under hood. He wanted to know if it was a problem. Well yes son, what is the temp gauge telling you, it is fine, oh wait it is climbing near the H... :cry: :mad: :sick: (in that order)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,759
    Hahaha, yeah. I suspect that is a moment through which every parent must inevitably go. Mine is still gliding along after 156,000 miles (just turned it over on the odometer last night), so I'm definitely going to run some tests during my annual maintenance weekend this summer, but I'm also not cringing every time I drive it. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • izaclown1izaclown1 Member Posts: 118
    The car is still running good and my daughter is buzzing around town in it. Not more complaints. They are good little cars and kinda fun to drive. Now if I could get the boy to quit overheating cars wI will be happy. This past weekend he found a parking lot on I95 and lef the car and AC running for 30 minutes without moving and was wondering why the Towncar overheated. I happen to have enough anitfreeze to get the car back to full and turned on the air suspenssion because he could not figure out the message center said there was a problem and why the car was bouncing so bad. I am sending him to college, why??? :blush:

    It is all good.
  • bassdude65bassdude65 Member Posts: 1
    124,000 miles. Purchased 1 month ago. I was driving the vehicle on the highway. The car seemed to have little power. Could not accelerate to pass. There was a slight grinding/chattering noise then a loud pop and it died. the gauge did not register but it may have been hot. Car was steaming and some antifreeze on ground. I has just filled the over flow reservoir day before. Checked the timing belt and water pump - both good. Timing belt appears to be new. Car turns over but will not start. Checked the plugs and I have spark. any help is appreciated.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,759
    From where was it leaking, did you notice? When you crank it now, does it make any odd noises? When you checked the plugs, there was no mechanical damage there?

    It almost sounds like you threw a rod, but I can't imagine it cranking without any untoward noises if that were the case. Have you checked the oil to determine if it is clean (uncontaminated with antifreeze)?
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • mrachal1mrachal1 Member Posts: 1
    what i did i put a push button on my 1991 escort it work 98 percent o f the time. waitng to see in winter time
  • mrhflrsmrhflrs Member Posts: 1
    Everytime I accelerate too quickly my engine makes a very distince clicking noise, as if something is caught on some sort of fan and is spinning around and around. I know nothing about cars whatsoever, but I know that it is something in the engine, and that it only happens when I accelerate too quickly, continue to accelerate uphill, and it will continue to click when I am parked. Up until one point when the engine makes this really awful sound my car is fine, but that point on it continues to click click click click... I'm not sure what to do! It honestly runs fine it's just this awful noise I'm concerned about and sometimes it smells of burnt rubber... I'm a college student who works two jobs...this car is my life, HELP PLEASE!
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,759
    This is an odd symptom. It is tied to the activity of the engine, yet continues to make the noise even after the engine is shut off? Or, am I misunderstanding and you when you say "it will continue to click when I am parked," you mean to say you are stopped but the engine is idling?

    I'm wondering if you have a damaged valve or valve seat that is causing this issue.

    How is power vs. what you remember? Still good? Maybe do a quick compression test on it and observe the behavior of the gauge as the engine cranks. If you get immediate, consistent pressure out of all the cylinders, it probably isn't a valve issue.

    I used to have pinging issues in mine when I pushed it, but those are much more subtle than a "click click click" and go away immediately when I stopped pushing it (or made it to the top of the hill!).
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • zx2stumpedzx2stumped Member Posts: 1
    I own a '99 Ford Escort ZX2 and after all the research that I have done, all I have ever seen is that all 2.0 Liter DOHC engines have Hydraulic lifters. I hope this helps.
  • johnnyg6johnnyg6 Member Posts: 1
    have spark have gas wont start any help
  • uaebabes121uaebabes121 Member Posts: 1
    I'm having some problems here, I replaced my thermostat today and it didn't fix my first problem. My needle for the C/H on the gauges barely moves and I mean barely, I noticed that my car hogs up alot of gas and I read online that this could be causing it so I wanted to fix that for sure...

    Escort
    Dubai Escorts
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,759
    The thermostat is generally the device that regulates when coolant is allowed to freely flow through the engine, and triggers upon the car reaching operating temperature (generally pre-set to 185-195 degrees F). The temperature sending unit is the sensor that interacts with the dash gauge.

    As for the car using a lot more fuel than expected, that could be numerous things interacting, and is difficult to gauge by the description provided. Without far more information, there's really not much to go on here.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
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