Escort :: 1996 Ford - Engine Will Sound Like It Is Missing On Startup
Jun 12, 2015
I have a 1996 Ford Escort with ~128,500 miles on it.
When I start the engine (either cold or hot), occasionally the engine will sound like it is missing and, if I step on the accelerator to give it more gas, after ~10-15 seconds the engine runs fine and the problem disappears. The engines shuts off if I don't step on the accelerator.
This happens approximately 3-4 times per week and I drive the car every day. I never know when the problem will arise.
I took the car to a Ford dealer to have it looked at and the mechanic, without doing any testing, said that it was either a leaking head gasket or a cracked head. The mechanic later then ran some tests upon my request and confirmed that it was not a leaking head gasket or a cracked head. No further tests were performed at that time, so I still am left without any definitive answer as to what is causing the problem.
View 1 Replies
Advertisement
The shop replacing my front tires advised me to replace my front brakes and rotors soon. I'm not a huge car repair person, but I remembered my father-in-law saying brakes aren't that bad to work with. The car is the "college beater" I bought ten years ago and I'm trying to keep investments in it minimal. I told the shop I would do the brakes myself. So I spent the weekend with the Haynes manual fussing with overtorqued lug nuts, rusted on rotors, tightly wedged guide pins, and outer pads that didn't seem to have room (not the piston side). Got everything assembled, bled the caliper that was disconnected, and took it for a test drive.
I got about 30 feet from the driveway before pulling back in. The front of the car was making an grumble sound and had an odd vibration like a flat tire. This was with brakes engaged and not engaged. The car stopped fine, but I probably didn't get above 10 mph. Is this part of the "bedding/seating" process? I put in new (cheap) rotors and pads. This afternoon I'll check to ensure the pads are in properly and aren't dragging on the rotor and that I have the wheels properly centered. Car is a 96 Ford Escort 2 door hatchback.
View 2 Replies
I have a 96' ranger that has been missing quite regularly. The vehicle has over 200,000 miles on it, but has been taken care of regularly by me since 75,000.
Problem: When I start the vehicle, the engine takes a little bit to find the idle. It spits and fumbles around some until it finds a somewhat rough idle. Often, when I first start driving in the morning, the vehicle really jumps around due to misfiring. Even after running smoothly for awhile, the vehicle with sporadically misfire with no rhyme or reason. This is particularly true when climbing a grade. When sitting at a red light and idleing in gear, you can definitely feel the truck shaking from side to side. Also, when idling in gear, the battery gauge on the dash fluctuates, but when the vehicle is in park the battery gauge doesn't fluctuate...it just idles a little rough.
I had the Ranger to a garage and had them check the battery and alternator connections and ground to try and figure out what is making the battery gauge fluctuate...alternator and battery checked out...no diagnosis for fluctuation.
I replaced all plugs and wires and also checked the coil pack. One of the coils (#6) had some build-up in the top. I cleaned it out and replaced all the plug wires and everything snapped in place and fit fine.
The garage did tell me that an error code came up with the EGR valve and or sensor. They didn't seem to concerned about it. Do the EGR valve could be the cause of all the stuttering and misfiring going on with the ranger? I really don't know where else to look. Maybe replace the coil pack?
View 3 Replies
My son has a 94 Escort which is having some starting issues. On occasion when he's been out and about it won't start. He's checked under the hood, then tries it again, and it usually starts right up.
However, today the issue has changed. It wouldn't start until he put the car in N. From research, this sounds like a neutral sensor.
But to put a little twist in, sometimes it will start in P, but at times it will chug until he puts it in gear, where it runs fine. Could that be another symptom of the neutral sensor, or does it sound like two different issues.
I tried it when he got home and noticed the chugging on starting in P, and fine starting when in N.
No CEL or other warning lights. This happens with warm re-starts. It had new plugs and wires put in about a year ago.
View 17 Replies
I've got a 96 Aero with 128k miles. It's AWD with the 4.0L. It's developed an annoying "stumble" on startup. The engine seems to misfire a bit and the car shakes. It goes away when I give it some gas and/or start driving. This started out being very occasional but eventually started happening at least once a day. It doesn't seem to happen with the engine very cold or very warm. It mostly happens when the engine is "lukewarm" (having sat for about an hour). So far, it hasn't died on me. I ran some fuel injector cleaner through and it went away for about a week, but then returned (but not as bad). No stored codes. Within the last 10k miles I have had done:
Compression test (passed) about 10k ago
New plugs, wires
New fuel pump
New water pump
New fuel filter
Tranny rebuild
View 9 Replies
I want to remove the spark plugs but unable to loosen them. How I can easily loosen them up without breaking them?
View 2 Replies
I have a 1996 Ford Escort that was giving me problems resulting in a new fuel pump and fuel filter, that was improperly installed and got that fixed. It has continued with the problems and they are getting worse. I had the fuel pressure checked, came out fine, then had a full engine diagnostic test, all testing fine. The mechanic suspects a sensor. The car acts like it is going to stall, then just when I think it is going to quit, it kicks in and runs great.
I got bad fuel a while back and it is doing the same behavior except does not quit. It happens very intermittently, now in every driving situation, except since I brought it in. The mechanic said if he checks the sensor when it's not happening, it would be a waste of time and money. Is this true? A faulty sensor will not read as faulty? This town is full of bridges, and the highway has long stretches of nothing and a mountain pass. He is suggesting I drive it until it happens again, then take it in, but that's what I did the first time. Do I really have to wait till it quits in one of these driving scenarios?
View 1 Replies
I want to change the spark plugs and wires in my 1996 Ford Escort (1.9 Engine).
The problem is trying to remove the No. 1 spark plug boot and spark plug. Both are located behind the alternator and are difficult to get to. I tried a boot puller but could not get easy access to the boot to pull it off the spark plug. The other three boots and spark plugs are readily accessible.
Is it sufficient to place the dielectric compound just inside the opening of the boot before placing it back on the spark plug, or should it be placed on the metal clip that is ~2-3 inches down inside the boot?
View 2 Replies
I have a 96 ford escort, 1.9. Recently I've noticed I get a pretty good vibration coming from the front end.
The vibration only occurs when I'm accelerating over 50. When I decelerate over 50 the vibration goes away.
What could be causing this?
View 9 Replies
I have a 1996 escort wagon with strange auto transmission behavior. Sometimes during the summer months but mostly during the winter; the transmission will start off in 3rd gear from a stop and won't go any higher or lower. If I drive it around for a while, it will suddenly shift into 4th then the transmission will act normally for a while then for no reason will just suddenly start off in 3rd gear from a dead stop. It has been doing this for about 8 months now. 146k miles. I have tried shifting through all the gears manually. It will drop down into first when I put the lever there, but when I move the lever back up into drive, it goes right back into 3rd.
View 1 Replies
I have a 2005 FX4 with a 5.4L. I have noticed in the past 3 months that when I mash the go pedal hard the engine misses and there is a popping sound. My gas mileage has gone down 2-3 MPG.
View 10 Replies
I have a 1996 Ford Escort with a 1.9 liter engine. I was checking my automatic transmission fluid and the dip stick shows 20 C and 65 C on the dipstick. How do I know if my fluid level is correct? Where should the mark be on level surface, in park with engine running.
View 6 Replies
1998 4.0 ... She only misses about 30 seconds during stone cold startup. I figure it's probably the plug thats hardest to reach ? Isn't that the way it always is? From the hood I can see only one spark plug, so I figure I'll do all the plugs. Is there any right or wrong approach to the plugs? I did the thermostat today, but this plug job looks like it's gonna be a bitch. Time for some skinned knuckles Next is the right side O2 sensor, that looks like fun too. But I gotta say, this little truck is sweet. Great visibility and easy to park in the city. I really like her. She's a keeper. She needs some new sway bar bushings too, but no surprise with 127 K on the clock.
View 5 Replies
I just received this ranger and have never heard an engine sound like this before.
[URL]....
View 14 Replies
1996 4x4, manual trans. Wants to kick out of first, and when shifting into 3rd I have no gear. Doesnt grind, just goes in as though it were neutral.
View 4 Replies
Recently my Passat has been making this really weird deep subwoofer-like sound when I turn it on... you can hear it from outside and inside the car... and it completely stops once I start driving or turn the car off and back on. What this might be? It seems to come from the right side of the car more than the left.
View 2 Replies
I have an 07 v6 3.6L (50Kmi) that makes screeching sound upon startup for 15-30 seconds. Not belt/pulley noise, more like valve lifters without oil noise. Trying to decide whether to go to the dealer before the power train warranty expires or to leave it alone.
View 1 Replies
So my fiance and I just purchased a 1999 Ford Escort SE (4 door). Drove it home, seemed fine. Was told it just needed some TLC and would be good to go. I don't know too much about cars (Besides the basics and what certain things could mean). So, got it home, was checking it out. Revved the engine, and when it decelerated down there was a loud knock that sounds to be coming from underneath the car, I looked underneath and all that I can see which it could be (from the general location of the noise) is the engine or the pipes. So, is this a rod issue? Could it be a loose flywheel? I'm hoping we did not just buy a car to have to go scrap it to gain back some of our losses. Being as times are tough and money is tight.
View 6 Replies
This truck misses in the morning when I first start it. It acts like it did when the catalytic converter went bad. Only so much gas can be given, before it sputters and misses. This only happens when it is humid or raining. When the truck warms up, the problem goes away, and once it is warm, it doesn't happen again during the day. I would suspect an exhaust problem, but I just replaced the entire system from the exhaust manifold back.I'm now suspecting a problem with the ignition, but I don't know where to start to find that problem... 1995 Tacoma i4 5spd manual 2wd...
View 5 Replies
I hear a bit of exhaust leak noise from engine compartment only at a cold startup, it goes away in seconds. I am 700miles from home. If it's a nonessential fix i will drive home before fixing, or, if an easy gasket replacement, I have two more days here, and tools,garage, and competent support to diy the job.
View 4 Replies
My 06 Sonata runs very rough at start up when the car is cold. It appears that it is missing on several cylinders. This last for about 15 seconds and then the car runs fine. What could be causing this problem? No check engine light.
View 10 Replies
