Ford - Escort :: 1998 - CEL Says VCT Solenoid Is Malfunctioning?
Mar 18, 2012
I have a 1998 Ford Escort ZX2, 2.0L DOHC. I recently had the check engine light come on with code that basically says my VCT solenoid is malfunctioning. It is not very easy to find information about this part, I see that it is expensive, and time consuming to replace. I don't really have the time or money, the car still runs with 120k.What kind of consequences would I run into if I decided not to replace the part. The only thing I can find is that I would not pass emissions.
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I recently replaced a bad head gasket on this car. After putting the reworked head back on the engine and putting everything back together, I can't get fuel to the engine. I cheated and took the intake manifold out and bolted it to the head and then set it back in the car plugging my injectors back into the manifold once in there. I checked all my electrical connections and they are all good. I am not getting power to the fuel pump, which was replaced a year ago when I first started tinkering with fixing the car. I get power to and from the inertia/fuel cut-off switch, but it doesn't appear to get to the fuel pump. I checked all the injectors to make sure they were seated properly which they were and all the fuses both under the dash and hood that I know about and then some. When I pull the 30amp fuse under the hood, and replace it, I do hear a sound that sounds like something is pressurizing or pumping for a second or to, but the sound is from under the hood and not from the pump/gas tank area.
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Currently I have a 1998 Buick Century Custom having turn signal issues.
The front left blinker is not blinking. Understandably, with this malfunction, the rear left blinker blinks rapidly when the turn signal switch is in the left turn signal position. However, when I put the hazard lights on, BOTH rear blinkers blink normally as does the front right blinker.
When the headlights are on, the amber-colored blinker bulb remains lit (left front).
The right side front and rear blinkers work great.
I have checked the fuses, replaced the bulb and cleaned the socket of the front left blinker and still have no results. While my next guess would be that the flasher unit is the problem, I don't believe the rear, or front right blinkers would blink if that was the problem.
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I just recently purchased a 1998 ford escort. the gas gauge constantly at half. I haven't driven it yet because my insurance kicks in in a few days.
I asked my friend about it and he said that some cars always gauge the amount of gas no matter if its running or not. Is my escort one of those cars? or is it just broken?
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I have a 1998 Ford Escort which I drove about 450 miles in frigid weather over about 8 hours in mid January. After arriving at my neighborhood and getting off the expressway, I couldn't get the idle on the car (manual transmission) to go below 2500rpm's. Further, upon taking off, the car was trying to stall, and I was forced to feather the clutch through town driving and keep the throttle up so it wouldn't stall, even with the clutch in. The weather at the time was about -7 degrees (f). The next day the weather continued, and thee car would start, jump to the same idle for 10 seconds, then drop suddenly to 500rpm, then stall out. I wrote the car off, cleaned it out over the next week, and then I tried to run the radio while doing so last weekend. I got the car to start, and run normally. I think it may be a computer issue, but it may also be the temperatures. The car has 207,000 miles on it.
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98 Ford Escort SE
Been having acceleration issues with the Escort for a while now. The repairs I've made on the vehicle so far are; new fuel pump, coil pack and mass air flow sensor cleaning. Those are in order.
Now onto the issue. From a dead stop and sometimes while driving my vehicle will give acceleration issues though mostly from a dead stop. Checked the tranny fluid and it was a light brown with bubbles(?) so thought I'd do a fluid change but with the work required wanted some input before ripping into it.
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1998 Ford Escort SE ... On idle ( at a red light or in park while on) it shakes terribly. When I shift into N it will lessen for 3-10 seconds, but then it will cycle back to the vibrating. The spark plugs were replaced about 4 months ago and got a brand new transmission 5 years ago this coming summer. It came into the family in '00 and I got it when I turned 16. The vibration started about 2 years ago and at first I was told "little car has shaky engine". When it got worse I was told it was the motor mounts, which I replaced a year ago. When they were first put in the car ran smooth as ever.
My mother turned on the AC while I was taking her for a test ride that same day and it started back shaking. They said the motor mounts were perfectly in place, and that it was a broken fan blade. My husband and I just don't see a fan blade causing that much shaking. I can hear the car violently vibrating when I park and take pizza to someone's door. Also a more minor problem, ever since we put new brakes on, my brake light comes on too easy. The weight of the peddle will turn the light on, and I have to keep using my foot to pull it up after each time I touch it, and sometimes when I'm driving.
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98 Ford Escort SE... Was changing out fuel filter and noticed the bottom (filter sets upright) snap holder the broke. Would I be ok with just cutting off some of the metal line and adding flex/rubber and using clamps?
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This problem showed up this summer, different times under load: on hot days, going uphill, AC on. Also, always happens when the temp gauge is just above halfway. Even after a stall, I am able to limp home, and it improves the longer the car runs after the problem starts. First I replaced the fuel filter which was pretty dirty, the problem didn't improve, so had the shop run codes -- low ignition voltage. They replaced the coil, and that seemed to work for a while. Now, in109 degree heat, it's starting to hesitate again, but the engine light hasn't come on this time. I had to replace the radiator about 4 months back, when it was cooler, and don't know if it's somehow temp related. Also, haven't replaced the timing belt since I bought it with 90K (its has 119K now).
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Iv got this escort from my sister, i assume it has been hardly maintained considering the... state. I bought it because she was tired of dealing with the problem... driving, it will turn off. She said it got to the point where she just stopped driving it, although it only happened twice. It began when first time it shuttered then died. Took air filter off and it only ran it like that to get it home. Now it doesn't run but for a few seconds even without air filter, so Its the best choice to leave in.
Anyway, I've replaced:
-PCV Valve
-Fuel Filter
-Some dry-rotted hoses
-I didn't replace it, but i cleaned throttle body and MAF sensor in the intake.
I've tested alternator and batter, both are good. I tried fuel treatment. Being honest this is the extent of my.. automotive understanding. But Im fairly certain it is a fuel system problem.
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I have a '98 Jeep Wrangler with various problems, but the most recent one has to do with the turn signals. When I intentionally use them, they seem to be working, but when I haven't signaled I still hear the ticking sound, only double-time. The sound is normal when I turn the signal on, and only stops when I apply the brake. I recently took the top off and left the Jeep uncovered in a couple of storms. Could this have caused electrical damage? Also, the left turn signal has required some finesse for as long as I've had the car--I've always needed to fiddle with it to get it to turn on--so I'm wondering if it's a wire connection that has deteriorated over time.
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i have a 1998 escort se when i park the car on a slant it leaks gas it has been leaking for about 2 weeks now. The other day i parked it on driveway it is up hill the car would not start so i push it down to a straight surface it started now i see the car is stalling now. Could it be fuel pump, gas tank or something else...
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I have a '98 ZX2. Recently, my car started misfiring. I'm not sure of the cylinder number, but it's the one closest to the driver's side. Long story short, I found that the fuel injector is not firing, if that is the correct term. I used some trick I learned on youtube which involves using a screwdriver to listen for the fuel injector clicking. Anyway, I made a noid light out of an LED and a couple of resistors and found out that there is no injector pulse. I know the noid light works because I tested it on the other cylinders and it flashes. Anyway, I'm not sure where to go from here. I've read elsewhere it could be the PCM but if that were the case it would probably affect every cylinder and if it was a crankshaft position sensor the car wouldn't start.
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It seems mine does open every time you press the button. You can hear some kind of motor noise but it not as loud has the noise it does make when it does open. Its intermittent .
Do you get at it from the truck? What is the Part number for a 1998 Passat?
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I have a 98 camry with code p0755 - shift solenoid valve#2 malfunction.-What are some of the most common causes. How to test it ,the issues that cause this and what to do also after replacing it if bad? Also are these to be replaced in pairs with both 1st -2nd shift and 2nd to 3rd shift .
If I have high miles on it will adding the 2 -3 quarts of new fluid give me issues as to mixing with the old and part breaking up in transmission(I've heard a lot happens when u replace very old fluid with new or flush it fully)..will be replacing filter also but not the rest of fluid still in transmission at this time. Looking for a link a pic. of the exact location on transmission inside pan .of it(looks similar to other shift solenoid near it )...
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Ignition coil replaced twice in 3 weeks, engine still cuts out randomly and "service engine soon" light flashes on.
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I recently bought a 2001 Ford Focus (about 4 months ago) and it recently began having a rough idle, check engine light, and stalling. One night, I started and it immediately stalled. When I tried to drive it, it made a grinding noise. Eventually, I made it home and got it to a shop the next day. I was told that it was likely the pistons by a mechanic. He later confirmed it was the pistons, had them replaced, sent my engine off to a machine shop for "smoothing". 2 days later, I had it back and it seemed to be running great. Took it to work and went up a small grade hill (not even labeled) and it began chugging, making a grinding noise and the check engine light began flashing.
I took it back to the shop where the mechanic couldn't even keep it running and he determined that it was a broken hose. He replaced it, free of charge and the car ran great for a couple days. Next thing you know, it begins the rough idle and random stalling but no check engine light. I took it back in and he asked to keep it for a few days. He said that he determined the machine shop didn't do things correctly and sent it back in. I got it back this morning and it seemed to be running fine for my husband, but once I got in it, there was a loud rumble and a slightly rough idle. Then, there was the smell of burnt rubber. My mechanic wants it back, but isn't open again until Monday and I work the next two days. By the time I got it home from work, it had a very rough idle, issues accelerating and I'm still having issues going up hills.
Clearly, my mechanic is really focused on the issue being related solely to my pistons and is only focusing on that. I think something else is wrong and is being missed, but I have no clue what.
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I have an F450 with a 6.0 turbo diesel with 267000 miles std trans. 4wd and just bought it a few weeks ago. When the engine is cold, the truck runs fine but after driving for 15 minutes, I loose power in 3rd, 4th, and 5th gear. The gauge for the turbo drops from 20 down to 5 and the truck starts blowing black smoke. This starts at 1500 rpms and stops when I am past 2200 rpms.
Before 1600 rpms and after 2200 rpms, the truck has lots of power but withing those ranges, the truck has almost no power at all. When I first got the truck, the problem didn't start until I was up to 1800 rpms. No codes showing up either. I had the truck serviced by a diesel mechanic and the filters replaced using Ford parts. Problem persists and only exists when the engine is warm.
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The "door open" light is stuck on and the truck thinks one of them is open. I went around and slammed all the doors and it went off. Didn't think anything of it till we went on a road trip and now its stuck on. No door slamming is working. How to unstick the sensor wherever it is?
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05 6.0L xlt if that matters. Occasionally, I'll be driving and the speedometer will stick at a certain speed as I slow down. So yesterday it happened again on my way to work, but it was worse. I noticed that as I was driving, the needle was stuck at 0mph. Then a minute later as I was accelerating from a stop, It began working again. A few minutes later, as I was slowing down for a red light, it was stuck at 55mph. As I accelerate again, the needle moves as if 55mph is 0mph. Then it stuck at 85. And as I drive, the needle is just pegged well past 100mph, even though, I'm doing 65-70 max. I have Torque Pro, and all the info from the computer is correct, I can accurately measure my speed from there. Turning the truck off does not reset the needle or anything. It still remains stuck with the truck off, which makes me think it's something mechanical. Eventually, the needle usually lets go and begins working normally for a while.
In addition to the speedo issue, which has happened multiple times, The tachometer was working correctly, then all of a sudden was showing that the RPMs were about 800-1000 lower than normal. When idling, the needle was at zero. When at 65, the needle was around 1000-1100, when it normally reads about 1900. When I left work last night, the tach was fine, but the speedo was still stuck at 85.
It doesn't do it very often, it's just frustrating when it does. All the other gauges seem to function normally. The temp gauges still move, although, I know that means pretty much nothing. The boost gauge is good too.
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I have been having sporadic issues with the button/system of my drivers side window. It is an '06 XLT SCrew. The window always reponds when I am lowering, but there are times when I hit the button and it won't come up. I wiggle the armrest, or fiddle with the button and it will eventually work. I haven't been to a dealer yet, but I know this will totally fail at the most inconvenient moment. The other three windows work great.
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