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I'm at my wits' end!

4K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  whynotthinkwhynot 
#1 ·
I've been scouring the FF forums for two days now and I can't seem to nail down exactly what my problem is. It's time to ask for help.

My girlfriend took her 2000 Focus SE Automatic to the college she works at to have the auto-techs put a new power-steering pump in. Taking it to the college was obviously a bad idea, but she did it anyway. Five days after she got it back, the car stopped holding an idle. When started, it would attempt to hold an idle, chug, and die. I don't have a code reader, but after doing a little research I figured the culprit might be the TPS. I also figured out that the thermostat was bad, and bought both of the parts.

Yesterday I put the new thermostat in and put the new TPS on. I also put a new air-filter in since I had one laying around. Once I reconnected the battery, the car seemed to hold an idle just fine. I took it for a drive, and noticed the rpm would surge to 2500-3000 when the car shifted, but other than that it drove fine. After letting it sit, it started chugging and refusing to hold an idle while cold.

This morning I got it idling and let it warm up, and actually drove it to the autoparts store to get the codes read. The codes that came up were:

P1120 - Throttle Position Sensor (which was giving me a CEL)
P1000 - Onboard Diagnostics (I guess I didn't cycle through the full "relearning process")
P1285 - Cylinder Head Over Temperature (I'm certain the temp sensor is burnt out because the thermostat was broken in half)

I was a little confused about the P1120 code, because I installed a new TPS yesterday. I took the TPS off, had it tested, traded it for a new one anyway, and put everything back together. All pretty standard so far, I guess.

NOW I'm having a crazy amount of problems.
-Sometimes the car won't hold an idle: it chugs, the rpm sit at around 600, and it seems to choke out.
-Sometimes it will idle at 1000 rpm just fine and then when I shift into drive the RPM will spike to 2500
-Sometimes it will hold an idle at just under 1000 and then when shifted into drive it will start shaking and bogging down
-Sometimes it idles and drives just fine except for occasional spikes in the rpm (2500 at shift)(I took it on a 15 minute "relearning" drive earlier and it ran like a dream)

My concerns:
-The TPS was for a "manual," and there was no automatic listed
-Even after having a new TPS installed and the codes cleared it displayed a TPS error...
-The TPS lined up with the screw-holes without any slight twist, which I have heard means it isn't positioned right
-I can't even find my IAC valve

I tossed in a couple pictures of the TB assembly and TPS, because those are the only things I have been messing with. My current thought is that it's a vacuum leak, but I have no idea where to even BEGIN with that, and it still doesn't answer the concern about why the new TPS was still throwing error codes. Any ideas or help you can give me will be greatly appreciated, just trying to get it running again!


Throttle Body assembly


The TPS lined up with the screw-holes perfectly. Is that a problem?
 
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#3 ·
Squirlyjim I know this is going to sound insane, but I can't even find the IAC valve... based on the reading I've done it is supposed to be attached to the firewall and the TB, but I can't find anything there. I'm not really a car guy (all my mechanical experience is on motorcycles) so maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?
 
#5 ·
The manual TPS will not work on auto trans model, supposedly you must buy a throttle body to get the auto one. Thank Ford for that one. Thinking the voltage range is different........

The IAC is located under the throttle body but inboard of the intake manifold, between intake and engine, you can see it underneath car by skootchying up under car and viewing the space between engine and the intake. It bolts to the black plastic of the intake with two bolts.

Both those contentions hinge on the engine being zetec or 16 valve which it says somewhere on top of engine.
 
#6 ·
Theres a good chance it is the ICV... but if that doesnt solve your problem, what about the MAFS (Mass Air Flow Sensor) ?.. i had a rough idle on cold startup, and the car would chug like you said but it would go away after i drove it and was really bad on idle. i brought it to mechanic, first day i went there were no codes that showed up, happened again the next day brought it over and finally got a code that was from the MAF, replaced it for around 115$ and it hasnt done it since. also very easy to replace
 
#7 ·
The TPS is your problem. You must purchase the re-designed model with the TB or you will have running problems. You can check www.rockauto.com, and they had some made by Doorman IIRC, or you can check with Village Ford, our OEM parts supplier who gives us major discounts on Ford parts.

You won't have to worry about installing the TPS wrong because it comes installed on the TB. You are correct though, the TPS must be fitted to the shaft, not the screw holes. Typically it is tilted slightly towards the air intake, and it should slide on flush without force. If it doesn't fit flush, then you don't have it lined up properly. Then you rotate it back to line the screw holes up.

edit: Rock Auto doesn't sell the TB you need. You might end up having to go to a junkyard, but there is no telling if the part you get is working or not.
 
#8 ·
We need to take a calm rational approach to this.

The power steering pump was replaced.

First thing we need to do is look to see how we do this, I am not sure as I don't have a repair manual infront of me, but take a look how it would be replaced

Go through all the steps looking at the car in your head, see what would have been removed to get to the pump. Check all wiring an connections within the general area,

I would definitely reinstall the old throttle position sensor, and never go back to that parts store.

I highly doubt it is a sensor, rather just one that is unplugged. Perhaps the cylinder head temp sensor, which if unplugged the car is going to think its way to hot and is going to go into fail safe mode to prevent the engine from over heating.
 
#9 ·
Okay, I'm getting ready to take another look at this thing today. I'm gonna put it up on stands and see if I can't get to the IAC, and while I'm doing that I'll check to make sure nothing is unplugged (or plugged in incorrectly).

I started looking around for an automatic-specific throttle-body, and the couple I found look exactly like the one I have, TPS included. My TB is in good condition, and the throttle position sensors look exactly the same, is it really just a question of the Automatic one being wired differently? That sucks!
 
#10 ·
Okay, so I found my IAC. That sucker is way up in there, huh? Dang. Great placement for a part that important. I haven't pulled it off yet, but I did have a question:

I know that the Cylinder Head Temp Sensor was throwing off a code, but where the heck is it? The only thing I've been able to find says it's "behind the alternator." Anybody have anything better than that?
 
#11 ·
#15 ·
Seriously. I'd WAY rather be working on a bike than a car.

Okay, so the good news is I found and removed her IACV. It's in the process of being cleaned. The other good news is I FINALLY located the CHTS. The bad news is that it is plugged in and it doesn't look like there is any way to get to it without removing either the alternator or the intake manifold. I think I'm going to put the IACV back on once it's clean and dry and see if that fixes the problem. I snapped a picture of the CHTS if anyone is interested. Looks like it's a real bugger to get to. Thanks, Ford.

The other bad news, I guess, is that I still can't seem to find a proper TPS for this thing around here that isn't insanely expensive.
 
#17 ·
The other bad news, I guess, is that I still can't seem to find a proper TPS for this thing around here that isn't insanely expensive.
You won't find one because they know how expensive it is to replace. Did you check out our Ford parts vendor who sells us parts for employee discount? You might as well ask what the part will cost- if they even have it.

Village Ford
 
#18 ·
I've been looking at TPS for early model too as I have '00 and '02 ATX cars. It seems after digging up enough info that the ATX TPS is simply clocked different from the manual trans TPS as far as the screw hole locations on the switch, maybe 15 degree difference in rotation there. If one were to grind off the manual TPS switch mounting hole points, then very possible to maybe make up a cover plate out of sheet metal with two screw holes and a pilot hole in center to center switch up with and then pinch switch between the plate and TB using longer screws. Then one could rotate the switch freely to obtain the correct TPS volts needed on voltmeter and then cinch the screws down right there. Could be very easy to make close to $200 for very little work there...........

You absolutely cannot use manual TPS on ATX without modding, it indexes in incorrectly and does not read right, may even damage when the two arc ranges do not match and TPS strikes solid at end of swing to bend contact out of shape.
 
#19 ·
How about a later model ATX TB? TPS haven't changed much- other than the physical connection. In other words, if it fits the shaft on the TB and lines up, then it should be ok. I'd think that would be a better adaptation- more reliable since getting the correct angle could be difficult. I think I suggested that early on. I know the Zetec modders like to use the 00 intake manifold for some reason, and I don't recall any issues with the throttle body fitting.
 
#20 ·
Dinna kna Cap'n.........ain't been there yet.

Possibility..............

Angle? Correct TPS volts pretty much weeds that issue out, unless you mean the angle of end for connecting, I think you have to change connector too since one wide and other is narrow. I'd probably just cut wires and put new pin connectors in there with some weatherproofing. After seeing all the over-the-counter connectors skyrocket to like $15-$20 each I went to Digitech and bought plenty of crimp on specialty connectors to be able to cobble up new ones for a few cents each. Just redid my coil connector for like $0.50.

I know I absolutely will not be buying an entire TB just to get that switch...........
 
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