Focus Fanatics Forum banner

manual trans TPS to ATX throttle body-it works

40K views 34 replies 13 participants last post by  amc49 
#1 · (Edited)
My 2000 zetec ATX wagon started having idle troubles, kept dying and erratic behavior down around idle. No CEL. New IAC stopped it for a little bit then it came back.

Bought a 2000 manual TPS since everyone states new ATX one not available. Bought a washer and two sheet metal screws too at $.69 and 2X $.19. ground a flat on the washer to clear the bumpout on the TPS and then drilled two screw holes in the outside edge of washer to match mounting holes on TB. Put the washer on top of the TPS flat and screwed them both down to TB using the longer screws after grinding off the screw hole bosses on the TPS. The bosses prevent the TPS from swinging in a circle. Now the TPS is 360 degree adjustable under the washer, I swung it to get .90 volts at idle stop and 4.62 volts at wide open throttle using a voltmeter and the center white wire on TPS connector. Tighten the screws down there, the washer holds the TPS firmly in place. Be cool, over tightening I'm sure could crush the TPS, it only has to be tight enough so that sensor will not budge trying to move it by hand. My washer was 1/8" thick, it did not warp at tightening. No additional connector needed either, the connection is identical.

Pull battery cable off, back on, relearn idle for 10 minutes and now the idle problem is gone. The trans shifts perfectly including kickdowns at proper speeds, and engine power is fine.

Comparing the MTX TPS and the ATX one shows them as having the same total range swing, it's just that one starts and ends up in a slightly different place from the other, thus affecting the whole range, if you make the one part have the same starting point as the other then no difference at all.

As with other things, no way was I buying a new TB, mine was in excellent shape but for the TPS. Easiest $100+ I ever made.

All of you who were doing this incorrectly simply indexed the manual TPS in wrong as it doesn't match the ATX mounting point, the index is maybe 5-10 degrees off, which gets you into the off idle point of the TPS and screws up the rest of the range.
 
See less See more
#29 ·
Forgive me Tom. All I can say is what I have been across myself and I have no need to make the stuff up. I get surprised as well by the things I was 'dead sure of' all day long on these cars.

The TPS switches are such a morass, I find myself constantly wondering just WHAT it is that makes Ford switch back and forth in the design and clocking of them every 15 seconds. I have a pretty good collection of TPS from many years and type Fords, I have to keep them clearly labeled for the application as most look like they work on all the other cars but they don't.

The mod I did on the '00 that sparked this thread I planned on doing to the '02 since I had the TB off doing other work. I ordered the switch and then the surprise when it was the other type.......WTF??.......... and then I looked the other car over closely for the replaced connector but then surprise #2.........no patch in the main harness anywhere for the new TPS connector needed for the later switch. So, at least some '02s came with the '03 type TPS, all I can come up with there. The car IS a very late '02 car so that may explain it.
 
#31 ·
Be sure of that, the earlier lineup issue was almost exactly the same but it WAS different. Off maybe 5 degrees, just enough to screw things up. Look at your tab on end of throttle shaft, it needs to match your TPS hub too, that changes too.
 
#34 ·
I must say, this was the most useful info for repairing my ZX3 automatic since I've been using it. It saved me from lots of headache. No words for how grateful I am. I'm a disabled driver from Hungary/Europe, car modified with hand controls. I bought it in 2003, and it has never let me down since. Two weeks ago I was caught by some super cell, big storm, ice etc out in the country on some dirt road, my CAI sucked up water. Spark plugs out, cleaned the cylinders. Engine started, ran smooth, but the TPS was still wet, transmission worked only in 1st and 2nd and R. A mechanic replaced it with one for the manual, transmission went crazy. Thanks to amc49 I could repair my car myself at home. The only difference was that I used an OBDII interface with Forscan app on my cell phone for checking the voltage while trying to find the right angle for the TPS. Thank you for sharing this info!
 
#35 ·
You are welcome. Mine is still working fine from the years ago I did the work.

You should tell the guy of late messing with me over the fact that nobody can top the engineers that designed these cars, yet I have done it so many times I can't count. Now doing the same on Nissans.

Have a good one.........
 
  • Like
Reactions: pbfoot
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top