Very frustrated!

[cma8302000]

Originally Posted by agentmaroon108

seems like every focus nowadays is having a rough idle problem. i drive an 02 zx3 5 speed. i previously had an '00 zx3 5 speed, but totaled it. it had the same rough idle problem but due to being cross-eyed at the end of its poor life, i had no opportunity to fix this problem at all. anyways, the issue at hand i'm having is that when i come to a redlight or any prolonged stop, the car stalls. it sputters, bucks, and shakes until it eventually stalls unless you constantly give it gas. if i do decide to play the battle and give it gas, it will stay running until i am able to take off and shift into 1st. otherwise, as soon as i decide not to give it any gas, or start to and then stop, the car will either stall or dip down to about 100-300 rpms. it constantly tries to fix itself, and jump back to a normal idling rpm, but usually is unsuccessful. i recently changed the pcv hose in an effort to fix this, as well as running seafoam. neither seemed to change the problem. seems as though there are about 15 different things that supposedly remedy the problem but the main question is where do i start? ive heard egr valve, fuel filter changes, regular oil changes, spark plugs, crankshaft sensor, iacv, pcv, any other vacuum leaks, spark plugs, ecu, replacing the recalled fuel pump and fuel injectors.... to name a few. seeing as things add up quick and half are ford parts, other half aftermarket, im trying to start with the most successful first. i've looked on hundreds of sites, and hundreds of forums but no one has an answer. is this a mythical solution? i really hope i dont have to find out by my beloved focus dying of one last final stall out.... please help!

Welcome to my world...I feel your pain...as you can see by the many responses, it could be a number of things as you've already found out...the mechanic that has my car changed the Throttle position sensor ( tps) again..this time he said it threw a bunch of, I think he said , circuitry codes...He said he thinks the computer is shot...Soooo, we are going to get one from an exact focus as mine and change it to see what happens...I think this way, it doesn't have to be reprogrammed...I was also, reading about "flashing" the ECU...I wonder if we can just try that before we buy another one...I'll have to run it by him...anyway, keep checking back...I will update on whether changing the ECU has solved the problem or not...Either way, that car is getting sold.....be back soon...

[agentmaroon108]

Hmmm, replacing the computer seems pricey.....I've flashed the ecu before, no luck. Just starting to notice more symptoms tied along with this problem. Lately my tac and odometer needles like to jump around a lot. Mostly when I start the car, but also when I shift gears it seems to jump about 10 miles faster than the speed I'm actually traveling at. The tac scoots up quite a bit too, and it has nothing to do with what the rims are really at.

So frustrated with this as it seems everyday it gets about 50% worse. I'm also starting to feel like I'm losing a lot of pickup and I really have to go to about 4000-4500 rpms between shifts in order to get what used to be normal acceleration. Also experiencing a lot of bucking WHILE moving now, aka starting off in 1st, not bad in 2nd, but around 35-40 mph (3rd to 4 th) it bucks and then around 55-60 mph in 5th....

why is this happening!

[cma8302000]

Originally Posted by agentmaroon108

Hmmm, replacing the computer seems pricey.....I've flashed the ecu before, no luck. Just starting to notice more symptoms tied along with this problem. Lately my tac and odometer needles like to jump around a lot. Mostly when I start the car, but also when I shift gears it seems to jump about 10 miles faster than the speed I'm actually traveling at. The tac scoots up quite a bit too, and it has nothing to do with what the rims are really at.

So frustrated with this as it seems everyday it gets about 50% worse. I'm also starting to feel like I'm losing a lot of pickup and I really have to go to about 4000-4500 rpms between shifts in order to get what used to be normal acceleration. Also experiencing a lot of bucking WHILE moving now, aka starting off in 1st, not bad in 2nd, but around 35-40 mph (3rd to 4 th) it bucks and then around 55-60 mph in 5th....

why is this happening!

Not sure about all that shifting gear stuff..My car is an automatic..I just know that under 2000rpms is when it did it's bucking, jerking,ect..once passed that it was fine..it idled smooth as silk at a light unless the A/C was on then I would have to put it in neutral and keep giving it gas or I would just turn the A/C off when I had to stop...and if I gave it gas while in drive with foot on brake it popped and backfired under the hood...BUT after I cleaned the MAF then it just ran like crap all the time...as far as the computer...I was told around $200 for a new one but I saw them on EBAY for cheaper with 14 or 30 day return excepted..I think I may just get one from EBAY this way if that's not the problem I can just return it and get my money back...Or I may just go to a local junk yard...Well, not me personally but the mechanic that has the car now....Maybe some of the guys on here can chime in and help with your problem as it seems similiar to mine or maybe you can just try doing some of the stuff they told me to do.....I hope you get your car fixed...It is very FRUSTRATING

[Mother Focus]

Don't keep exchanging parts blindly, they are expensive and is going to get you even more frustrated, very few cases when an ECU needs replacement. If vacuum leaks were fixed try idling the engine best you can then disconnect the oxygen sensor, (there are 2)one at a time, if it gets worst is ok, if no change it needs to be replaced.

[cma8302000]

Originally Posted by Mother Focus

Don't keep exchanging parts blindly, they are expensive and is going to get you even more frustrated, very few cases when an ECU needs replacement. If vacuum leaks were fixed try idling the engine best you can then disconnect the oxygen sensor, (there are 2)one at a time, if it gets worst is ok, if no change it needs to be replaced.

wouldn't an O2 sensor throw a code if it was bad? the CEL never came on until the TPS was replaced and then it was throwing , I think he said , a bunch of circuitry codes...

[Mother Focus]

Originally Posted by cma8302000

wouldn't an O2 sensor throw a code if it was bad? the CEL never came on until the TPS was replaced and then it was throwing , I think he said , a bunch of circuitry codes...

Not necessarily, find out what codes it gave, does it throw the codes again?

[cma8302000]

Originally Posted by Mother Focus

Not necessarily, find out what codes it gave, does it throw the codes again?

I sent him a link to this thread, hopefully he will come on here and read it and be able to better answer the questions...not sure what the codes are but through all of this the car always starts right up...it was running today but the idle was way high at first.. 3000 rpms then slowly started to drop...

[Mother Focus]

I bet there is still a vac leak, possible cracked intake manifold but that's a guess, tap the throttle with a cutted tire tube fitting the valve over and seal it do 3-4psi and spray soapy water all over the IM, IAC, vacuum hoses, booster, etc. it will bubble right up.

[cma8302000]

Originally Posted by Mother Focus

I bet there is still a vac leak, possible cracked intake manifold but that's a guess, tap the throttle with a cutted tire tube fitting the valve over and seal it do 3-4psi and spray soapy water all over the IM, IAC, vacuum hoses, booster, etc. it will bubble right up.

I will copy this and paste it into an email and send it to him...thanks so much for all the suggestions ...I will post an update..

[spiller]

Originally Posted by spiller

Some of these modern cars use a dual speed fuel pump. I see were you mentioned the "fuel delivery module" was replaced per the recall, but the replacement may be bad or some other issue with fuel flow/pressure.
At higher RPM's the pump should run at a higher rate to increase fuel flow to the injectors. Checking idle pressure would should be easy. If ZETEC uses a dual speed pump, I don't know if there is a speacial procedure to check the higher rate. Another related simple part is the Fuel Pressure regulator.
(Just another item for your check list....)

Fuel pressure on the ZETEC is regulated by the ECU, Fuel Pressure Sensor and the Fuel Pump. (Unlike the SPI which uses an pressure regulator controlled by vaccum.) If the Fuel Sending unit was replaced due to recall, there still could be trash in the line clogging the fuel flow dampener or fouling the sensor. A reduction in fuel flow can occur while pressure is maintained.

Each of these parts are over $100 each. But may be on your inspection list.