Will not idle after hot restart

[gimlet58]

Here's the thing. I have a 2003 Focus SE Wagon with the Zetec 2lt. I live in a very hot place (Kamloops b.c.) and in the summer during hot streaks 30 to 40+ celsius the car will not start and idle after being turned off hot. This only happens when the car has worked hard i.e. hills, a/c. I can get it to start but it will only run if I hold the throttle down and rev the engine. When I release the throttle it dies. If I let it sit for 15 minutes it will start and idle. I have had it in to ford and an independant garage and both put it on the computer took my money and said they cannot help until it codes. I also notice low power and a strange stumbling under load during these times. At first we though it was a/c related because it happened during extreem weather using the a/c but today twice without the a/c. This only occours durring very hot weather. Any ideas?

[Sponsor]

[Foci_Fosho]

try cleaning the MAF sensor in the intake with electronics spray cleaner?
It might help... certainly won't hurt it...

[breakaway]

Sounds like your cat might be partially obstructed.

[myfirstfocus]

I think that AutoZone...if you have one, puts cars on the computer for free. I have had mine tested there, they found the problem and gave me the part. I didnt have to pay for anything but the part. If it starts running hot, see if you can swing into a part store with a computer and test it then. Maybe that will solve it. Hope that helps.

[ZXtray]

I'm having the same problem as gimlet, car runs fine. Then on a hot engine the car dies at restart unless I give it a little peddle. After it dies about 50 times driving the rest of the way home, out of the blue it will be fine and the next day it usually does'nt act up at all. It seems worse after using the ac on a hot day, and it only acts up on a restart.
Any help is appericiated.

[1turbofocus]

Find someone with a xcal and contact me for a list to log then send me the logs and I will try to help

Tom

[2003FocusZTW]

I've been living with with this same problem for several years. On hot days (above 70 degrees F) the car won't idle upon restart when the engine is hot. More likely is when I've made two or three short trips. I used to think this had something to do with the AC, but the AC quite two years ago, but not this symptom. To make things interesting, I've also had the symptom two or three times in cold weather (32 degrees F), but that is rare. If I let the car cool down for an hour or so, it works fine again. My mechanic took it to a Ford garage to reflash the computer, but eventually, I saw the symptom again.