[Mike Orender]

Well my wife just got a 2000 Focus about a month ago, and the car is having a few problems.

We have the Ztec engine.

Symptoms:

No Power, extremey slow accelerating unless putting it all the way to the floor.

Constant tugging just to get up to any speed.

Rev's up high when starting and comes down extremely slow.

Had at times reved up by itself while overheating (Found out the fan was away from the radiator a bit and down, remounted may have been this problem).

At one time while I had my buddys computer hooked up while driving and it was showing the spark advance to be way off from normal.

CarX told me it was my cat converter that was bad, took it for second opinion at an actual muffler/auto shop who after several test determined the cat was NOT bad and the timing was on, said spark advanced was always right where it needed to be during test drivers. But they said that the engine had thrown several codes:

1.MAF Sensor reading incorrectly
2.TPS Sensor out of range low (was manually checked and proved to be right where it needed to be).
3. Did not detect my key as being the correct key for the car

and 2 others, yet never once while they had it would it turn the Check Engine light on. The shop has directed me to ford to have the computer flashed.


Reading up on this, there is a good posibility that this car at one time had cold air intake and possibly a few other minor mods. Could flashing the computer possibly get rid of some tuning done and solve the problem? Any suggestions? Figured I would come to the experts before I ask "Ford".

Thanks,

Mike Orender

 

[Blurvfocus]

That would be a good place to start. Get the basics right, then if you still have problems, you at least know what it is NOT.

 

[dwdgsi03]

Well, considering the problems listed, here's my thoughts:

MAF sensor may be dirty, or just malfuntioning. You could clean it or replace it to see if that helps.

I remember when I had the turbo on my Focus, I took the chip out with the battery hooked up still, and it completely fried the ecu. Maybe the previous owner had a chip of some kind and out of haste, removed it without disconnecting the battery. That could cause MAJOR problems for your ECU. So, if that's the case (hopefully not), you will need a new ECU, along with a new PATS key. Another thing that makes me wonder, if they said the key wasn't correct, then that means that the ECU doesn't match it. So something is wrong there. Normally you can't start the car without the correct key, but you can. So more than likely there is just a malfunction at the ECU. So it kind of goes back to the performance chip theory.

I'd start with the MAF sensor. Try cleaning it and make sure there are no leaks in your intake. Then if that doesn't work, try replacing it. They run about $150 IIRC.

Now that I think about it, I really do think it's the ECU. I remember that my MR-S started misfiring because the ECU had problems.

 

[Mike Orender]

I've cleaned the MAF several times, every one of these codes has to do with "sensors" that all seem to actually be within range when checked manually, yet are being recognized as being wrong, this makes me think as well that it is a computer related problem. Hopefully nothing more than a bad tune/chip or just a bad ECU. Ethier way I hope I am going down the right road in getting this fixed, I will let you know how it goes at Ford. All suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Mike Orender]

I went to ford last night, he just by hearing what is going on says it the ECU. They are wanting 3HRS of labor just to figure out that it is the ECU, then of course a brand new ECU + installation labor probably totalling 800-900, so my buddy who runs a garage is going to take it and hook it up to his snap on computer and check a few things he may think it is.

But, to my main question has anyone replaced their ECU by themselves? Is there a whole lot to it other than what is expected when chaning an ECU?

 

[dwdgsi03]

I'm no electronics buff, so am terrified of work like that. So I went ahead an coughed up the 800 dollars for replacement from Ford. I do know that when I went to put the chip in for the first time, it took me an hour to just get the damn ECU out.

 

[jaimz]

i had a 2001 that had this same problem, turns out it was the idle air control valve. it was fixed for $80 including parts!

mine was an auto i'd start it and it'd try to die when i'd put it in drive although it had constant high revs

also NEVER trust a dealership. EVER... they don't care if your car runs good at all, they just want the money. they'd sell you a new radio for $400 if they could make up a good reason why it was causing the problem.

 

[TLFerrill]

im having similar issues mike, my engine runs fine till 4k then starts to jerk and refuse to rev higher unless i back off the gas. it also revs itself up a bit when i start it. if you figure out any more fill us in, is yours a standard?

 

[remusrm]

ever thought it is a timing belt?

 

[TLFerrill]

well on mine i dont even notice it unless the gas is on the floor, somebody mentioned ignition but wouldnt that be apparent at any point on the band?

 

[Mike Orender]

I thoguht timing belt at first, but according to the last place I took it the timing is right. My buddy is thinking idle air control valve or another valve that he says if its got clogged and isnt shutting/opening correctly would cause all that to happen. When your idle air control was out were you getting engine codes with no light as well? MAF, TPS, ect.?

Yes my car is all stock, automatic and ztec 2.0 DOHC although at one time it had ATLEAST a cold air intake as the factory tube going from the airbox under tha battery above the headlight to suck the intake air was missing, had to get it from junk yard. And the airbox has yellow writing on it, like a junk yard would have. My car has never tried to die really, just stays idled up and comes down REALLY slow. Seems to of gotten worse as of recent it takes a good 45sec-minute just to get down to normal revs in order to put it in reverse after starting it.

I will keep you guys updated, hopefully I get out of this thing with minimum damage to my wallett!!

 

[FocusBoy949]

Fuel pump anyone? The early years needed to be replaced. I had the problems over 4k and it was indeed the fuel pump.

 

[TLFerrill]

man i was just thinking feul pump the other day cause it only happened when i put it down hard. how much for a good stock one, any reason to upgrade? im still pretty much stock.

 

[FocusKid18]

It's a terrible thing to replace a fuel pump. My shop recommended I changed the filter too. 700$+ job. Mine was just fine one day, and then died, with no start. Full throttle helped a little but it was a burnt fuel pump. Change with Bosche.

 

[Nmarzoli04]

Dude, I am not sure where you are finding these old threads, but damn.