[BlueBSH]

Car was running fine the other night our temps dropped to below zero for a few days, started it up the next day when it was 2 degrees out started fine... then after a minute of sitting idle it conked out like you shut it off and now it won't start.

I've tried starting it, you can hear the starter run, looking at the engine while someone else starts it the belt moves and the pulleys turn fine.

Turn the key you can hear the fuel pump do something.

took a fuel line off a rail turned the key to run without the start and fuel flows out of the line like it should when pressurizing the rails for a start.

Changed the oil to look for metal fragments, nothing, all new oil now.

Checked the cam shaft sensor, it's working fine (haven't checked the crank shaft sensor)

battery was 10.8 volts when sitting idle, seemed low it was a high amp cranking battery though, but tried jumping it and charging it to make sure.. battery charges fine jumping it made the starter seem stronger on key turn but still no engine start.

no engine error codes when I put the scanner on the ODB-II port.

didn't pull the engine cover to look at the timing chain yet (i assume it was a chain in this 2.0 L engine)..

what else could be wrong to look at? Could the engine somehow of flooded or flooded trying to start it in the cold? If so does the focus have a flood clear mode like some cars do where you crank it when the gas pedal is pressed?

The car is a 2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SE with 50,000k miles on it

Edit: Can you see the cam shaft through the oil fill port on this car? If so I could easily tell if the timing chain broke or not.. I'm not at it right now to look

 

[sailor]

It does have the pedal down flood clear mode AFAIK, it's been mentioned as std. before though I've never had to try it.

That battery voltage is way low, see if it'll get back up to 12.63 with a charge. Below around 9.5 starting with any car is a crossed fingers affair (measured while cranking). Battery that won't stay over that once charged is junk.

 

[BlueBSH]

It does have the pedal down flood clear mode AFAIK, it's been mentioned as std. before though I've never had to try it.

That battery voltage is way low, see if it'll get back up to 12.63 with a charge. Below around 9.5 starting with any car is a crossed fingers affair (measured while cranking). Battery that won't stay over that once charged is junk.

yes, the battery did charge to above 12 volts but didn't help the car start, thinking it might of flooded trying... going to have to try to clear it tonight and check to see if the plugs are wet

 

[BlueBSH]

Just tried to start the engine looking at the cam shaft thorugh the oil fill port and you can see the cam shaft turning... so it's not the timing chain...

tried the clear flood mode not 100% sure I did it right but held the gas down cranked the engine for a little nothing the first time... the second time I tried again felt like there was some compression in the engine then a backfire

but still no engine start...

checked the fuel line shutoff switch by the passenger side wheel well not sure how to tell if its thrown or not, but you couldn't push it down at all so I assume it's not activated.

guess next is check the plugs?... anything I'm missing on this car to look at elsewise?

 

[sailor]

Yeah, check plugs for sure just to see what's going on in there.

Odo. show normal numbers? Dashes mean a problem with power/ground to the PCM. Small grounds from the negative terminal & to the body can cause trouble.

 

[BlueBSH]

Yeah, check plugs for sure just to see what's going on in there.

Odo. show normal numbers? Dashes mean a problem with power/ground to the PCM. Small grounds from the negative terminal & to the body can cause trouble.

didn't look at that, will have to look here

 

[BlueBSH]

with my scan tool I have a reading for FP/vac PSI which I think is the fuel pressure? anyways when I turn the key to run it goes up to 48 PSI when cranking it drops to 38 PSI then goes up to 60 PSI.

I just tried to start it with the clear flood mode again and while cranking after about 3 seconds there was a very loud pop noise like a backfire but at the engine, like it came out the throttle body or something...

 

[BlueBSH]

well pulled the plugs today, looks like they have never been changed before... very dirty, and the gap was larger then spec... and there was gas in the cylinders so it appears it did flood, but the clear flood didn't help...

put all new plugs in cleared out the gas... still nothing, so now it's being towed to the shop. I don't have all the tools I need to check pressure and compression nor the ability to drop the tank if I need a new pump.. oh well I tried!

 

[sailor]

G/L - with the latest info. I might guess the FP sensor was leaking & put too much gas into the intake - 40 psi is good but that 60 is wrong, it should have a more stable psi..

Checks beyond that get tougher anyways, time for someone with more tools makes sense.

 

[BlueBSH]

well bad news for me, engine is dead... they don't know what's up without taking it apart, but there is zero compression in it and the timing chain is fine... ugh

 

[sailor]

Ugh - all I can think of is a crank pulley bolt loosening, and I hadn't heard of that before.

Pulley & chain gear are held in position by friction when tight, special diamond coated washers to help with that. Pop is common for bad timing, just really odd for it to slip on one of those. Valves can be bent if timing is off, interference style setup.