[tara_M]

I am new to this site, and hope someone could help. I have looked almost everywhere for a solution. I have a 2000 Focus, with the 2.0L motor. I was driving to work, and pulled onto the highway, after about 20 minutes on the back roads, and punched it and the engine revved high but there was no power to get going. If I eased the pedal (automatic by the way) it would gain speed very gradually and eventually get up to highway speeds. I took it to the garage, and they said it was a intake or exhaust problem. They have tested for a blocked cat converter, intake MAF sensor, O2 sensor, replaced the fuel filter, had Ford replace the fuel pump from a recall that wasn’t done, replaced the air filter. Now all this has been done, but no resolve as of yet. Any ideas to help out at all would greatly be appreciated.LOST!

 

[norcalfocus01]

they didnt check the PCV valve? that is only a 15 dollar part and you can replce it yourself. Alos they should have checked for vacum leaks. again this is very easy to do, check a spary can of carb cleaner and with the car running spray the vacum lines. if there is a leak, when the spray comes in contact with it, the motor will rev up a little. i'll pu tmoney on the fact that its one of those two problems.

 

[scipper77]

I've seen this happen before with the problem being the blocked cat. In the case where I saw this the computer went into "limp" mode and the problem only happened when the motor was very hot. Does this problem exist all of the time or is it only after you have been driving for some time?? The shop may not have recreated the problem and missed the cat issue as the engine will run fine when cold.

As long as you are checking things, you might want to do a compression check on the motor. At least if you know that compression is good the problem is likely minor. although a new cat is expensive and a new muffler might need to go in if there is enough rust under there.

 

[tara_M]

The mechanic said thay unhooked a lline or hose from somewhere to checkt the cat and said it was fine. How do you test for that? Someone mentioned testing the cat temp after a drive to determine if it's plugged.

 

[PlasticRacer]

if they didn't take it for a test run to check for the problem, then i'd question this place, the fact that they didn't even check for vacuum leak or the PCV valve is actually enought to question these guys that ran the tests. It should be idling kina high on n off if it is a vacuum leak also, i've got a vacuum leak, or had one i should say, but i havn't had any issue's with it for the longest time now and i never really fixed it.... Watch it come back now that i've said that...

 

[scipper77]

Does this problem exist all of the time or is it only after you have been driving for some time??

most general repair shops are very inconsistent when it comes to diagnosing problems like this. I can't tell you how many check engine lights I've seen blamed on the O2 sensor only to see the light come back on with the new $80 O2 sensor installed.

again, Does this problem exist all of the time or is it only after you have been driving for some time??

 

[Grumpy]

This sounds like a possible tranny problem, not an engine problem. When you punched the throttle and the engine responded with high revs as you suggested, then how is that an engine problem? Checked the tranny fluid level/condition recently? If the fluid level is OK, then it sure sounds like a solenoid or slipping clutch issue.

 

[Onlyford4me]

When you said it revved real high, did it not change gears? Does it only change gears when you accelerate slowly?

 

[tara_M]

It stayed on the gear it was on, not downshifting. The tranny is fine, and the engine light hasn't come on at all. When I hit the gas, it seems like it's going to change gears, but it just revs high. This is all the time by the way, clod or hot.

 

[SPIman2.0]

Maybe your just suffering from I-have-a-focus-and-it's-slow-but-I-don't-want-to-admit-it-yet syndrome. HAHAHA. I kid, I kid.

When you say 2.0L engine... What engine do you mean. All the engines they put in the US focus are 2.0L, and since your in Canada, you have 3 2.0L engines that could be in your car. The SPI, the Zetec, or the Duratec. If you look at your engine, You'll either see one of these things: SPI has a plain metal cover that says 2.0L Split-Port on it./Zetec has a plastic cover with exposed spark plug wires and the HEADERS in the front, which means your intake is hooked up in the back of your engine./Duratec top looks the same as Zetec but has intake in the FRONT and the box right next to it.

Look under there and see what you have... maybe its just that you have an SPI like me and you haven't gotten used to the slow factor yet, or maybe it's a specialty problem that you should post in the Zetec, SPI, or Duratec forums.

 

[bluefront]

Man that sure sounds like a transmission problem to me.....slipping clutches. You can try a brake torque test.....stomp on the brake and floor the gas. The rpms should stop somewhere around 2000 or so. Hold it there for a few seconds....if the rpms suddenly go real high, you've got a transmission problem.

Don't do this sort of test more than a very short time.....the transmission gets hot.

The other way to test.....find a steep long hill and floor the gas from a stop. If during the acceleration, you hear the rpms go up, but the speed doesn't increase......same transmission problem.

 

[Zeromus]

its prolly the solenoid prob illipino (?) delt with

 

[tara_M]

It is an SPI, and it revs normally in neutral. I will try the tranny test tomorrow to see if my mechanic is a qwack, but till this point he has been awesome. I think I will have to go to a dealer to see if it can be figured out. I have a friend tell me to get the cat and manifold temp tested to determine if its a blocked cat or not. I love this site, so much help. Thanks alot wonderful people![]