Sluggish Ford Focus

Baldie

Afternoon all,

My Ford Focus is starting to feel sluggish at low revs, once it was moving it was ok but kept feeling like it was gonna stall when pulling off and up to about 2.5k revs didnt seem to be getting going very well.

There's lack of power at lower revs and hesitation when accelerating.

I changed the ignition coil about 6 weeks ago (€180), and it looks like the problem is back.

Any ideas?

(preferably cheap one)

maxwell smart

Does it cut out when reversing?

Baldie

maxwell smart wrote: »

Does it cut out when reversing?

No. I had the clutch replaced about 6 months ago.

8vjohn

Does it feel like it's gonna stall when you're pulling up to stop? If so then a simple clean of the throttle body will fix this. If not, try cleaning/replacing your air flow meter. Has it thrown on any check lights?

Farls

What year, engine is the car?

jonnygee

Dont pay 180 euro for a focus coil pack, buy it as cheap as you can and fit it yourself, takes about 15 minutes, honestly 50 euro tops.

beam99

Pull the plug leads off the plugs and see if there wet, some of these's had a problem with the washer jets leaking and the water getting in around the top of the plug&lead causing a misfire. If so you need to replace the washer jets,and maybe leads.

guil

i'd say its more than likely the MAF, i had to replace it twice in a 99 focus i had, disconnect it with the car runnin and see does the idle change, if it doesnt its the MAF

Baldie

8vjohn wrote: »

Does it feel like it's gonna stall when you're pulling up to stop? If so then a simple clean of the throttle body will fix this. If not, try cleaning/replacing your air flow meter. Has it thrown on any check lights?

When I'm coming to a stop it's ok. It's just when I'm taking off. There's no warning lights.

Farls wrote: »

What year, engine is the car?

2000. 1.6.

jonnygee wrote: »

Dont pay 180 euro for a focus coil pack, buy it as cheap as you can and fit it yourself, takes about 15 minutes, honestly 50 euro tops.

I figured that out afterwards. :mad: I fitted it myself. It's an easy job. Four cable sand four bolts and your done.

beam99 wrote: »

Pull the plug leads off the plugs and see if there wet, some of these's had a problem with the washer jets leaking and the water getting in around the top of the plug&lead causing a misfire. If so you need to replace the washer jets,and maybe leads.

I looked at the plugs yesterday. There's oil gathering at the seal of the plug and cylinder head. Would this cause the problem?

guil07 wrote: »

i'd say its more than likely the MAF, i had to replace it twice in a 99 focus i had, disconnect it with the car runnin and see does the idle change, if it doesnt its the MAF

What's the MAF?

8vjohn

MAF- mass air flow meter. Should be just beside the airbox on the clean side of air route.

guil

the maf will be on the left side if the airbox as ur lookin at it and there should be a block of wires a little over an inch wide goin into the back of it
try disconnectin it for a min and if the car doesnt start to hunt, the maf is gone

Baldie

guil07 wrote: »

the maf will be on the left side if the airbox as ur lookin at it and there should be a block of wires a little over an inch wide goin into the back of it
try disconnectin it for a min and if the car doesnt start to hunt, the maf is gone

The revs dropped when I disconnected it MAF, and then the car struggled to keep running idle.

Baldie

When I rev the car, there's a couple of splurts until the car hits about 2500 revs, and then it fine.

Does this help anyone.. ?

guil

sounds like the MAF is ok, have ya changed the plugs recently and as somone said, check the washer jets, water could be leakin in from where they are seated on the bonnet, is there brown coloured water aroun the plugs

Baldie

i changed the plugs and HT leads and the car is runnin fine now. Thanks all.

guil

was the tips and the threads on the plugs covered with an orange/brown residue
if they were make sure there is no water gettin to the plugs, i had the same problem nearly a year ago on my 05 and thought nothin of it after changin the plugs but nov gone the car wouldnt run at all because of it

Baldie

guil07 wrote: »

was the tips and the threads on the plugs covered with an orange/brown residue
if they were make sure there is no water gettin to the plugs, i had the same problem nearly a year ago on my 05 and thought nothin of it after changin the plugs but nov gone the car wouldnt run at all because of it

There was a yellow residue on the tips of the plugs. Plugs one and two were cover in oil. I was thinking maybe some oil spilled down into the plugs when I changed the oil last.