"El Puma"

:thumbs: Forscan :thumbs:

I will swing by the mechanics early tomorrow and give it a "Forscan" before he takes it apart again (at the moment it is built).

If Forscan shows anything then I will get him to hold fire before starting to dismantle to check oil pressure at the VCT.

As for the crankpulley, unfortunately I didn't get to see the new one before it was mounted, but it has a new bolt as the mounting system is different to the old one (or something like that). We have looked at the old one now it is removed and can't see any damage to it, but the position of the belt is only a few mm difference, so it may not be obvious to the naked eye.

I will let you know how I get on with Forscan tomorrow.

I'm throwing this link in, as the symptoms are vaguely similar. It may have some merit or may not - http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/svt-performance-2002-2004/586737-vct-not-working.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What I know about Puma VCT and cambelts you could write on the head of a pin. I just know it's a job that needs to be done exactly right.

Took mine to Fords to get my belt done, when they had a special offer on. Mind you, Fords over here are much more familiar with working on Pumas than in your part of the world.

Hope the link helps, or at least gives ideas.

Hi Frank
I think this is what I was hinting at for the last few posts, the static timing is everything (as well as getting the pulley bolts tightened correctly), By the way I wouldn't trust a lot of main Ford dealers to replace a 1.7 cam belt correctly nowadays.
Barry

Thanks for the input guys.

I called via the garage this morning and he updated me on the latest.

According to his diagnostic machine, the injectors are not injecting enough fuel. He says that the ECU is receiving the order to give an increase in fuel as you accelerate, but the injectors are not doing this, they are only providing about half of the fuel needed.

He did explain this in more detail but I got a little lost along the way

He has Forscan and has already run a diagnostic check with it, but it didn't find anything that his hyper-mega-galactic diagnostic machine didn't find.

I mentioned that I had changed the fuel filter a few days before taking the car in, in case this was of any possible influence, but he says not as the fuel injectors seem to work fine when it is cold.

I'm sorry to say I am now completely lost (if I was ever found in the first place ).

I will keep you informed.

tuonokid said:

By the way I wouldn't trust a lot of main Ford dealers

Click to expand...

Quite right. I have a good one down here, but still questioned them first. If I hadn't been happy with their answers then it would have been an overnight bag and a trip to Steavie 80 miles+ away. That's how important I think it is to get that one right.

As for this thread, down to the balance of probabilities, I reckon. If you start with a working car, do work on it and end up with a non-working car, then do the balance of probabilities suggest that some undiagnosed pre-existing fault has suddenly shown itself or do they suggest that you need to re-trace all the steps taken more closely?

Hi Frank,

I agree totally on the retracing steps, but we have checked the timing now so many times its unbelievable.

When I went thus morning to see the mechanic it was to mention the solenoid before he started checking oil pressure, but he greeted me with the info about the fuel injection. It is highly unlikely, but it may all be a coincidence.

I just want my car back

Does the rev counter still not work?

Can I see a picture of the top of the engine.

The rev counter was working again this morning.

I don't have a photo here, do you want it with or without the rocker cover?

I wanted to look at the cam sensor, no worries if the rev counter is OK. Did you get to the bottom of that fault?

I just wondered whether a lack of engine speed signal was giving your other problems.

Does seem to me like you had a working engine so something has been introduced, faulty injectors or fuel pressure has not come on just since its been in the workshop, I would strongly suggest that the ECU is deciding to not fire the VCT or not supply fuel pressure because it has concerns over the state of the timing or something else that it can detect. Hence thinking about engine speed.

What is the latest now? This cold/hot thing again is entirely down to the ECU, there are many processes which depend on coolant temp.

Hi Ian,

The Rev counter just started working again, one day it wasn't, the next it was.

I agree totally that something that was touched while doing the cambelt etc. and has caused the issue, although it could be coincidence, it seems that everything must be related somehow.

The problem I have now is that I took the car to the mechanic because I decided not to risk doing it ourselves, and this is the first time in years that I have done so with a car of mine (although I do always take the wifes car to a mechanic). This mechanic I have known for years, he is about my age, has worked for Ford amongst others, and has done infinite training courses and has lots of diagnostic equipment. He works on rally cars for a couple of local teams, and is highly recommended. I also know that he has done at least a few pumas and various VCT engines. I have taken him all the comments, sugestions and info that I have found here and around the web, and he has read and studied each and every one of them and explained the steps he has taken. So I do trust him, but I am finding that he is not getting anywhere with the car (he has had it now for 3 weeks). If we had tried to do this ourselves, we would probably have spent just as much time, but I would be 100% certain that I have followed all the steps you guys have suggested, now I just have to take his word for it.

I am seriously contemplating giving up on the Puma for now and buying another car. Originally the Puma was going to be a third car, just as a project, but as I liked it so much in the first (and only) week I had it, I decided to keep it as my daily car and look for another project.

Add all this to the fact that my other half thinks that any car over 6 years old is not worth looking at, it is becoming quite stressful I keep getting the "I told you to buy a new car"

Anyway, enough complaining! Thank you all again for your constant input, it is much appreciated, and I will try and stay positive, but it is damn cold on a motorbike in December :-D

Hi JAC
I know I might be stating the obvious here but when checking the engine timing was the mechanic turning over the engine in the right direction ie clockwise at the crank pulley as if he was turning it in the wrong direction he could have set the timing wrong. I don't have my copy of the ETIS belt change handy but from memory the injector plugs and loom and the vct solenoid have to be disconnected to get the rocker cover off so they're worth checking. I also can't remember whether there's a vacuum connection to the fuel pressure regulator so that's worth checking as is the pipe for holes if it's got one. Lastly, check the connector to the cam sensor as it's that that triggers the sequential fuelling (injectors).
I hope he manages to fix it for you but if he can't can you ask him to pay for another mechanic to fix it?
Barry

Hi All,

Thanks for the input Barry, sorry I didn't reply sooner (its been a holiday here).

I have good news and bad news

The good news is that the mechanic finally found the fault with the car, and I have "El Puma" back in my posesion.

The bad news is that it is not fixed yet, and as it is something that is not related to anything he did, the price of the repair just went up.

It turns out that the "flowmeter" (I have no idea if that is the correct word in english) is broken, which is causing the errors with the injection etc.

Here is a photo of the culprit:



I have been quoted 140€ plus VAT for the part here, for an aftermarket part not original Ford, plus fitting.

I am quite sure that I will be able to change the part myself, as long as no set up is required afterwards, but I was wondering if it is worth getting a used part or going for new?

If used is ok, then I will PM Ian G to see if he has one, and I will work out shipping from the UK (in fact, I have a friend coming down at the start of the year that could bring it), but if you guys think I should go new, then I will have to just order the part here (delivery on Monday).

Please let me know your opinions, and as always, thank you for all your help!

Hi JAC
I'm surprised your car didn't show an engine management light if the MAF is the culprit and it was running so rough. So anyway the part you've shown is the MAF and if I was you I would buy genuine Ford fitment. They're easy to fit and there is no setting up just fit it, plug it in and away you go. Don't drop it though as there are fragile springs inside it.
Barry

Hi Barry,

Yes it is strange that I didn't get a light or a fault in the diagnostics, but I'll worry about that later

Do you have any idea how much a geniune MAF is in the UK? I have looked online, but I have no idea if the spare parts places I am looking at online are any good or not.

I could get my friend to buy it and bring it in his luggage, unless carrying it in his luggage with the baggage handlers is a bad idea!

Hi JAC
I just had a quick look online and found a genuine Ford one for £147 + vat so they are expensive. See what Ian G can do for you. If it's well packed it should be ok.
Barry

JAC said:

The good news is that the mechanic finally found the fault with the car, and I have "El Puma" back in my possession.

Click to expand...

Good to hear you have your car back.

Out of interest, if the MAF wasn't throwing any codes, how did your mechanic work out that was, and is, the part at fault?

Barry,
Thanks for looking, I will see what price they come back at here, but I guess it will be about the same. I will contact Ian G to see if he has one. Is it worth going used or would it be better to just buy new?


Frank,
I don't know why the MAF isn't showing any codes. According to the mechanic, he basically said that he just started from scratch, ignoring anything to do with the VCT and what he had done, and the simptoms pointed to the MAF (seems to be a common problem here on many cars, maybe due to heat and dust). He said that he did some creative bypassing (not sure what he did) and the car ran fine, so it confirmed that it is the MAF. He also asked if I was sure that the car was ok before I took it in, as he had been nowhere near that end of the engine. I said it had been fine, but then I remembered that we changed the air filter a couple of days before I took it in, and as we saw the cambelt wasn't healthy, I didn't drive the car for more than a few minutes before I took it in to the garage (I left it parked in the warehouse).

Now that I have tried the car, the current simptoms are: The car runs fine at lower RPM, at around 4000rpm, you can feel the car pick up due to the VCT, but when it hits around 5000rpm it just loses all power, as though it is flooded with fuel. (Oh, and now and again, very rarely, it just dies when you come to a stop, but starts again first time no problem).

Hi JAC
I suppose it's always better to buy new but do you really want to spend that much on it when you've just spent so much. If mine went I'd definitely get one from Ian as I'd know it was tested and working.
Barry

Genuine Ford, tested and not 140 EUR

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Ford-MAF-mass-air-flow-sensor-Puma-Escort-Mondeo-Transit-93BB-12B579-BA-/181695255604" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;