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Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?


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janniehank
Novice

Aug 31, 2015, 6:34 AM

Post #1 of 11 (1635 views)
  post locked   Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

Ford Escort LX Wagon 1996 (automatic) Maybe a 1.9 L? 4 cyclinder. oil change 131,000 8-8-2015. coil pack 99,000 miles. spark plug and wires 124,653 miles.
Car had trouble starting when fan on and hot weather (seems like that's when) but starts after couple of tries. Now when we get to stop sign then accelerate it hesitates like or misses. This is not all the time. - took to repair shop guy looked (wasn't doing it) said maybe bad gas. Couple days ago. car sputtered died coasted into parking lot. Waited awhile and started and drove to repair shop. Repair guys says needs a new coil (is ignition coil same thing as the coil Pack??). Said not worth fixing as the engine has a knock in it. Something going bad internally in engine. The items done at after 111,000 miles were done by the current repair shop. Any help appreciated.

Really not sure if we're getting the straight story or they don't want to deal with us.
They changed and put rear stablizer links at 121,000 miles and new rear struts at 124,670 miles
Alternator at 116,503 miles
check valve assembly 111,423 (purge flow assembly?)
vacumn elbow & coil pack - 99,198
Rear Springs & Strutts 87,470 miles
Spark plugs & distributer 63,172
transmission gasked and serviced - 56,332


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Aug 31, 2015, 7:10 AM

Post #2 of 11 (1628 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

Quote">>Said not worth fixing as the engine has a knock in it. Something going bad internally in engine.<<"




That's pretty damning for a glance at your problem!
You seemed to have tracked all services by the mile so well what did anyone miss?


IDK - For now suggest another shop for an engine diagnosis, codes read fully up to a compression test as well or whatever a real tech can prove not what was said above. It that person or place was just having some kind of bad day fine but makes it seem like it's not worth buying for gas for the thing either with those comments!


T



janniehank
Novice

Aug 31, 2015, 7:45 AM

Post #3 of 11 (1623 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

Question: is there more than one coil in the car?? Guy who changed that at 99,000 is no longer available so had to change shops at 111,000 miles. Coil had a lifetime waranty.

Started this morning doesn't have the "clicking" noise. Would the bad coil cause the missing and hesitation sometimes at accerlation and the last time just dying. We did add new gas at a different station after the guy said it might be bad gas.

It's hard to know if we're throwing good money away to something really bad.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Aug 31, 2015, 8:12 AM

Post #4 of 11 (1621 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

Oh boy. This is messy with what was said to you. If a coil pack alone is doing this AND this is a 1.9 (find out, 8th digit of VIN would be a "J") if not it's a 1.8. So if that was really known to be the problem and a noise heard that now you say isn't there I
we are at a loss.


Coil would look like this, ONE on the 1.9 if correct......

Lifetime warranty would be if you knew of where and copy of receipt no doubt? Not wildly expensive as a car goes.


This whole table got turned around when told you engine is essentially junk and I don't believe that at all right now. My experience with this type coil or high voltage items is then can fail and worse when damp if they work at all. Could misfire like all confused and even die out on you. Noise from this? IKD - let's not go there - not a knock anyway.


Tell me if I'm wrong but you aren't doing this diagnosis or work yourself and hiring this done by techs - right? Fine. If they can't absolutely peg down why then just tell you and go elsewhere NOT to essentially give up on a car so fast!


Hurry with this as running poorly for any reason will snowball into needing more and costly. Do at least check engine oil level yourself and be sure it's correct or get help even with that. Correct oil for the car only if needed.
Then get this diagnosed. You have no useful info from this last place that I can see.


Car is ~20 years old. Fine. If well cared for even with some surprises along the way doesn't mean it's over. You have lower miles for the age and seem to pay attention.


Again: It needs a proper diagnosis and estimate to fix the problem first. That and to you is car generally in good shape to even spend few bucks only you can decide but know what is really up not the top post bull that means nothing so far,


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janniehank
Novice

Aug 31, 2015, 8:55 AM

Post #5 of 11 (1616 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

All stuff was done by mechanic shop. Up until 111,000 miles same guy then he retired and found new shop. We didn't check to see if they overfilled the oil, but they did just change the oil only a couple of wks ago.

It is a 1.9 L engine as all papers show this.

Husband thinks he might be able to change out the coil if that's what's bad. Who knows. I didn't know why they didn't put it on the analizer. Thanks


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Aug 31, 2015, 9:14 AM

Post #6 of 11 (1612 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

Oil change times are scary at certain places but I really suggest making sure oil is right by dipsticks no matter who or where they get done. It's a time to leave a hose a line off, oil filter not tight or wrong in some way, failed drain plug or its gasket then checking when filling up that it's right. IMO A qt. off up or down isn't going to instantly be a problem for say 4qt systems or more.


Gotta go soon. If this somehow is a coil issue and it does look like that an easy check is to spray/mist it with even Windex no pure clean water is the point, and see if that show arcing spark or kills it right away. With engine cool as not to shock it with cool mist all at once - these parts can crack from that.
BTW - your engine size should be listed on a sticker under the hood. Best reason to know is I think even up to 1996 Ford, Mercury were basically totally Mazda on some with just putting on all nameplates of a Ford or Mercury, then the Tracer.


Good luck. Unless oil is wildly wrong it's unusual to me for sudden fatal engine failures without some reason,


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janniehank
Novice

Aug 31, 2015, 2:21 PM

Post #7 of 11 (1597 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

We have appointment with the mechanic, but it doesn't sound good. We changed the coil out with a new one. The engine started but sounds louder than it did before with a loud knock. I'm afraid it'll new engine. suppose the analizing machine can tell that. We checked oil. it was at the correct level


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Aug 31, 2015, 4:03 PM

Post #8 of 11 (1595 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

Again -Can't say. I can' think of how that coil could make a "knock" noise but not there hearing it either. If so why and is it real or some stupid thing overlooked I/we don't know.


If worried enough don't even drive the car or run it anymore. Let an experience ear hear this and do tests before declaring this engine is toast and an approach from there if so?


Good luck that it's something silly?


T



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Sep 1, 2015, 4:39 PM

Post #9 of 11 (1575 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?  

They don't have a machine to tell you what is knocking around inside your engine. To diagnose something like that sometimes experience helps along with a some type of tool to pinpoint the noise with, such as a mechanic's stethoscope or a long shanked screw driver.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


janniehank
Novice

Sep 23, 2015, 9:46 AM

Post #10 of 11 (1502 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?Resolved  

Resolved - needed a different engine. Changed out the engine and it's working fine now! Hurrah!


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 23, 2015, 10:27 AM

Post #11 of 11 (1501 views)
  post locked   Re: Hesitates when accelerate, now dying?Resolved  

OK - I'll call this thread solved as no point in discussing old engine now. Good luck with the replacement. Locking thread to keep spammers out. YOU may ask any moderator to re-open it if you wish,


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