I have bought a 98 Escort Sport for my daughter and it has a problem I have not been able to solve. The engine idles roughly, espicially when placed in gear.

I have cleaned the intake, throttle body, injectors; changed fuel filter; changed plugs and wires. Any other ideas?

Other than the idle issue the car runs fine.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
STACK

 

I would first rent or borrow a code reader and plug it into the car brain box to see what it tells you. Usually, the CEL will be lit up if the car is not running or idling properly. My bet for the first thing to check is the Oxygen sensors.

 

Check for a vacuum leak

 

also, if it runs rough at more than just idle, I'd check for a misfire code. vacuum leak is more likely though.

 

STACK,
Let me know I have a 99 X2 auto. in gear AC on it rattles the CAR BIGTIME. A buddy was jokingly saying I'll loose my fillings. I at stoplights put it in nuetral. Help but still rattles. I used a scanner with "system pass" on the screen so I guess a zx2 auto is like a Cat D3 ideling. I have 100k miles and have done fuel filter air filter(wix) plugs(fac MC's) wires It seems GREAT when the car is cold and ideling at 1k RPMS motor mounts are fine. NO CEL! it only gets worse by more miles at this rate my car will hAVE rattled itself apart in another 100k. The keys in my cupholder rattle BADLY!

 

Have you guys put a vac. gauge on the car yet? It really sounds like is a vac leak.

 

I have gone thru everything, scanner for sensors, all new ignition parts, checked for vacuum leaks, etc. I finally called a friend who who works at Ford and he tells me that this is a class problem with the 2.0L in the Escort. Some are worse than others but all idle roughly to some extent. Since it is only my daugther's car for school and work I will live with it for now. Anyone else hear something similiar?
Thanks,

 

Might want to clean or replace the IAC, Idle Air Control. It's a common problem on most ford's. My sisters focus does idle rough due to the IAC, but doesn't die. I had a 98 Escort and never had rough idle, and I have known several people to have em and had no problems. So if they're supposed to idle rough that's new to me.

 

Thanks, that is something I will check. It does not die or idle too slowly, only has rough idle. I thik I will pull the injectors and clean them also.

Thanks again,

 

Ahh... Been here before. I chased a cyl 3 & 4 misfire for two years on my 99 zx2 d.d. I'd replace plugs, and the problem would go away. I'd put wires on it when it would start to misfire again, and it would be fine for awhile. Now, this was a VERY blatent misfire (when it would happen), but I could never catch it "in the act." So I finally managed to get it to occur consistently. I tracked it down to a coil pack, intermittently bad. Replaced that, plugs, and wires just to be positive. As I was doing this (at work) Another tech noted that yes, the pack was bad, but look at how wet the plug bores were with oil. Yes, I replied, the valve cover gasket leaks a little, but not enough for me to worry about. He gives me a little grin, and I realize what else may be going on, the oil was creating a short path to ground for the spark, when it got up high enough on the plug (or so we assumed) The cover was leaking especially bad on: Yes, cylinders 3 & 4. So, replaced gasket and previously mentioned parts, And I have had no trouble in over a year. Granted, these motors do not run the smoothest at idle, but it's running as good now as any other 2.0 zetec I've seen. Good luck!