drastic loss of power with bad missing

[BADBOSS]

An update to this problem This Wednesday I will be taking one of the Ford technical guys for a ride to duplicate the problem (I hope the temp is cold enough) They are, as stated before, aware but have yet to experience the problem. Please start praying for me that the thing plays up.

[ZAP]

Guys I would suggest that everyone gets the 0.9mm gap. My car has starts in 1sec and runs smoothly. I also have noticed that the 'miss' I was having at idle has gone. The power delivery is smooth, but the car does overboost up to 0.7bar (10psi, but then drops to the normal 0.4bar(6psi) and stays there, I have never had overboost cut. My car feels much better, people may be suprised by the difference this change can make.

Also thanks FORDTECH and ubyte for such great info

[Guest rodxr6t]

I"ve had this same problem across two T's. After a near head on collision I returned my second T to the dealer and said they could keep it until the problem was resolved, they tried altering the spark plug gap as per the previous posts, reflashing the ECU all to no avail. According to the tech Ford are receiving up to ten calls a week in regard to this problem and do not have a definitive fix yet, one of the biggest problems is that the circumstances cannot be easily duplicated and the cars do not always log an error in the ECU. He rang again today and said that the Geelong engine plant bods where building up a modififed ECU to try in my car and that it should be fitted about the middle of next week. Will keep the forum informed as to the outcome of this fix.

[Al Bundy]

Great info here, as I have also experienced fade out.

I also get like a small whistling noise from the engine when at very low speeds (eg like taking a corner under a very light foot). My power seems to vary after that.

Not sure if its like a vacuum leak. Has anyone experienced similar problems.

Apart from that the car is perfect at 7000kms

[Guest jteale]

Guys,

Wanted to let you all know that I have just got my car back from the dealer, and they identified quite a few "OverBoost" codes. They have checked all the necessary bits and pieces and their solution was the regap of the spark plugs as mentioned by ZapXR6T and FORDTECH .......

Obviously I have only just got it back but after I drive it around a bit I will let you know if I have any more problems with it losing power.

Cheers, Jason.

[profrat]

Its been 2 weeks now since my dealer 'cleaned out the VCT sensor'. No more incidents of cutting out and loss of power, BUT I have not had any testing runs in the mountains yet. A few Highway cruises but the fault did not show up before in that senerio anyway. Still got the fingers crossed but gaining confidence that it may have been fixed.

[Guest rodxr6t]

Finally fixed, the specially built ECU from the Geelong engine plant finally solved my problem. Anyone who doesn't get a fix with the spark plug gap alateration should consider asking the service people to tallk to the engine plant guys in Geelong. Not only does the car go like it should the fuel economy has improved slightly as well.

Cheers

Rod

[XR6_ED]

Finally fixed, the specially built ECU from the Geelong engine plant finally solved my problem. Anyone who doesn't get a fix with the spark plug gap alateration should consider asking the service people to tallk to the engine plant guys in Geelong. Not only does the car go like it should the fuel economy has improved slightly as well.

Cheers

Rod

keep us posted to see if it cures it

[profrat]

Just got back from another run to the mountains and I STILL have the engine drastic loss of power problem.

There are some definite patterns forming here.

- It almost always happens under acceleration

- It is usually hard acceleration between 2500 and 3500 revs

- I just realised that it has always happened on the way home from the mountains when the fuel tank is down to about 1/3rd. It has never happened on the way up that I can remember.

- It happened once from start up at idle but has never done this again.

other notes:

- The dealer says there are no fault codes logged.

- Cleaning the VCT sensor didn't cure it.

- Sometimes it clears by backing off for a few moments but this is not an option sometimes when in an overtaking manoeuvre.

- It always clears if I switch the ignition off and on. (Very scary during overtaking.)

- Fuel economy seems OK/normal as far as I can tell. 12/100km on trip to mountains. 15 to 19/100km around town on very short, stop start stuff.

- I have no whistling noises that I can notice

Questions: (for Ford)- If it is a computer management issue (eg. overboost), why are there no computer fault codes logged?

- If it is related to the electronic throttle why are there no computer fault codes logged?

- Could there be any possible connection to being low on fuel in the tank?

- What else could it possibly be?

Rodxr6t: Was yours doing like mine? Were you getting fault codes before? How did you get to the stage where they went to the Ford tech people? Is it still cured?

Edited 02/08/04 04:21 AM by profrat

[Guest vosadrian]

Assuming that the special ECU is a stock ECU with different firmware in it (flashed!!). Does anyone know if Ford will offer a flash upgrade to cars that have been affected?

I have worked on a few Ts now, but one I am working on has this problem intermittantly, and it seems to have nothing to do with the boost level. It will sometimes fail at stock boost, but run perfectly at 12psi!! It started doing it at one particular time, and had run perfectly before this, but now intermittantly has this problem even with mods removed.

-- Adrian