My kitty is on the brink of death

[XR5-Boy]

So, here's the story so far...

Cruising along in my car coming home from soccer one night, and the revs drop then come up again. Alarm light and most of the instrument cluster flickers off and on. I think hmm, strange. I pull up to the lights and she almost dies on me. Revs drop, lights flicker on and off. Then, kicks back in and all good. Rang the mechanic and told him what had happend and he immediatly said the alternator is prob the main cause.

So, i take her up to the mechanic (mind you, on the trip there, she behaved herself). Get and phone call from him saying the copper where the brushes contact is non-existant, hence the drop outs. I go fair enough, sort it out. Now, as many of u know, parts for our cars are in short supply/not in the country at all. So another alterantor was purchased and the internals were fitted into mine. 500 bucks later she's back on the road (labour and rebuild cost. Trust me, the labour to get that thing out is ridiculous!).

About 10 mins into my trip on the way home, i pull off the freeway and she dies. starts back up fine and i take off. 100 meters upt he road, she begins to dorp out again and jumps all over the place so i pull over to the side and she dies. I called him up and told him what had happened. I managed to get it home and it's going back in on monday. So yet again, i'm without a car.

Can anyone think of what might be the cause? Sparks or Coil maybe? Battery is brand new (5 months old?).

Cheers

George

[pcperfection]

Alternator would of been my first guess too, coil would be worth checking but it doesn't sound like it,
take the guess work out of it and take it to a shop that has a scanner and get the fault codes off it
and check them on NECO, any dyno shop will have a scanner to fit it.

Cheers
Mark

[XR5-Boy]

Yeh i was thinking that mate. might the way to go. Might ring a family friend who works at one and check it out! I just don't want to go into Ford coz i might leave without my left arm and leg!!

[BlackLS]

Engine essentially needs ignition and fuel to run so check them first.

After ruling them out only thing left is the ECU, wiring or something mechanical (unlikely)...

[XR5-Boy]

Yep, those systems are fine. It's an interminent issue. After the second break down, it started up and i got her home without any probs. Only difference i eased up on the acceleraton a bit(bit of a lead foot heading onto the freeway, but nothing overboard). Mechanic mentioned something about the exhaust gas and how there's a diaphram somewhere(never heard of it). Basically i think any spirited driving seems to have occurred before it does this.

[Cougar_Cougs]

GDay all,

WELL WELL guess whats happen to my baby??????????????????.

Put new parker globes in bought with the right imfo about globes ? two/three weeks ago & they have over "HEATED" burnt all the wire things & "BURNT" a REALLY BIG (small) hole in the black ? reflecter bit on both lights, the bit that, the Cougar painted red.

"NOT HAPPY"

"WHAT DOES ONE DO NOW" : : : : :

[XR5-Boy]

oh dear! Talk about a thread HIJACK :P You could call it a 'speed hole' haha.

Update on my kitty! Found a bloke on NECO with the same problem!

http://www.newcougar.org/forums/prob...g-problem.html

Basically, fuel filter or pump. I've pm'd him to get the exact solution as the thread is a bit vague, but seems he change the fuel filter and bob's your auntie! I've also noticed a lack of power above 3500rpm (where u usually get the power band in the V6). So, i'm gonna jack up the car tomorrow and check out the filter. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the issue. The amount of crap in the fuel these days, i'm tempted to drain my tank and suck up all the crap off the bottom of it!

[pcperfection]

It's starting to sound like something I described in a earlier post, here is an extract

as for your misfiring when does it happen - under load - at or
around 3500rpm - at idol- of it's around the 3500rpm mark it may be the (can't think of the name of it now) but
it controls the D.I.S (dual ignition system) it's located under the manifold cover lower front just behind the
radiator, small box with aluminum top cover, to check if it's functioning properly rev the engine ( head under bonnet)
and just below the throttle cable there is another similar cable, watch and see if it moves when you hit 3500rpm if it
doesn't it may be stuck open/closed either way it throws the timing out.

[XR5-Boy]

Ok, i'll keep that in mind. This can happen at anytime i've noticed. I'll be cruising along at any speed and the revs will dip. Pull up to a set of lights and go to take off and it will 'hop' under throttle and stop when i back off. I'm thinking fuel filter because it's never been changed since i've had the car (almost 2 years now). And the power loss seems to be through the whole rev range. I know what my car was like when it was running like a dream and this is deff not!

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm under the bonnet all weekend so hopefully i can sort it out wihtout another trip to the mechanic!

[XR5-Boy]

Also Mark, i think you're talking about the IMRC (intake manifold runner control). The DIS is the distrubutorless ignition system :P). I'll check out the IMRC and make sure it's not stuck!

[thearrow]

Cougs - good to see you back here again although sorry to hear about your lights.

Don't know what to say other then e-bay is your friend if you want to replace the whole light assembly.They come up for sale quite often.

[XR5-Boy]

yep, or you can jump onto www.teamfordparts.com. Very popular witht he NECO guys. Alot cheaper than buying locally!

[XR5-Boy]

Update - Car seems to be running well for the last week. Might have been a bad batch of fuel.

[RJO89]

Had any problems since mate?

[XR5-Boy]

Nope, she's been running fine! (touch wood)

[FumDuk]

Originally Posted by Cougar-Boy

www.teamfordparts.com.

Haha, Right head lamp $304.20
Left head lamp $325.77

I must be missing something, lol...
Maybe the right is on special? :

[photn]

my recomendation would of been to check the MAF sensor. i know timmeh had a VERY similar issue with his mondeo.... basically dust was clotting the sensor and sending false readings to the ecu hence the reason for drop outs and cut outs.