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When just started, and you try to take off (5 sp) and you push on the acellerator it feels like it is just the opposite of giving it gas, nothing, then when you leave up on the gas, the engine will rev a little. This is when it is cold.
After it gets moving, it will be ok, as long as you don't tac above 3500 or 4000 then it will loose power. Then after 10 or 15 minutes all is fine.
Popping the hood open this a.m. to see what I can see. Air filter, etc. Lines disconnected.
Two things currently happened. Since this is the Ford Contour with the bad oil leak, I had to put in two quarts of oil, when it didnt show on dip stick. (Need to check more often). And the lights were left on, and had to be jumped. The Check Engine Light (CEL) use to come on every so often, everytime I drove it before the jump, now no CEL. Wierd.
4 Cly, Thanks.
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I think it sounds like a fuel issue, but it could be something else... it would pay for itself to have this hooked up to the OBD computer or else you'll be chasing a lot of loose ends.
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Several of the major parts stores will check for a computer code for free. Then you can conveniently buy a whole lotta parts to fix it.
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Autozone changed their policy and no longer loan Code Readers. Two points however, this car is OBD I not II., since it is a 1995. Also, the Check Engine Light currently is not lighting up.
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How many miles on it, and when/if the timing belt has been changed? One of the engines used in the Contour can have the idler pulley seize up on the timing belt path. The belt will jump off and still work for a while sometimes, but valve timing will be off and variable with poor power.
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Does sound like a possible sensor issue, like a coolant temp sensor telling the computer it's always in a cold start situation. It's also more common on the ODB 1 cars to not always trigger the check engine light when some items fail.
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Only 48,000 miles on the car. Replaced the thermostat a couple of weeks ago. Looked to see if anything obviously loose, and just got back from the dentist with it. I can shift, but if I wind it out up to 3500 rpm, the front end will go down, as it totally looses either gas or a spark. But if I leave off it will be fine. I drove it on the freeway just a few minutes ago, and it was fine at 55, but was only taching at 2500 or 3000.
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Modern cars are very sensitive to both low voltage and bad grounds.
I would start by pulling the battery cables, clean the cables and posts and charge the battery. If the battery was discharged enough that you needed a jump then it needs to be properly recharged. Depending on the current actual state of charge this can take up to 24hrs for the battery to reach 100%
Removing the battery for an extended time to charge should also allow the ECU to reset itself.
Your check engine light is most likely out because of the battery going flat causing the computer to reset (or at least partially). It's possible that the computer is operating in "limp home" mode (due to the low battery and then the sudden spike of the jumpstart) which enables the car to run but just well enough for you to get it home...
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I was going to make a Ford crack, but won't.
Check out all your vacuum hoses and connections. Good luck.
