charles

As the garage could not find any fault readings I have my car back, but still running poorly and sometimes hesitating. In order to safe labour, I decided to replace the sensors by myselves. The most suspected are: 1. MAF 2. EGR valve 3. EGR solenoid 4. Lambda sonde I first will try to clean the MAF with a pad with aceton.

I just have a phone from my dealer. The read out the diagnotics, but could not found error codes. They confirmed that the engine cuts out which is stronger when the engine is warm. They suspect the EGR valve, or maybe the MAF sensor (allthough not out of range with diagnostics). Could the EGR valve have been gone?

The hesistation reoccurs when engine is warm. I made a appointment with my ford dealer. They will read out the motermanagementchip. I will let you know the outcome.

during my holiday to austria last week my 97 2.3 petrol engine hesitates :angry: (cut out) after 600 km driving. When I pressed the clutch the the engine picked up again. After a while, driving with full trottle the problem dissappeared. No problems with driving back home at average of 150km/h (german autobahn :lol: ) Any suggestions?

Mk1 2.3L has a spring loaded belt adjuster, no change with the MkII's I replaced the belt by myself at 120.000km, 5 minutes work, the belt costs EUR 26,75 incl VAT.

the belt tension is spring adjusted so how can this be overtightened?

can you hear this sound when rising the rev above 1500 rpm?

through the bulkhead is a lot of work, also you need extra linefuse and you have to make connections to the battery. If you remove the radio and tray you should get access to the wires from the cigarette lighter. Put two wire clamps (Halfords) on these wires.

i had a similar problem. the cooling fan running when engine was cold. turned to be a blown fuse (1 of the 2 big fuses for each cooling fan, fuse box at batteryroom)

I know that the seats can be slided backwards 6 inch. Unfort. It's is not enough for my sons (1.85m) to strech their long legs.

the second row is to close to the front seats. the galaxy has a lot of space but this cannnot be used because of the fixed positioning. when the second row is removed, two passengers have a lot of room on the third row, but than they are seated just behind the rear window (safety!), too far away from the front seats. I would like extra openings in the floor halfway second and third row . Two adult passengers would have than enough space for their legs.

I am not sure whereof the sound (strong humming, that disappears above the 1000 rpm) comes. I should be 1 of the multi belt driven accesoires, because the sound is gone without the belt, thus i could be: 1. waterpump 2. oilpump 3. alternator or 4. guiding rollers I removed the belt and then rotated all of them manually. 2-4 can be rotated easely, but the waterpump is rotating heavy, thus suspect. maybe I should let it check first at the ford workshop. 2.3l 127.000km 1997

My waterpump is noisy at low rev's. I think the bearing is gone. When I removed the multi belt temp.,I couldn't hear this sound. The pump is not leaking yet, but I do not want to wait for that, because I will go for a long trip abroad.

have anyone experience with the replacement of the waterpump on 2.3l? according to haynes this must be a hell of a job. even the engine mount has to be loosened and the engine has to be lifted to access the bolts?

this pump make a lot of noise below the 1000rpm. Above the 1000rpm the noise disappears. it does not leak but i think the bearing has gone. anyone had the same? is this pump easely replaced? what should a replacement cost? 97 2,3l, 90Kmiles.

there's something wrong with the motor management. firstly the ford garage should read out the fault codes. my guess is the mass airflow sensor which has gone, but also the oxygen sensor in the exhaust could be in error.

according to the haynes manual the petrol engines need Ford Formula E 5W30. . Is this a semi-synthetic oil? The drivers manual advises 10W30. In other publications 10W40 is advised, It 's quite confusing. At this moment I use Elf evolution 5W30, but it this the correct oil? What does other drivers use?

it's not right. the oil level has to measured after a few hours after all oil has been flowed back to the oilsump. only the garage cannot wait for that.

had also a overfill. I discovered it after 2000miles, still 1 cm above max. returned to the garage and they pumped it out of the filler stick opening. could do no harm they said. so always check your level after a service job.

did you check your accident switch under the drivers seat, see your instruction manual. It shuts down the electricity of the fuel pump at collision. the mine was broken, it could not be reset. the ford dealer replaced it (the switch costs eur 25)

i hav a 97 2.3, but the car didnt drive well, at stationary a vibration could be felt. when i checked the last workshop invoice i discovered that they had replaced the spark plugs with NGK. when i checked the NGK specificiation on internet i discovered that these plugs belonged to the 2.0l petrol version. This was done by a general workshop, not a ford dealer. I replaced the plugs by myselves with the original motocraft spark plugs for the 2.3l from the ford dealer (for you info, these costs Eur 7,50 (=5,25 pound) each incl vat in NL) The difference is great, the car runs very smoothly without vibration :lol: .

2.3 petrol 97 90K miles with low rev i hear a rough pinking sound driving slowly in the first or second gear. the sound fully disappears with higher revs. firstly i thought the sound came from the gearbox, but i do not hear the sound driving away with slipping the clutch and higher rev. i read about carbone polution in the combusion chambers which could cause pre-ignition (pinking sound). some other drivers with same experience?

'97 2.3 never had problems with aircon, still breazing cold air although it was outside 40 degrees (spain, august 2003)

i bought my '97 2.3l some months ago now. In general i'm satisfied, only i worry about nasty sounds coming from under the bonnet. i discovered that this graspy metal to metal sound only appears when the airco is on, and accelerating in 1rd or 2nd gear. when i put the gear in neutral the sound is gone. i'm just back from holiday, i have now driven more than 3600km to spain without problems, the sound is still there but not increasing. is there some wise guy who can give my some suggestions? my own ideas are - wear in 1rd and 2nd gear due to overloading the car by previous owner - worn draft shafts - aircon bearings? any suggestions are welcome, also a price indication for a full gear overhaul.

thanks for your advices. The charging voltage is 14.25V and stays to that with rising revs. Alternator seems therefor OK. I have read in the haynes book that the clamps must not be over-tightened. This causes deformation and may cause leaking poles.