99 Escort LX Problem...

[Pascal]

My mother owns a '99 Escort LX, around 70K on it. Bought it used a few years ago from a rental company. Never had any real problems until a few months ago.

First, the car started stalling. All the time. She'd be driving down the road, on the highway, accelerating, decellerating, stopped at a light, whatever, it would stall. She took it in and they said they had to clean the spark plugs and the fuel injectors or something (she doesn't remember exactly). Anyways, she was told that it would rapidly get better after they did that, and it did. I told her to go drive it 80MPH on the highway to help clean it out, and it got better.

Fast forward to last month. Check Engine Light comes on and the thing is eating gas. I mean, lucky if she is getting 20 miles on a quarter of a tank. No leaks, loss in power, anything. She complains that it feels like it is idling fast. I drove it, and hell, it would roll to 10 miles an hour with my foot off the gas. It goes in the shop. They clean the injectors (she thinks), check the O2 sensor and fuel sensor (??? this is all what she told me they said, so may be incorrect) and it gets better. Same thing happens next day. It went into various garages around town for a few weeks, nobody could fix it. Finally, somebody jumps the computer or something, cleans the injectors (again) and does something to the fuel and/or O2 sensors, and car is good as new.

Problem just came back yesterday. Was at half a tank when the light came on, was just above E after driving to and from work. No idea how it can possibly be using that much gas without dumping it somewhere.

Any suggestions? She doesn't have much money to throw around fixing it every other month.

[bensondana]

How about the mass air sensor?

[skipp28]

some auto parts stores do free diagnostic checks to see what that engine code is that could tell whats malfunctioning

[skybking]

some things you can check- fuel regulator, fuel filter, fuel pump also check the fuel pressure using a fuel pressure gauge it should be in between 35-45 psi if it is higher, check the regulator and pump and make sure their functioning properly. you can pick up a fuel pressure gauge for about $40 at advance auto, and the "valve stem" that you check the pressure on should be on the passangers side of the fuel rail. Something similar happened to me and it was the regulator.
I hope that i was of some help to you.
Skyking

[FordASETech]

Disconnect the battery,remove the I.A.C valve, be careful not to damage the gasket,there should be holes in it showing the valve inside,clean it out with 2+2, until all the black soot is gone,replace it back on the engine, then remove the air cleaner hose going to the intake,open the throttle plate and clean the soot out of there too,i use a rag soaked with 2+2 on a scewdriver,replace the hose,and reconnect the battery,it might run alittle rough till it relearns the new idle. try this hope it helps.