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        General >> Problems >> just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! Help!
        
(Message started by: Baw_Flinger on Jan 7^th, 2006, 1:55am)

Title: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! Help!
Post by Baw_Flinger on Jan 7^th, 2006, 1:55am

Right, I bought my Scorp (first time) just about 2 months ago and it sailed through the buyers guide and much of the main stuff on this site. Only thing was a sticky solenoid on changing from 2nd to 3rd, apart from that, it seemed OK up to about a week ago. Now, it seems like the worlds supply of Scorp probs have landed in my lap. I have done the rounds through searches and the main site and there is stuff that I am either unsure about, need a bit more info from those who have been affected or just plane want a good old winge. Either way, any other help would be moocho appreciated!! Here Goes:....

1- Two weeks ago- failed to start every time on ignition, got worse up to now, get loads of flickering needle and display re-set. At its worst when very cold but pretty much does it every other day. (batt or alt, I know, read on....)
2- Bad idle, sorted by patching the crank case breather hose which had split. (MAF sensor cleaned as well)
3- Drive started to take longer to engage until in will not engage at all no matter how long it sits. Now I have to force it by selecting 2 or 1, then flip it into D to drive off. Now, as I said above I have a sticky solenoid on 2-3 but the fluid has remained pink (paranoid checks every few days) but it does appear to be over the max limit no matter when or under what circumstances I do a dip test. ?? bad??
4- ++rant++Started getting cattle grid under load or on a hill at 3rd-4th gear 5 days ago.++rant-over++
5- last week, started to get a clunking noise from the front when braking at lower speeds. Wish bones I presume????
6- ++rant++3 days ago reversed in to a post, cracking the bumper and rear light unit. MMmmmmffff!!!++end-of-rant++
7- Tonight, I noticed a really crappy screeching noise coming from the front and got worse as I sat waiting for my better half to finish work. I popped the bonnet right then and had a listen. Sounds like a bearing or something has gone in the area of the AC pump at the main belt. This happened within a few mins and has now eased off to a momentary 'whir/grind' noise but still sounds real bad. Is this a belt or a bearing/unit issue, possible connection to the alternator prob??!!

Please help if anybody can before I loose my rag. I feel like I have bought the unluckiest car on the planet. Any further input or ideas on the above (apart from the rant items) would be great, including fixes and possible costs from actual experience. My mechanic is great, don’t get me wrong, but it would seem he does not know a lot about scorps at all and don’t fancy funding his education on the matter either, so I feel a bit put out by all of this.
Or I could just go down the local Ford, have my arse felt for a large bundle of cash, still have a broken car and have to get a mortgage (another) to pay the bill....++rant++..... :(

Title: Re: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! He
Post by Snoopy on Jan 7^th, 2006, 7:38am

The grinding noise could be the Air Con compressor . try disegaging the air con and see if it goes away, otherwise its one of the bearings either in the Alternator/ Water pump ( unlikley as you normally get a leak of water as well ) or tensioner .

The clunking under braking could just be the torsion bar bushes need replacing .. very cheap and relatively easy to do.

Flicking dials is definitely the battery on the way out with the cold weather.

I is possible just to have the offending solenoid replaced which is cheaper than having a replacement gearbox.

Title: Re: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! He
Post by mr._floppy on Jan 7^th, 2006, 11:32am

After two months the excitement of the new car has worn off and your ears are now picking up all the bangs, screeches and clunks that were always there but you never paid much attention to them. The realisation that this car may be a " power of trouble " has now hit home.

You are now suffering from SPPD ( Scorpio Post Purchase Depression ). We have all suffered from it at some time , but with our help we can get you through this. ;D

Dr. Floppy FRCP. FRCP Psy. ::)

Title: Re: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! He
Post by Baw_Flinger on Jan 7^th, 2006, 12:52pm

}{
I know what you meen, just dont ask me about my father.....
The big problem is I am not mechanical when it comes to cars at all. This site helped me decide to buy but the more I dig around here, the more paranoid I am getting as I can ill aford any expensive repairs to keep my scorp on the road.

Thanks Snoopy :)

[/quote]
The grinding noise could be the Air Con compressor . try disegaging the air con and see if it goes away, otherwise its one of the bearings either in the Alternator/ Water pump ( unlikley as you normally get a leak of water as well ) or tensioner .[/quote]

I take it then that the belt has nothing to do with this then. If a bearing has gone, is this cheap and easy to fix or is it a whole new unit, i.e the bearing unit is modular and can be removed/replaced by a monkey (me)

[/quote]
Flicking dials is definitely the battery on the way out with the cold weather.[/quote]

Will sort this today. I take it there may be no connection to the belt screach?

[/quote]
I is possible just to have the offending solenoid replaced which is cheaper than having a replacement gearbox.[/quote]

Any ideas on cost to switch out the offending solenoid and time involved. With D failing to engage now, is this likely to be another solenoid as well? Could this one be a selector problem rather than a solenoid? Or am I thinking rubbish?

Are any of these things terminal if left for a bit (cash situation is bad) :-[

Thanks for your help guys :)

Title: Re: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! He
Post by Snoopy on Jan 7^th, 2006, 1:54pm

The accessory belt on the 2.3 drives everything , Alternator, water pump, power steering, etc etc not like the 24v and 12v which both have seperate A/C drive belts. so it s a little easier to eliminate things. you need to have a good listen possible with a listening stick whilst the engine is running and find out which item is giving the noise. The costs can then be evaluated.

ther was a thread on here some time ago about sticking gearbox soleniods and it is possible just to replace the offending one(s) and a lot cheaper.

Only you can decide if you can leave them . Is there no one near by that can assist with diagnosis, if you are not mechanically minded or inclined.

Noise and the such like are very difficult to describe and diagnose in writing.
Its more of a "hands on " thing IMHO.
Try to get an OBD scan done and read the codes

also have a read of this thread http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Problems;action=display;num=1107480889;start=15

Also have read of this part of the gear box pages it explains the solnoids and operation in Paragraph 135 et sec.
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/autotrans/A4LDEoverhaul.pdf

Title: Re: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! He
Post by Baw_Flinger on Jan 9^th, 2006, 6:52pm

Batt replaced, so far so good but wont really know until I do a cold start in the morn. Will book her in for an OBD ASAP and will update for future ref here. The screaching/grinding noise comes and goes now, went almost 2 days without and even then I may have it at a start of a trip but has stopped by then end or visaversa. ??? I think I will save that one for the mechanic....

Thanks as always for the help!! ;D

Title: Re: just over a month & 1/2 in, bad things! He
Post by Baw_Flinger on Jan 13^th, 2006, 11:30pm

Been driving for the last couple of days, and only got 1 plume when I had to hoof it at a T junction.
Anyway, I had over filled the oil to the point that it was about 1 mm over the coil of the dipstick. What is even more of a pain is the fact that I was getting a few interesting noises from the engine bay the week before http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Problems;action=display;num=1136598902. The rattle from the bay is now silly. Yup, that cat has gone!!! Looking back, I now know it was on its way out (various things and asked on this site at the time) but it only really belched its un-appreciation when I hoofed it on a hill, with to much oil.

So to sum up.
1- Was getting some odd sounds from the engine bay.
2- I over filled the oil.
3- I then battered it passed a lorry on a hill, got lots off blue smoke and strange air/rattle noises as I was on the hoof.
4- This blew the CAT.