Re: Low MPG in 1996 Escort LX 1.9

No I haven't. Where is that located? Is it on the intake or the block?

It's below the air intake tube that is between the air filter box and the throddle body. It's screwed into a metal pipe that's between two sections of heater hoses. There are two sensors there. The single wire sensor goes to your dash gauge. The two wire sensor is the coolant temperature sensor, and it goes to your car's computer. Mine worked much better for a while simply by unplugging it and plugging it back in, but I eventually cleaned it out pretty good. Cleaning the wire harness connector piece is almost impossible as it's molded and you can't take it apart and clean it out properly.

If you have to remove the Coolant temperature sensor you will need a

25MM deep well socket. A 1" might work but the brass strips easily. I had to special order a 25MM deep well socket as it was difficult to find. I've noted even in the junk yard removing either sensor was very difficult of impossible. I plan to get an extra one at the junkyard and clean it out real good and reinstall cleaned sensors and do a quick swapout.

Sounds like a good idea on the swap. I am gonna check all the sensors on the intake side as well. Do you know of the best way to clean a air flow sensor? Are new sensors very expensive? Take it easy.

A new air flow sensor is very expensive!!!

To clean it you need to get a torx (I think t-20) with the hole in the middle to take off the screws. Then carefuly remove the sensor and clean it with brake fulid and a Q-tip (very carefully!). If you search the internet for MAF cleaning you will see pictures and detailed instructions. Mine was dirty at 70,000 miles.

Does the MAF sensor appear dirty or is it something microscopic? It appears that there is an issue with certain gearboxes being damaged due to it. I can see how this sensor would affect many components of a computer controlled engine. This is the first car I have owned with fuel injection and all this computer stuff.

Thanks for you input and I am gonna try it in the morn.

I don't see the gearbox being damaged because fo a dirty MAF. Mine was visibly dirty. I've seen pictures of dirty ones on the internet also. If it's dirty the dirt acts as an heat insulator, resulting in an incorrect reading to your car's computer input and eventually your car will become sluggish and idle poorly. I would not clean it they way they show on that webpage you reference. I prefer to remove it completely from the aluminum housing.

I like this webpage better for an explaination with good pictures:

I agree and am going to remove it from the housing so as to clean it more effectively as well as clean the throttle body. I can see, however, that it could effect its shift points and driveability. I noticed there is a little bead of some material on top of one of the torx bolts on the outside of the sensor. I assume this is factory to assure that the MAF hasn't been messed with during the warranty period. Was yours like this and how did you remove this "bead". Thanks for the reference material.

I failed to differentiate between the check coolant light and the Check Engine light which the bulb was out in. I have only had this car for a couple of weeks and it is the first Ford I have owned. Had a friend hook up his Snap On diagonstic computer(coder reader) and got a code for a bad oxygen sensor. $67 later it seems to be running a bit smoother and quieter and maybe a bit cooler. I guess I'll figure out if fixes my MPG issue.

I removed the torx bolt with the epoxy by grabbing it with a pair of wire cutters. I installed another one with no epoxy that I had gotten from the junk yard. You can always replace both these bolts with regular bolts but make sure they are stainless steel! I replaced them with non-stainless steel bolts at first but they rusted after only about one year so I took them out and put back in torx bolts that were stanless steel. Loews carries metric stainless steel bolts (hex head) in bags of 5.