I have a 2005 Escape V-6 w/28K miles. Occassional - almost unnoticable - small backfire [more of a hiccup] only when starting cold. I inspected the TB and found it coated with soot behind the butterfly and going back into the intake manifold. Odd. No codes shown. Seems out of normal. Any idea of what I should be looking for? Thanks for any comments.
It could be a few things. Check the Idle Air Control valve- it'll be on the duct leading from your filter box to the throttle body. It has 2 screws holding it on and an electrical connector. Sometimes the piston inside will stick, giving problems when cold, and most times will not set a code. Here's what it looks like:
The SUV must be cherry, being 6 years old and only 28K miles on it. Does it sit up much without being driven?? Check the air filter. Maybe mice have made a home in the intake LOL!
With that little mileage, is it still under warranty (I don't remember the "years" part of it)? If so, have the dealership check it out. I assume regular maintenance has been performed on it, such as oil changes?
In Hawaii, not so much long distance driving! Such low mileage vehicles are not uncommon.
I changed the air filter. [No mice or geckos.] I checked the IAC and could see soot below. Cleaned the IAC.
I had my helper start the car cold and could more of a "click" than a misfire when the car started. This is only when cold.
I have several spare COPs that I will swap out even thouigh I have no codes. Sound logical? Possible?
I lived on Oahu from age 7 to 9. My dad was stationed at Kaneohe. That was back in '53. I'll bet it all has changed between then and now :-)
Does the clicking you hear sound like a spark leak? Does it keep it up for a short while when the engine is cold, then go away? It's entirely possible that one of the wire boots has broken down, or the grease has dried out, and it's sparking to ground. Maybe even a crack in one of the COP's. Bad part is, most everything around them is plastic if the '05 V6 is anything like my '02 V6. If you take the 'beauty' cover off and start it up, can you hear where the clicking is coming from? If you do it at night (really dark, no street lights), can you see any sparking?
You can swap out the COP's if you want, but that's a lot of work for not knowing if that's really the problem. If you do, I'd get new boots (if the COP's didn't come with them), a tube of dielectric grease, and the upper manifold gasket set (about $12 from RockAuto.com). That should eliminate having to take it all apart again. If you haven't had the manifold off before, here's a pretty good instruction set:
I'm in Kaneohe. We have a mall and movies but still fairly rural where I am beyond Heiia harbor. Taro patch nearby, etc.
I've changed COPs before but since I "think" the sound comes from the front, I just swapped the front 3. No "beauty" cover on this 2005 so a whole 5 minute job. And these were spare good COPs from a 2001 Escape I sold.
The "click" is once only, just as the engine engages from a cold start. Makes it hard to track down. Not "clicking" but not really a "backfire." Odd, to me, but I assume related to the soot in the TB. I'll see in the morning when I can do a cold start.
Thank you.
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