Ford Escort '97 Ghia Cabriolet - Problem when accelerating ideas?

Hi there, i have a little problem but not sure whats up with the car. If anyone can help please write back to me.

When i accelerate the car tends to swing to the right, but when i let go of the accelerator peday the car swings back to the left.

And sometimes when i go round a left bend, i feel the car giggle a bit, not sure if its due to me accelerating and letting go off the accelerator in mid bend.

whats wrong?

Reply to
~~ Ray ~~
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~~ Ray ~~ opined in news:Ae8Nd.207$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net:

You dont say how much and whether the car tracks straight under constant speed.

There's a certain amount of torque steer in FWD cars, but I suspect worn suspension parts or bushings

It's probably laughing at you for doing it exactly wrong!!

You let off before the bend, then accelerate a bit just as or after you go into it and keep accelerating...NEVER let off in mid curve!

The worn suspension would make it worse of course.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

If it's UK spec, Ford did a reasonable job of eliminating torque steer with changing the length of the driveshafts and adding weights to 'em. Check the lower arms, they have 2 squidgy rubber bushes that wear quite rapidy with anything like enthusiastic driving style. The local garage keep lots in stock 'cos they fail the mot/service so much. If you drive over speed bumps a lot it destroys 'em. A 30 second check on a ramp will say whether its the arms or not. They're not expensive to replace. Then check the tracking.

m
Reply to
pottsy

sorry, i've recently had two brand new tyres put on front, new shockers, new springs and new bushes.

The tyre pressure on the front is the same at 30 psi

Reply to
~~ Ray ~~

the tracking is right too.

Reply to
~~ Ray ~~

erm,,, engine/gearbox mount? open the bonnet, brakes hard on, get a chum to watch, raise the clutch slightly in 1st then reverse and see if there's too much movement. The mounts are encased in metal so the donkey can't actually fall out but the rubber can be disconnected.

m
Reply to
pottsy

cheers everyone, i just needed some ideas before i take it into a garage. nothing worse than agreeing with mechanic and not knowing anything. You know what some of these mechanics can be like sometimes, they take your pants if they could.

Reply to
~~ Ray ~~

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