Hi guys, im looking for a bit of free advice as i am hopless with cars and hope you can help.
first the background i bought a g reg escort poplar about 5 weeks ago from an 80 year old nun who kept it in a garage and only used it to walk the dog (66k in
18 years!)my style of driving isnt so conservative and my job requires 350+ mile a week, stop start during the day and a flat out motorway run (although 60 is flat out for this car) morning and evening.
i usually fill the tank to the brim monday and run it to empty by friday morning, i promise not to do this in future.
monday morning i needed a push start as the battery had run flat standing over the weekend and this was the first sign of any trouble. the car ran fin until yesterday afternoon when in low gear and low revs it started to lose power in waves. It was almost as if the accelerator was pushing back at my foot.
yesterday afternoon on the start of the motorway run i dropped into second for a roundabout and the engine just died, no coughs or splutters, it just lost all power and the oil and battery light came on. this happend a couple of times until i hit the fast flowing traffic where it was fine. at the next jam it was ok for 20mins or so but then started cutting out again (i noticed that the headlights slowly dimmed before the engine cut and ive been told that this may be a problem with the alternator) this carried on for the remain hour of the drive home and i had to stop the car on the hand brake to use my right foot to keep the revs up.
i was advised that it may be a problem with the fuel filter/crap in the tank and that i should fill it up, the car is now brim full but this morning was much the same although a long fast run before hitting a jam didnt seem to help this time, so i think the problem is getting worse.
i depend on my car for work so i have ordered the haynes manual and will be cleaning all the electrical conections over the weekend. I have also belatedly decided to do what my father always advised and learn something about mechanics!
in the meantime tho', i have been told by different people that the above is a problem with the fuel filter/lines; the charge in the battery and that the alternator is buggered.
whats the best advice please?
g