Escort 1.8i Sudden Death - Update: still dead :-(

The OP said that it is sparking on at least 2 cylinders...

Ah, OK. I presume that it must run in open-loop mode until up to a certain temp then?

What puzzles me is that when this has happened on Zetec engines (Oh, and one Micra) I have pulled the plugs and they have not been heavily petrol-contaminated. Replacing the plugs and carrying out the "flooded engine" start procedure has always got them started. What prevented that in the first place if it wasn't wet plugs?

Chris

So, does he know they are at the correct time? It'll take a couple of minutes with a meter to test it, and eliminate it as a possible cause.

Correct.

Indeed, there will almost certainly be a cause of the plugs fouling on a modern engine. Poor spark in the first place (were the plugs knackered anyway, or incorrect type?). Is the crank sensor weak? These usually play up when the engine is cold.

Sorry, I may be in Sunday morning mode here, but how does proving the CPS is working tell you that it is sparking at the correct time? And if it was firing at the wrong time, would there have not been other symptoms than "not even the slightest hint of any cylinder firing"?

Chris

Yes, but my point was that the plugs were *not* fouled in the cases I was considering! I can reproduce this on my own car (Focus) by starting it, then stopping it straight away. It may then fail to restart. If I pull the plugs they will look perfect. I can clean and gap them anyway, replace them and still it wouldn't start. If I then use the flooded start procedure it will start. It's really common on Zetec engined cars, and others from the responses in this thread.

This appears to be the problem the OP had, and now he knows the reason he will be OK. I was just interested to know why it happened.

Chris

Not usually, I've been out to many a Ford that wouldn't start from cold, it just turned out to be a CPS very near to the tolerances for operation.

The CPS could be misinterpreted as being the Cam Position Sensor, the crank sensor more commonly known as a CAS (Crank Angle Sensor). Anyway, it's the CAS that operates the ignition, possibly in conjunction with the CPS.

Not that any of this matters really...we've found out that the cause is a flooded engine :)

Nup - the O2 sensor readings are ignored during cranking. I meant that it would just initiate the clear flood sequence itself, not requiring the signal to start it (in this case being holding the throttle open). I wouldn't want the throttle wide open either :)

Which I why I left sufficient context in...

Indeed. I was just interested in why it happened on cars that had just been run for a few seconds, but where the plugs were apparently not fouled.

Chris

CPS only allows the system to run in sequential mode, rather than batch fire. (it also allows the ECU to work out which cylinder is pinking when it receives knock signals from the knock sensor)

Tim..