VCT issue?

[luvmy99cougar]

ok so i got my engine running 3 weeks ago, and it runs good, good top end, but when i got to accelerate it kinda studders and takes a while to get going... for the hell of it i unplugged the vct and drove for a few miles, the studdering stopped and the taking forever thing wasnt as bad, but my intake got louder than my exhaust which isnt good...? so i plugged it back in, but ive come to the conclusion that the vct solenoid is bad... what do you guys think?

[cbman]

I wouldn't come to that conclusion just yet. If it runs differently when the solenoid is plugged or unplugged, then I would think the VCT is operating.

Are you getting a CEL? Are you sure your timing is set properly?

Have you replaced your spark plug wires lately? It sounds like it could even be your plug wires. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious.

BTW, your car shouldn't run that bad just because the VCT solenoid isn't working. Back when I had still had VCT I actually liked the way the car ran better when the solenoid was unplugged. It seemed like it had a little more torque at times, but the CEL was always on.

[luvmy99cougar]

the plug wires have about 20-25000 miles on them. i was thinking about replacing them actually. i dunno man its just weird, when its unplugged it doesnt putter when i accelerate and it drives really smoothly, but when i give it half-WOT, it sounds like the exhaust is coming through the intake prolly cuz of the valve overlap. it seems like the timing is on to me because it runs fine for the most part, except for the puttering and its like it has power then it starts to loose it then it comes back and ect... but with it unplugged it wasnt doing that it had a good power band all the way around. so thats why i think the VCT isnt operating properly, maybe its dirty or something i dunno. i wasnt getting CEL either. so im not sure what to do. this guy i know who works for ford has done countless tests on the zetecs and he said that on bearing cap 1, when you have to use RTV, that some of it blocks the holes on the vct causing it to operate poorly. so i think im gonna try that first, take the cap off and see if theres any crap blocking it or if its dirty. i was thinking maybe its the cam gear.

[cbman]

I don't see how RTV could block the holes to the VCT solenoid. I remember the solenoid bolting in and sealing with o-rings.

What do you mean you think its the cam gear? Do you mean you think the cam timing wasn't set properly?

I would put the #1 Cylinder at TDC and check that the cams are where they should be.

[luvmy99cougar]

the cam gear has holes in it for the oil to flow which will retard the cam, if the holes arent lined up with the holes in the vct, it wont work properly. i checked the timing 4 times before putting the valve cover on. each time i did it it was dead on. the way i was told to do the timing was to line the crank at TDC and the cams at TDC, lock em, put the belt on, put tension on the belt, tighten the cam gears and turn the engine over a few cycles, then bring everything back to TDC, except the exhaust cam wont be there so you turn it like 1/8 of a turn, cuz of the slop of the VCT, till it stops and if the plate goes in, then the timing is right on. if thats wrong then let me know. im gonna try doing new plugs and wires first, i found out that the plugs ive been using are wrong, the reach is way too short and the heat range is off... so that may have something to do with it also.

[cbman]

tighten the cam gears and turn the engine over a few cycles, then bring everything back to TDC, except the exhaust cam wont be there so you turn it like 1/8 of a turn, cuz of the slop of the VCT

You should be able to fit the cam locking tool under the cam "ears" after you've rotated the crank a couple of times and went back to TDC. I know one problem that I ran into was the exhaust/VCT cam would turn while I was tightening the cam bolt.

However, if your cam timing is not set properly you will eventually get a CEL for the cam position sensor. You should have also had a CEL after you unplugged the VCT solenoid.

[luvmy99cougar]

hmm, well i havent gotten a CEL light yet and ive been driving for over 3 weeks everyday, i got a CEL when i unplugged the vct but after a couple of days it went away, so it obviously passed its test. when i was tightening the cam gears i left the locking tool in there while holding the cams by the hex. so i really dont think its a timing issue. but one thing i do remember is the old engine would do the puttering thing too, so theres definetly something wrong somewhere, im kinda starting to think its a fuel issue along with an ignition issue, or maybe an exhaust restriction. the injectors are firing so its not that, maybe the fuel pump...im gonna do a fuel pressure test, fuel volume test, and a vacuum test, along with replacing the coilpack, wires, plugs, and fuel filter. im kinda thinkin maybe the fuel pressure regualtor is faulty. i dunno it could be alot of things. so ill just take it one step at a time. ill get it eventually!

[luvmy99cougar]

so ive got some great f***ing news, i was replacing my spark plugs and cylinder 3 had oil on the plug! not on the electrode but on the threads... i looked into the cylinder and the piston looked dry, so i dunno if its valve seals or the oil control ring, the boot didnt have oil on it anywhere so it cant be the valve cover. so im disappointed now... and i havent seen smoke from the exhaust yet... so i dont know WTF is going on so whatever... i also installed an accel coilpack, the engine seems to be running slightly better with those upgrades, it seems like a smoother take off, and the idle is alot better. i havent done the wires yet cuz they are on backorder, so once i get those on, i think itll be much better.

[Spakes]

Did you change your valve cover gasket when you checked the timing? If it was a old gasket it could have cracked causing oil to seep on top of the plugs.

[luvmy99cougar]

i rebuilt the motor and thats what i was hoping for but there was no oil on the boot and its only on cylinder 3 plug.

[Spakes]

I would change the spark plug itself. The washer will sometimes allow oil to pass through.

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

I would change the spark plug itself. The washer will sometimes allow oil to pass through.
except that its not coming from the valve cover. i had the same problem with my engine. i would get oil on 1 or 2 of the plug threads. i never got a chance to figure out what was causing it because my pistons took a **** first. the worst one now looks like this :crazy:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k17/Dslax/Random/SSPX0263.jpg

[Spakes]

Wow, thats amazing. I think that would allow a little oil through lol.

[Turbo Zetec 'tour]

Those were Probe Racing pistons. dont ever buy them, they are junk. there have been numerous Failures of them in the Zetec. amazingly enough the car still ran with the piston like that. it had zero power but it was enough to get me the mile or so back home.

[luvmy99cougar]

i had already changed the plugs about 2-3 weeks ago.

[kpeeks]

Did you remove the head or just the valve cover? For some reason I'd suspect either the head may be warped slightly, a blown/broken gasket, or possibly something not torqued down right.

If you've answered this already I'm on my phone so have trouble navigating the forums.

Have you done a compression test? Could possibly be a fried piston ring letting oil come up.

[luvmy99cougar]

i had the head milled before i reinstalled it, i did a compression test when i found the oil and it was at 220psi across all cylinders so i honestly dont know im just gonna keep driving it cuz i dont know what else to check, im sure ill find out eventually. btw, ive got pics up if u havent checked yet.

[kpeeks]

hmm.. Possible hairline fracture of an oil passage in the head? Could possibly only show up when the car gets hot. :shrug:

I looked at the photos btw. You'll have a pm with some questions.

Oh, is the head in the photo yours or the one you're parting out? I ask because looking at the surface of the head the clean up looks very rough & could be part of the problem. If its something done at home, hey gotta make do with what you have.

[luvmy99cougar]

yea i messed up with that and used a roloc disc to clean it, so i took it to a machine shop to have it milled down, it was flat and shiny when i got it back.