2001 Zx2, Whats Wrong With It?!

[jjnrnr]

I am extremely frustrated with this.

I have a 2001 zx2, 5 speed, with 91,000 miles on it.

I have this problem with it bogging down on acceleration and spitting and spuddering.

Someone on CarDomain told me to check the valve cover gasket, cuz if the cams are splashing up oil and its getting on the spark plugs it'll cause it to do the bogging down. Well, I changed plugs and the valve cover gasket. Runs better, but problem hasn't gone away.

Now, I was thinking it could be the catalytic converter as I can smell a sulfur/rotten egg smell. I took it to the muffler shop and the mechanic said he doesn't think it's the catalytic converter because the car wouldn't be as loud as it normally was, and it would have absolutely no power whatsoever.

He's calling a fuel problem. Either fuel management(which I know can be related to the MAF, we'll get to that in a bit.) or fuel delivery.

I don't know if any of you are from western NC, or SC but back in September after Hurricane Ike struck and we had the fuel shortages, I think I may have gotten ahold of a bad batch of gas that messed up my fuel filter. I had just replaced it about 2weeks before the hurricanes too.

Or if it could be the MAF. The other night I cleaned the MAF before I went to bed, let it sit overnight(I know that's not required to let it sit) and then cleaned it again that morning and put it on, took it for a ride and it ran fine until I got up to 5000-6000RPMS and it did a little spuddering/hesitation thing, but it's always done that at those RPMS.

Then, I was thinking it could possibly be a Vaccuum leak, so i sprayed the throttle body cleaner along the intake searching for a leak and it did absolutely nothing indicating it had a vacuum leak. But, you hit the throttle and it'd stall out.


After I did that, I unplugged the MAF and it COMPLETELY went away except that thing it does at 5000-6000RPMS but it was more consistent. But it ran excellent other than that.

Now, thismorning I was getting ready to leave for school and it ran fine with the MAF plugged in for about, 7-8 miles, then I went to get on the Highway and it started doing the spitting and spuddering thing. So, I unplugged the MAF and tried again, did the same thing. So, I plugged it back in and after that it started doing the same thing. It started to do it again but after I was finally able to get up some speed it stopped all together. So, I drove the 10 miles on the highway, got in town and drove about 5-6 more miles.. not even 2 minutes from school it started again. I had to literally keep the rpms over 2k to keep it running.

Anybody have a diagnosis? I have contacted everyone I can think of to ask them about this. They either call a vacuum leak, bad MAF, or fuel problem.

I know fords are known for bad MAFS, as the one on the zx2 is also the same one as the 2.5L & 3.0L Rangers.

Can anybody help me? PLEASE. I have no idea what to do and I don't have the money to let it sit at a shop to be looked at or a dealership. I have access to scan tools and everything as I'm going to Nascar Tech and work at an Auto Parts store.

PLEASE HELPPP.

[Buster]

You,re not driving with the MAF unplugged are you? I HOPE NOT.

A common vacuum leak location on our cars is at the PCV elbow, right at the PCV valve. Have you changed it?

Have you changed the fuel filter lately?

[iceracer]

Do you have a CEL ?

[mechtech]

If it came in the shop, I would check for codes, first.
You HAVE to have codes thrown in your case, esp with the MAF disconnected!
But everything has to be right. Compression, ignition, and fuel.
It would be pure luck to diagnose this correctly right now with no info.

[jjnrnr]

If it came in the shop, I would check for codes, first.
You HAVE to have codes thrown in your case, esp with the MAF disconnected!
But everything has to be right. Compression, ignition, and fuel.
It would be pure luck to diagnose this correctly right now with no info.

Posted via Mobile Device

[jjnrnr]

If it came in the shop, I would check for codes, first.
You HAVE to have codes thrown in your case, esp with the MAF disconnected!
But everything has to be right. Compression, ignition, and fuel.
It would be pure luck to diagnose this correctly right now with no info.

Posted via Mobile Device


I haven't checked the PCV cuz it didn't even cross my mind about that.

the fuel filter has not even 5,000 miles on it.

i only drove with the MAF unplugged for like 3 mins, around the block.

that didn't throw any codes and there's not any pending codes. I've checked multiple times.

I figured the MAF being unlugged even for that short amount of time would throw a code but it hasn't.

I'm competely puzzled. Has anyone else had MAF problems? I'm pretty much helbent on tht bein the problem cuz of fords known problem with them

[jjnrnr]

Do you have a CEL ?

Posted via Mobile Device

a CEL? What do you mean?

[jjnrnr]

Check Engine Light.. nvm. Got'cha.

[jjnrnr]

Ignition Coil.

Got it fixed.

[mechtech]

Since fooling with the MAF has helped or cause a change, try taking it out and cleaning it with spray MAF cleaner [auto parts store].
It's easy, but follow directions. Hose her down good.