In a perfect world, yes. Is this a perfect world?

 

hi
new here but having similar problems
My car was taking about 3-7 times to start but when it did it run fine ,
someone said it might be the plugs ,so I changed the plugs did not touch nothing else ,
when I started the car I was idling OK but when put it into drive it was ruff idling and 7-10 times cut out before had item to drive the car I set off,when i did set of
It was juddering (missing, lack of power etc) and when i slowed down few time going around the block where i live it cut out on me a few times
i not changed the wires yet but if was working ok before would it be the wires?? (ok it did take 3-7 times to start before ).

car is a 98 contour zetec engine 2.0

 

Whats the mileage? any CEL?

 

sure it can ! if the belt is jumping around then the valves can,t open and close like they should and can cause a miss ! try adjusting the belt tensioner some !

 

Mine has died twice on me after making a u turn than it died, i believe it was due to the rough idle and then when i turned the powersteering put a load on the motor and dropped the idle even lower and died. Any way to test that tranny sensor mentioned bluewind?

 

if it was the timing why would it only be rough in gear at idle and not at idle in park or nuetral and runs smooth when driving?

 

Clean the IAC Idle Air Control motor, and throttle body with plastic safe throttle body cleaner (not carb' cleaner). The IAC acts as an air bypass around the closed throttle plate, and changes this amount of air depending on engine loads at idle to give consistent idle rpm's, and a quality idle.

Btw: The name of the automatic transaxle sensor is Manual Lever Position Sensor, MLPS. It "tells" the PCM, Powertrain Control Module, what range the shifter is in, and acts as a neutral safety switch, and back up lamp switch. It can be tested with an Ohmmeter. However, faults in this sensor usually cause shifting problems.

 

so the iac motor would change once i put it in gear? Also if it was clogged wouldnt i have a low or high idle even in park or nuetral at idle?

 

Yes the IAC will change the amount of air going into the engine when you shift from Park to Drive. That change is an increase in the amount of air flow. A clog would cause a restriction of an increase in needed air to run smooth.

Granted this may, or may not be the problem. However, it is a simple task to clean the IAC and throttle body. Moreover, the complant is a rough idle, to wit, the name of the componet, Idle Air Control.....

Something else to check too. Does it matter if you have your foot on the brake when it idles poorly?

 

ok, just cleaned what i think was the iac, only thing on the side of the throttle body but it wasnt like ones i have replaced in the past. the body of it looked like the iac motor but once it was off it had a place where this piece on the port slid in and turned when throttle was given(sorry hard to explain.) was this maybe the tps sensor? it was the only thing on the side of tb... still rough and to clarify by rough i mean i can feel the motor shakin in the steering wheel. I let off the brake and just coasted and it was the same till i give it gas than goes away.