2014 1.6 Escape, driveability

YukonTyler · January 31, 2015

Have a brand new Escape towed here for crank no start along with a complaint of runs rough when it does fire. 5000 km, hasn't even had its first service.

I found P0300, 316, 301, 304 and P130D. Putting the P130D (heavy knocking, forced low power) into oasis got me a couple phone calls from an engineer in Michigan 20 minutes after I got the car into my bay. That was a first.

I found the engine oil twice overfull and fuel diluted. With that I pulled the plugs and found them fuel fouled. I did a manual compression check while everything was apart and got a perfect 190-195 psi across all holes. New plugs and an oil change got it running quite well despite heavy smoke due to suspected fuel in the exhaust.

While it was up in the air I noted an engine oil leak from the high pressure fuel pump and exhaust cam sensor area. While waiting for parts it cold soaked for a couple days, and when fired up again to bring it back into the shop it ran like junk. Power balance shows dead misfires on 1 and 4. This makes sense given my initial codes. Swapping coils with the two firing cylinders shows no difference.

At this point I'm a little stumped. It ran well with new plugs and then after sitting it worsened. Right away I'm thinking a fuel related issue (injectors possibly leaking down), but the odds of two injectors leaking down at the same time does not sound likely to me. Then again I'm in gasoline land. I know you guys get your diesel HPFPs breaking down and sending metal through the system taking out injectors, so maybe this is a real possibility.

Relative compression is perfect. I know it's not fool-proof, but I would think that if 1 or 2 holes are washed down then this test should show something,

I then start thinking about ignition. The firing order is 1-3-4-2 making 1 and 4 running mates. I'm curious if they may share an ignition driver in the PCM - seeing as how COP ignition will fire running mates at the same time (wasting spark) when engine speed is low and CMP signals are not yet viable.

On Monday I'll do an injector relative flow test to see if there's anything obviously wrong with the injectors, and if that goes well then I'll likely send a scope down to see if either 1 or 4 is leaking down. To try and pin down if it's the ignition side I'll backprobe in some noid lights to the COPs to see if the primary side is doing its job.

Any other great ideas?

8WA Sman · February 2, 2015

Was the crankcase overfull again? I am looking for the compression specs and have not came up with anything concrete but I am thinking "1.6L" and 190-195 PSI just seems like a lot. Timing off? or better yet timing advanced???? I would think if there was an issue with the VCT it would set a code.

Sorry in advance if I am leading you down a rabbit hole :cover: