new car

[74w100]

Hi, I'm new to the forums, 4 cyl. ,and focus's. I have a 2000 model and the other day it drove fine. I go to crank it the next day and it just spins over it spins fast enough to crank. It has spark and and after I spin it I can smell gas under the hood and 1 time it tried to hit. I'm trying to avoid the shops. so all help is appreciated. Thanks

[Scorpion]

Welcome to FJ!!

If it sounds like the starter is spinning too fast, or 'not doing any work' kinda thing, I'd suspect timing belt.

Pop out a plug and see if there is pressure in the cylinders (disconnect coil pack wiring first to be safe).

Other than that, it could be many things. I'm going to point you to the sticky HERE. And try to give us more info. Were there any problems the last time it ran? Any Check engine light? Anything that might be a pointer?

[74w100]

I wouldn't say it's spinning to fast, but enough to crank it. My grandma had it and it's had some electrical problems door looks, pass. window, and the check eng. light stayed on but it ran perfect except for some fuel related problems but the recall took care of that. She past and I got the car. ran it off and on for a year and it ran perfect. I'm suspecting somthing to do with the timing when it spins over it sounds a little out of time but not sure. could be a sensor or relay or somthing. I just dont comprehend with 4 bangers no offence intended.

[74w100]

Hey I finally got a chase to check and I took the oil cap off and could see the vavle springs moving. So the belt ain't broke. Someone told me to see about the cam and crank sensors. How can I check those?

[JeffescortLX]

Dont rule out timing belt just yet. When they break, they dont actully break. The crank pully rip's a few teeth off. It can still spin the cam over, just out of time.

[74w100]

But if it was the belt wouldn't it have ran poor right before I cut it off. or died on me. It ran perfect, then I the next day it wouldn't crank. I've been thinking of buying a code reader but the focus is my only vehicle compatible with it.

[Scorpion]

The first turn of the key would be enough to strip a few teeth, easily.

[lifer]

u say u have spark how about fuel when u turn the key do u hear the pump kick in if yes it could be a cam sensor but u will need a code reader for that

[74w100]

Yeah I can hear it come on and I have the cam and crankshaft sensors ordered gotta go get them tommorow. I might buy a code reader any tips on them.

[JeffescortLX]

The crank sensor hardly ever goes bad. Only time I've seen them go is when the belt starts to fall apart and wacks it.
The car should still run with a bad cam sensor, just the injectors will fire in batch mode instead of SEFI.

The timing belt has a better chance of breaking during start up when the cam is stopped and before oil pressure builds up.

[74w100]

Well they got the cam sensor wrong so I gotta go swap it. I dont know what it could be I'll try the sensor first then the belt.

[Turboteg90]

ok if u got spark and fuel it means timing is off. so just pull the timing belt covers off and have some one crank it and see if it loose or wobbles

[74w100]

I'll try that tommorow I finally got a day off. the parts store said somthing about a type 3 motor or somthing and said that one was a manufcturer only part. But I'm going to check the belt first.

[74w100]

Ok its not the belt and I gotta go to a dealer to get the sensor.

[JeffescortLX]

If the cam sensor was bad, it would still run.

If the crank sensor is bad, it wont have any spark.

You should really try to get your hands on a code reader before you start replacing parts blindly.

I'm leaning more to a fuel problem (any fuel pressure?) or MAF problem.

[74w100]

I'm not sure on the fuel pressure. But I can spin it over for about 5 second a time or two then look under ther the hood and smell gas when I have air intake off. And someone told me I could soak a rag in gas and put it in the throttle body just enough so the butterflys wont catch it and it would act like your pouring gas in a carb. So it would crank to let you know if its the fuel. And I've been told it would have to be running for a code reader to work? I'll try to go over the fuel system in the morning but it still sounds like it's out of time and I'm confused.

[JeffescortLX]

Originally Posted by 74w100

I'm not sure on the fuel pressure. But I can spin it over for about 5 second a time or two then look under ther the hood and smell gas when I have air intake off.

Do you have the MAF disconnected when your trying to start it?

Dont put a rag over or in your intake, it can get sucked in then you'll really have problems. Just give it a spray of starting fluid or carb cleaner.

[74w100]

I'm not sure what MAF is. But I had the pipe from the air box to my throttle body off. But i will try some carb cleaner. It isn't the cam sensor or fuel delivery. So what should I try next.

[74w100]

And does the car have to be running to do the code reader?

[JeffescortLX]

The engine need's to be off to check the codes.

And also, the motor wont run with out a MAF sensor...that's the thing with wires going to it on the intake tube that you disconnected.

[74w100]

Do you mean the the wires that are on my air box. There isn't any on the tube I took off. I'm confused

[20focus03]

take the car to a shop before you get in too deep

[74w100]

No I can't do that it's got to me. So I bought a code reader but it's not showing codes it just showed the blinking monitors. The catalst, evaporative system monitor, oxygen sensor mon., oxygen sensor heater mon., and EGR mon.. BUt I wouldn't think that would not let it crank. So what do yall think.