2003 Ba Xr6T Problem! Very Strange Please Help!

[Distant Gunfire]

Hi everyone,

New member here and new owner of a 2003 XR6T. I purchased the car 3 weeks ago with 220,000km on the clock. I drove it the 4 hours home no problems.

The problem started this week when I get a call from the wife, the car won't start. It wouldn't even engage the starter at all. So I grabbed a spare battery and went down to change the battery. I get there and sure enough the car wouldn't start. When switched to ON all the lights come up but go to run and nothing. I disconnect the battery and put the new battery in. Same thing, no start. Few more goes on the key and it suddenly starts as if there was nothing wrong. I soon realised it was a electrical fault so I put the old battery back in and sure enough all was fine again. I checked the battery with a multimeter standing and also running and both the battery and alternator and working as they should.

Then come last night! Driving to go out for dinner and I loose My GAUGES! The tachometer and speedo sit at 0 as I drive. Then the temp gauge falls to 0. Then the check engine, oil light, traction control light and various other come on! The car seemed to be running normal but I quickly pulled into a park and switch it off. I then tried to restart the car and sure enough, nothing. No run. After a dozen odd turns of the key I get life and all is well as if nothing happened?!

Sorry for the long winded post. Just trying to give as much info as possible. Also to note the car is all standard as far as I know(says the last owner).

One other thing is when giving it some heavy throttle at around 4,000rpm + the car surges or hesitates quite a bit. This was a inconsistant problem but is now always there. The car even back fires after a quick squirt to these rpm.

Please help and thanks for taking the time to read the gibberish!!!

[freeze_dk]

I've read that gauges turning off may be caused by a earthing problem, check all earths.

Regarding the surging, you might have to replace coils and spark plugs. Make sure the coils are genuine ford ones or else the same problem will occur

[Adran]

With regards to power at 4000rpm... I m guessing it's the valve springs.. I do get similar feeling when I push mine... Especially when low revs n accelerating hard( pedal down)... No power or not accelerating as much as it normally would as accelerating in a controlled pedal down motion... Does misfire when there is no power

[jas98]

if the cars stock then it shouldnt be a concern the valve springs....well that's what a cpulple well knwn performance shops told me.

the surging could be coils or overboost problem. in reards to useing genuine coils a few of us have used the ebay "high perfomance" ones and going fine for the last 6 months,

and the no start issue, I have never had that (similar though were nothing worked at all!! like a no batter connected issure) although my vs Late model camira has the exact same issue.as yours.......wtf??

im guessing its immobilized for sum reason? does the little hand on dash light up when you tring to start it?

[Distant Gunfire]

Yes the little hand is illuminated. Is that the security light or? Thought it may have been the check engine light?

The missus just got home and said it started ok but on the way home she lost all gauges and same thing warning lights going off on dash. She pulled up to a set of lights, put it in Park and back to Drive and the gauges came back and all lights went out?! WTF?

Very strange indeed!

Thanks so far for the input! Keep it coming.

[BRK]

220k's - the surge might be a dirty filter ( 25 bucks for a new one and some c spanners for you to remove) or a fuel pump slowing down (even though the car is stock) and fuel delivery can be checked easily by a good workshop.

Electrical - Budget and simple stuff first - make sure all the earth leads are connected and on tight. Check the alternator power lead is tight and all the terminals are clean. Go into the fuse box and pull out those that affect the lights etc and again, make sure they are clean. No guarantees but it does eliminate a few possibilities before you send it to the professionals ( and intermittent faults are just a bug*ger to find sometimes)

[Distant Gunfire]

I'll do some work on it tomorrow and grab a filter while I'm at it. I'll let you guys know how I go.

[jas98]

yes as said check the earth cable, the one from battery to chasis (goes from battery to the chassis beside turbo) and the chassis to engine mount bracket. mite have to take em off and clean the connections.

I have noticed that the earth on these cars are very poor compared to others

Edited 08/11/13 03:18 PM by jas98

[skidxr6t]

If you don't have much money then definitely look into the earthing as others have said. It definitely sorted a few problems my BA had.

I found one of mine was not getting a good connection from a bad repair previously and a few niggling issues went away.

[neil101]

Left hand kick panel make sure the the orange and white plugs are clipped in properly if you not sure unplug them and then reconnect I've had this problem in mine the white plug wasn't all the way clipped in caused starting and gauge issues for me