Rough Idle & hard start **update** Thanks for the help

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Last week I had the plugs, coils, valve cover gasket and fuel filter done my 2004 Ford Escape when the engine started misfiring and today it started to idle rough at a stoplight and it seemed like it was going to stall but didn’t. I had it sit for about an hour and a half and the it did want to turn over like the battery did have enough cold crank to it but it did after a couple of times. It has come and gone for the last couple of hours. No warning lights are one either. It seems pretty close to what it was doing when it was misfiring. Does anyone have any ideas what it may be?

Thanks,
Wally

2

Original Battery ? You Don’t Say.
An Original Battery Would Be 8 Or 9 Years Old, Ready For The Old Volts Home.

CSA

3

The battery is 3 years old and it tested good last week.

4

Wally, How Are You At Working With Car Batteries ? Have Any Jumper Cables ?

I like trying the easiest, cheapest things, first. I’d put on eye protection and remove the battery cables, clean the battery terminals and cable ends, and reconnect them.

Next, I’d make temporary addititonal engine ground wires, using the jumper cables. I’d run one jumper from the negative battery terminal to a good clean spot on the engine block and maybe use the other to connect from good clean engine metal to some unpainted body metal.

You don’t say if you work on cars, yourself. Batteries can be dangerous and working with them incorrectly can damage the car. If it’s something you are comfortable with then try it if you’d like or get some help.

Without the vehicle here and no fault codes to give clues, it’s pretty much guess and try.

CSA

5

I really don’t work on cars. I checked it again and it started just fine with no rough idle or hard start and no codes. I was thinking that I will have the battery tested again and maybe just buy a new one if they won’t replace it under warranty.

6

Have Both Ends Of Both Battery Cables Checked For Good Clean, Tight Connections, Too.

CSA

7

Who did the work? Sounds like a oops job. They just did not reconnect something right. The battery voltage can be an issue but it sounded like you had this issue right after a major service?

8

Meineke did it. It has been a little over a week since it was done.

9

Have someone check the fuel pressure and volume as well. Not to say you dont have a battery issue you may have. But you may have more than one problem. The battery or cables may be causing your hard start issue, i have found that when the charging system is causing a running issue it usually sets low voltage codes in the computer. A fuel pressure/volume issue will not set any codes that specifically say hey you have fuel pressure/volme problems. Just a thought.

10

I cheked it again this morning and when I start the truck it has a little bit of a hesitation when it turns over and then it idles at 2,500 rpm for less than 10 seconds and then slowly goes down to between 1,000-1,500 rpm. When I’m driving it seems normal for a few minutes and then when I come to a light it starts to make what I describe as a whoo whoo sound like its gasping. Then as I continue to drive its ok for a while and then every now and then it does it. Any ideas?

11

I took the escape in this morning and at first they couldn’t find anything because it didn’t do anything. It turns out it is a faulty EGR gasket that is leaking that they replaced when they did the tune up. I have to take it back on monday and they say that they will take care of it. It looks like they are going to stand behind it and fix it. It’s a good thing that I know the counter guy there because he is a big help with dealing with them.
I want to thank everyone that commented on my post. I am new here and really don’t know much about cars which must be obvious to most of you but I see how great this community is and I know I can learn a lot from all of you. Thanks again for the help. It is much appreciated.

Wally