So, I heard back from the owner of the Escape yesterday- they said it was running great, but it had a P0299 code pop up (Turbo/Supercharger Underboost). I had that code pop up back when it was having trouble with the timing and needed the Misfire detection reset but assumed it was related to the other issues. I'm going to have them bring the Escape by later this week so I can double-check that all of the intake tubing is properly tightened up and not leaking, and perhaps see if I can figure out the logging in FORSCAN to take it out and see what is happening that is causing the code to pop up. I know that the exhaust manifold nuts weren't tightened properly when I got the car (several weren't even finger-tight) so I'm surprised that after tightening everything to spec that it's complaining about not enough boost.
That code is familiar. I don't have the same access to SI that I used to, but if memory serves right, the boost control solenoid can fail/wastegate hoses can fall off and when this does you get underboost.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Thanks- I'll focus on checking the solenoid & its hoses in addition to making sure that none of the pressurized hoses are leaking/loose (I had to take off and install the intercooler-to-throttle body one at least 10 times so wouldn't be wholly surprised if there was an issue with it despite double-checking that everything was tight the last time).
I got a call from the Escape's owner that it had suddenly flash an Engine Fault error and then shut off while driving. When I got there and had them try and start it, it was turning over but wasn't starting and actually seemed to be backfiring. It didn't have any set codes but had a pending P061B, which apparently may mean the throttle body is going out.
So now I have to figure out how to test the throttle body and figure out whether it's the problem and needs to be replaced.
Got enough of a break in the rain today to poke around on the Escape. Cleaned 2/3 of the MAP sensors with electronics cleaner... still does the sale thing when trying to start. Since it didn't seem like the throttle body was doing anything, I decided to use a ratchet extension to essentially jam the throttle body open to see if doing so would allow air into the engine for it to start. It did't- but did result in it giving me the same Engine Fault error its owner saw before it shut down.
So I took that as a sign and pulled the throttle body and ordered a new one from Amazon. If it doesn’t fix things I can always return it.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Somebody had to say it.
In reply to spitfirebill :
I won't deny that it's frustrating to have to be dealing with the Escape again... situations like this are why I debated a LOT about whether to volunteer to work on it in the first place. After going out and looking it over and determining that it didn't seem to be something simple I was very close to saying that they needed to have it towed to a shop since I didn't really have the space for it and probably didn't have the time. And if the thottle body doesn't resolve the issue, there's a strong chance that I will have to just say that it's probably something beyond what I'm comfortable dealing with (if it's not the MAP sensors or throttle body, my concern is that it's something involving turbo which I do NOT want to have to deal with pulling and replacing).
So the new throttle body came in yesterday and I got the chance to install it this evening... and I can't say whether or not it helped, because now the engine isn't even wanting to turn. I initially thought it might be something with the starter, but when I put a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer bolt head found that I could NOT turn the engine at all in the clockwise direction and could only turn it a bit (I didn't want to try more than a bit) in the opposite direction.
I now have a theory that I really berking hope is absolutely wrong: if somehow the bolt holding the exhaust timing sprocket to the exhaust camshaft came loose (or broke... since the rotation of the engine should only serve to tighten the bolt if it did anything), the camshaft would have settled to as neutral of a position as it could depending on where it was when the bolt came loose. This would mean that the engine would spin and the intake valves would open- but the exhaust valves wouldn't so obviously the engine wouldn't run. It was spinning up until today, but it's possible somehow it is now jammed up against one of the valves...
Unfortunately I don't see any way to easily check the timing cams, but I can check each cylinder through the spark plug hole with my endoscope camera, which I'll have to try and do Friday (since it's supposed to rain tomorrow and the Escape is out in the open).
I REALLY hope I'm wrong... but if I'm not, it almost guarantees having to replace the whole engine...
Snrub
Dork
5/7/25 9:55 p.m.
You're a good guy. :)
I've kind of wondered from the start if your desire to save this person money meant you were killing yourself to avoid the easier option of swapping in a used engine....
In reply to Snrub :
Perhaps. Honestly, I think it might have been best to have just said they should just keep driving the car as it was (before I worked on it) since it was generally working right and just accept that it wasn't getting as good of mileage as it should. But hindsight and all...
So my brain has been turning this over every which way since last night, and the more I think about it the less likely it seems that my theory about just one of the cams not spinning due to a loosened/broken bolt holding the sprocket to it could have happened. The rotation of the engine & thus the sprockets should preclude the bolts having loosened (especially since I know I torqued them to spec). And one of the bolts snapping could only really have happened if something had stopped the camshaft from turning (which would likely have meant the engine itself wasn't turning either)- and I'd think the timing belt would snap/skip before a bolt would break.
Which brings me to my newest theory: something happened with either the belt itself, the sprocket behind the harmonic balancer, or the belt tensioner for it. The problem is that checking/confirming any of these ideas means taking a lot of things off (for like the 6th time). And ultimately, if my checking with the endoscope finds that one of the pistons has crashed into a valve, may not be worth it since it would likely be wise to just swap in another engine.
Which I have also been looking into... there are several 1.6 Escapes up at the U-pull-it about an hour away, but I have no way of knowing a) whether they still have the engines- the one that was at the local lot's engine was gone pretty quickly- and b) whether they're in better shape and will actually run (though I could hopefully at least check that they'd spin). Engines are about $400 from the junkyard (including a $100 core)- if I pulled it with the exhaust manifold & turbo it would be about $100 more. There are also a decent number of already pulled engines for sale in an hour or so radius of here, though they're unsurprisingly more expensive- but some also come with a 1-2 month warranty (though how useful that would really be is questionable).
Sometimes I hate being right. 
