ZX2 Rough Idle

We just got my sister an Escort ZX2. Green/tan, not sure of the year (it's pre-facelift), autotragic, 91K miles. She will be driving from Mass. to Los Angeles in January to complete her college film school degree and will come back sometime in spring. I have a couple of questions for you almighty GRM gurus:

1) I noticed the ZX2 has a fairly rough idle when I drove it. I know ZX2's aren't the most refined cars out there, but is rough idling common with these? What should we check to try and find the cause?

2) I've insisted the ZX2 at least have an oil/coolant change and be tuned up before my sister heads off for La La Land. I've offered to do it myself provided my dad or sister pay for the parts, but he may bring it to a shop. What else should we look at before we send my sister on her way?

1) I've always thought that both my ZX2 and my girlfriends had pretty rough idle. Not bouncing all over the place, but just doesn't sound like the purrr of a 24V V6 or Honda or something.

If it is bouncing all over the place, it's likely a vacuum issue.

2) I'd check the belts. Honestly, I drove my car for two years with doing very little in the way of preventative maintenance and it didn't give me much trouble. My GF's car seems to throw a CEL every couple of months, and she insists on having it turned off or fixed, but it's never left her sit with the exception of a timing belt and serp' belt.

I have never been able to figure it out but it's very very common. Feels like a bad motor mount, or solid ones! They'll do it indefinitely and not get any worse that I've found but yeah, pretty rough.

The Zetec engine in the ZX2 has no balance shaft. It does have a fairly rough idle. This is more noticeable in an automatic equipped car when stopped and in drive. as long as it is running OK there is not a lot you can do. Check the transaxle mounts for deterioration. Ford did have a TSB on this. It is really involved and in many cases didin't help. Other than that the ZX2 is a great inexpensive car. It is fun to drive, gets terriffic gas mileage and is reliable.

Thanks. I'll take a look at the transaxle mounts.

As iceracer said, the Zetec does have a rather rough idle. Some people bump the idle up to try to smooth it out.

Not sure, but since the ZX2 and the Focus have the same engine and trans I'll assume they have similar mounts. The main mounts on each end of the Engine/Trans are not usually a problem. The "dogbone" link which runs from the trans to the subframe underneath is probably shot with 91K miles on the car.

I would recommend replacing it with an OEM piece for your sister since the aftermarket ones with poly bushings transfer a lot of vibration to the interior. It's also possible that a PO already changed it to a poly bushing type if you are getting a lot of vibration in the steering wheel.

Um, there is no dog bone link. Only front and rear and top of the trans axle and front of the engine. Are you thinking of the link that goes to the shifter mounting ?

iceracer wrote: Um, there is no dog bone link. Only front and rear and top of the trans axle and front of the engine. Are you thinking of the link that goes to the shifter mounting ?

Obviously the ZX2 and Focus aren't the same then. I wasn't sure.

The Focus has a link that runs from the "bellhousing" area back to the front subframe to keep the engine from rotating on acceleration

It looks like this