I have a 1997 R reg ford escort Osprey 1.4 ! It stopped on me at a set of lights two weeks ago,towed it home,and it will not start, the battery is fine,has lots of fuel,have checked the spark plugs and leads,they are all fine,plugs are all sparking ok,not oiled up or anything,this all appears to be fine,petrol pump is working,and petrol is getting to the plugs with no problems,yet,the car will not start.Starter motor is fine.Car tries to start,you hear it fire up,fires for about 1sec,then sounds like it is out of fuel,and just keeps turning over.Any ideas?

Jason, April 2007

Last idea from me,
Sometimes if you try to jump start a car it can mess the electronics up. In these cases I've been told that disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes or so can allow the system to reset. If you tried jumping the car before you realised it was fuel, it may be that. If you fix it I would be interested how.
Cheers, and sorry I couldn't help further

Ken Chapman, April 2007

Tried the spare key,still no Joy,this really does have me beat,think i shall have to borrow some money,and join a breakdown company,and have them look at it,as really does have me beat.

Jason, April 2007

Hi Jason,
I mentioned the immobiliser because I spent a fruitless weekend on my brothers Seat Ibiza doing exactly what you are now. I luckily had a spare engine to rob and I changed injectors, pressure valves, fuel filters and so on. It was only when I asked him on the off chance whether he had dropped his keys he mentioned that his young daughter had dropped them and presented the two halves to him on the Friday before. We went to where she had been, and lucky swine that he is, we found the chip; popped it back in and the car started and ran perfectly. If you have a spare key try that just in case the chip in your main key has been corrupted in some way. Exposure to a strong magnetic field can sometimes do this. Remember also that if you have run the tank dry you may have drawn some muck up into the fuel filter, this will allow just enough fuel for the engine to fire before it starves. Unfortunately it isn't possible to tell if your fuel flow rate/pressure is correct without a meter, so just getting fuel from the supply line can be misleading.
Cheers

Ken Chapman, April 2007

hmm possibley,the car did run fine,untill it ran out of petrol and was towed back home,how ever,a the fuel gauge had stuck,and a friend thought it could be the leads,so started messing around with them,so could possibley be a problem with that,tho they are on in the correct order ( 1 3 4 2 ) and are all sparking fine,fuel is getting to them all okay,and there is no blockages anywere. This really has me confused,fuel pump is working fine,if you pump the peddle a couple of times,and turn the key,it fires and turns over,soundin like it is runnin for about 2 seconds,then just dies and keeps turnin over,without firing.

Jason, April 2007

Hi,
If you take the chip out of an immobiliser equipped key and try to start, it gives the self same symptom. So it sounds like the module or something of that ilk.

Ken Chapman, April 2007

Air ways,filter are clear,exhuast fumes are coming out fine,ignition seems to be working fine,as when plugs are taken out,they are sparking constantly and fluently, Everything appears to be fine. Yet car runs about 1-3 seconds,and dies again,it is like lack of fuel,but petrol is getting to the plugs and around the engine fine.

jason, April 2007

You should check your ignition module. It could be faulty.

Gino Ginelli, April 2007

Hi Jason: Just a thought, but check and make sure the airways are clear,( Air filter, pipes & tubes etc. ) make sure a mouse,pack rat, or chipmunk hasnt plugged them solid with leaves and seeds,--- hey it happens. You also might want to check the exhaust system for kinks or other blockage. The cats (converters) have been known to plug solid.If the engine is stiffeled either way , it wont run long.

Sandy Claws, April 2007