Need car repair help please

[05Mudiak]

OK I am working on my wifes cousins ugh ford contour, It was running like crap wouldn't stay running ect ect.. check fuel pressure it was not right changes fuel pump can ran a bit better, changed fuel injector pressure sensor no change. of course did plugs wires still nothing


oh the check eng light is not on.

OK so since this is the VCT 2.0 4 banger I figure timing belt car does have 110k miles. This is where it gets crazy.

changes the belt lined up the cams and all that junk. Started the car it ran great put everything back together put the surp belt back on. Started car ran like crap again. Took the surp belt off ran perfect. What could be causing this issue.

With the surp belt on car barely run spits and sputters seem to be running kinda rich. Belt off runs perfect.

I know the biggest problem is its a ford but I am trying to look past that

I am thinking maybe bad alt? I am pulling it off now to go get it tested. I have never seen this before I am lost ugh

 

[05Mudiak]

update Alt checks good. guess I will chase the wires from it.

anyone?

 

[Mr_Rich]

What other accessories run off the serpentine belt? Water pump? Power steering? Spin the accessories by hand to detect any play or binding. I would expect you would have done that already....

 

[Portager]

It could be the bearings are starting to fail in an accessory on the serpentine belt. Check the water pump and power steering pump.

 

[05Mudiak]

ok have it shot down to the charging wire off the back of the alt. can't figure out why its doing it though?

 

[deserth3]

Could be a bad alternator.
What did you do to make you believ it's the alternator charging wire?

 

[05Mudiak]

Alt checks good, starter checks good, With the alt charging wire disconnected car runs perfect as soon as you hook up the chargings wire the car spits and sputters and doesn't want to stay running. I am at a loss all the wires seem good if there was a short it would be arching somewhere I would think. I have never seen a problem like this

 

[Mr_Rich]

Check the voltage! Maybe there's a difference which might cause the ECM to go crazy. Are you sure the charging lead is connecting to the right terminal?

 

[alrock]

Couldn't the wire be degraded or corroded but not causing outright shortages? I had a corroded battery terminal cable in a Suburban many years ago. Just had to replace the cable. As Mr. Rich says, could be causing voltage issues.

 

[Reloader]

I've seen this before. It's rare but I've had the diodes in the alternator leak ac voltage. Ecu, PCM, Tcm, body modules, do not like ac voltage. Check across battery terminals with digital dvom set on ac voltage. Should be less than .25 to .5 volts ac. Alternator will still be charging battery ok. I remember a gm vehicle once that had same symptoms . It was leaking almost 5.0 volts ac. Hope this helps.