My daughters car is having problems. it all started with it dieing at redlights. We replaced the troddle switch and it never stopped just slowed down. But last weekend she was driving it and the car would idle up and drop and go dead but then would not start back without jumping it off. We jumped it 5 times to get it back home. We also found oil under the hood and on top of the motor. It has lost about a 1/2 quart. I took the battery and had it check and they say it is good and has a good charge. So i put it back on the car and it still won't start. It turns over but won't start it won't even jump start now. What can be be wrong with it????? Anybody got any ideas!!
also the rpm gauge goes all the way into the red and stays when you turn on the key is that supose to happen?? Please help jlkail@hotmail.com

 

Need to know type of engine, are you getting spark, gas presssure, have you done compression test, where is oil coming from???????

 

Sounds like something electrical causing it to not start, but the oil I don't know. My old contour had bad electrical problems which caused it to die while driving, and the gauges would act up cuz they're electrical too among many other things. That's the wierd one, the tach needle. A condition such as that seems to indicate that there is a battery cable/wire problem. When there is a trace of voltage the ECU or PCM hogs it up and it never makes it to the starter. Also the fact that it's a 2000 leads one to beleive it's something simple, ZX2s are very reliable when taken care of. My 98 is as reliable as a brand new focus except for idling rough and worn engine mounts. Good luck.

 

The oil on the engine sounds bad - is your dipstick still there? Does the car still have good/decent oil pressure? Also, the tach reading could be a tach failure - which would go along with the electrical/electronic answers you've been getting. This is a really nice car, and is worth asking the Tech people the question - or take it to a good mechanic (noooo, not Sears or the local service station... ). Anyway, the Zetec engine is a good, reliable item, and is well worth whatever it costs to repair.

Racerkat