A Ford's 4 cylinder engine has four different combustion chambers inside the engine (one in each cylinder), which generate power for the vehicle. An engine's age is not measured in years as much as it is measured in revolutions, or "miles" on that engine. As an engine ages, things naturally begin to wear out or fail. If you wish to know what may potentially be wrong with your Ford 4 cylinder engine, it is not difficult to troubleshoot the problem.
Check the oil level. Open the hood of your Ford and locate the oil dipstick. This is normally found in front of the engine on most Fords near the manifold. It will have a loop handle on it.
Pull the oil dipstick out. Wipe off the dipstick with a rag, and reinsert the dipstick. Pull the dipstick back out and check the fluid level. The dipstick will have marks on the end of it indicating the fluid level. If it is low, fill the oil. To do this, unscrew the engine oil cap on the top of the engine. This will always be clearly marked "engine oil". Fill the engine with engine oil, periodically checking the oil level using the same procedure you initially used above.
It is important to have the correct oil level. If the oil level is too low, you could damage your engine due to poor lubrication. Additionally, too much oil will "whip" the oil in your oil pan, changing the consistency of the oil - similar to the consistency of whipping whole eggs in a bowl. This too will reduce the lubricating characteristics of the oil. Typically, the problem will be caught by the vehicle's computer, and the oil light on your dash will light up indicating that there is a problem.
Check the valve timing. A simple way to diagnose valve timing--without spending money on expensive and complicated equipment--is to listen to the engine at idle. If you hear a audible ticking sound (it could be either faint or distinct), this could indicate that the valves are not clearing the piston heads properly. In that case, go to a mechanic and have the problem corrected as soon as possible. Doing so will improve fuel economy, and prevent serious damage to both the piston heads and the valves.
Check for knocking, improper detonation, and piston slap. "Knocking" or "detonation" is a term used to describe a situation where the timing of the cams on your Ford's engine are off. Usually, this is caused by a belt or chain that has slipped or has damaged teeth. Listen for what sounds like the marbles rolling around in a can of spray paint when you are shaking it up. Your 4 cylinder engine may also simply make a "pinging" sound if there is detonation or piston slap (the pistons are slapping against the side of the cylinder walls usually caused by detonation problems). If you notice this sound coming from your engine, you may need a timing belt adjustment or replacement. You'll need to take this to your mechanic to have the problem corrected.
Check the distributor cap and rotor for ignition problems. If your 4 cylinder Ford is having idle problems (rough idle) or you suspect that you are getting much lower than normal fuel economy, or your engine is running rich (you'll notice the strong smell of fuel coming from under the engine and black smoke coming out of your exhaust), your engine is probably not burning all of the fuel going into the cylinders. This can be caused by a number of things including a leaky fuel injector, faulty fuel pump, or malfunctioning engine computer.
You can also check the spark being applied to the cylinder to make sure that all four cylinders are firing properly. To do this, start on the right side of your engine. Pull the spark plug wire out of the first cylinder. Place the metal end of the flat head screw driver into the plug housing until it touches metal. Then, lay the screwdriver and plug housing on the valve cover next to--but not touching--a metal component (a bolt or a screw). Crank the engine by putting the key in the ignition and attempt to start the vehicle. Have a helper watch the screwdriver and check to see if there is an arch. You should see a spark jump from the metallic part of the screwdriver to the screw or bolt that it's laying next to. If there is a spark, take the screwdriver out of the plug housing and put the plug wire back. Repeat this process for the other three plug wires. If you fail to get a spark on any of the plug wires, make note of the problem wire.
Check the other end of the wire that is connected to the distributor to figure out if you have a bad plug wire or a bad distributor. To do this, make sure all of the plug wires are properly connected at the top of the engine. Unplug any suspect wires at the distributor one at a time and test them in the same manner you tested the plug wires before. If it sparks for all suspect wires at the distributor, you'll know the distributor is good and the wire is bad. If you are having problems getting a spark from the distributor, then the distributor is faulty and needs replacing. This is best left for a mechanic.
Check for colored smoke from your tailpipe. If you let your car sit at idle and rev it up and have a helper check the exhaust fumes, you can easily troubleshoot engine problems. For example, white smoke is actually steam and indicates that there is water or coolant (or both) leaking into the engine cylinders. Black smoke indicates that you are burning excessive fuel and are not getting a "clean burn". This is also known as "running rich". Blue smoke indicates that you are burning oil. This happens when the seals inside your engine fail and oil gets into the combustion chamber and burns.
Check the PCV valve if your engine idle is rough. If you vehicle is idling rough, it may also be due to a faulty or sticking PCV valve. The PCV valve recirculates gases in the crank case back into your engine for better fuel economy. If your PCV valve is sticking or faulty, you may experience lower fuel economy and a rough idle. Take your vehicle to a mechanic to have this item checked and replaced.
