Could this be related to my fuel injection or something far worse?

MORRIJAN

MEMBER
2000 FORD FIVE HUNDRED
167,300 MILES

I bought a 2000 Ford Focus SE a few months back. It is my first car. Apparently when I bought it (and had it safetied at the same place I bought it) I had also purchased the rusted on bolts to the air filter. It has 167300 kms on it. Last week it was having idling problems and would almost stall when I stopped, then the engine light came on. I took it into the shop and was told that the bolts on the air filter were rusted on, they had broken my air filter box and had to purchase a new one. I was also told that the diagnostic said it was either my fuel injection or air pumps, that the fuel was not getting through. Okay so I couldn't afford the fuel injection and air pumps (which they qouted at 400) and just got a diagnostic and new air box and air filter. The car still drove and I drove it to work and back for 3 days. Yesterday it was cold out and I went to start my car this morning. The car started and the battery light came on and the engine stopped running. The battery says 11.5V at rest, my lights work, I got a friend to boost it and it turns over but no gas. I called the shop I went to last week and they say that its probably not my fuel injector my battery but the boost didnt work and it still turns over. Just curious to know if I'm going in to get ripped off? I'm a young female and don't know much about cars but I know that the battery should have given at least a bit when the car was attached to the other battery since it turned over.
I can afford the fuel injection now and would be able to pay for a tow truck and air pumps on payday but I don't want to waste my money taking it in and finding out I owe a lot more than 400. Sorry for the novel but any help would be awesome!

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

The battery will be at 12.6 volts if it's fully charged. 12.0 volts means it's good but discharged. Less then that means it has a shorted cell and must be replaced, or it's really really discharged. A jump-start might not work when there's a shorted cell in your battery.

With the engine running, the battery must measure between 13.75 and 14.75 volts. If it is low, the generator is not working. That might have a relatively inexpensive fix.

Start by measuring those voltages. All you need is a very inexpensive digital voltmeter. Harbor Freight Tools has them on sale all the time for $5.99, and sometimes as low as $2.99. They work just fine. If the system voltage is low, the computers on the car will do weird things. No point in looking for an engine running problem until the charging system is working properly.