Hi. Have done a quick search and can't find anything directly relating to this. I was wondering if I could get some ideas re the cause of this problem. My Fiesta T reg, 1.4l 16v Zetec-s engined Fiesta has broken down. It has 36000mile on the clock. The other day the engine started playing up a bit like it was being fuel starved or something, it was also down on power and sounded a bit like a lawn mower ie not right. When blipping the throttle at idle there was some strange burbling and back popping from the exhaust as though the exhaust was gone. Then I was driving along and the engine lost power and cut out-I haven't been able to get the engine to restart since then. It will turn over freely on the key and I can hear the fuel pump spool up to pressurise the fuel system when the ignition is switched on but it will not start. Doesn't sound like any mechanical nastiness from within the engine. I've looked at the exhaust (albeit not very closely) but it seems intact enough along it's length, it's 18mnths old. All fluids are fine and nothing seems obviously out of place. There is fuel in the tank.
From the problem first occuring to the car conking out- <15miles.
I have looked in the rocker cover and the cams are turning so nothing like the cam belt it doesn't seem. I haven't checked to see if there's a spark. I haven't checked if the fuel filter is clogged or something like that.
Any ideas or known common faults of this nature on this model? Any suggestions of where to start are appreciated-this is a bad time of year for your motor to break down! I'm pretty handy with a spanner so if I have some ideas of where to look I can roll my sleeves up tomorrow
Thanks.
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CP
Your first check is to see if you've got a spark. Pull one of the plug-leads out and use something conductive to draw the spark out from the lead to within a few mm of a good metal earth and see if there's a spark when you crank it.
If so; suspect a failed cat. Unscrew the "Lambda probe" right out of the exhaust to leave a hole and then try it. If it starts [it'll be loud!] then you've found the problem.
If no spark; check the plug on the crank sensor at the front of the engine.
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Thank you for the advice, I'm gonna have a look as soon as I can and try those things.
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I have had a look today. There doesn't seem to be a spark (I tested number 1 plug lead-those things are seriously tight to get off!). I disconnected the wiring harness to the lambda probe (will this have the same effect as removing it completely like you suggested? With the wiring plug to the lambda probe disconnected it made no difference.
Would the degraded performance before it broke down coupled with the current lack of a spark point to anything in particular having failed on it? Also, does anyone know exactly where the crank angle sensor is located and how I can test it. Anything else to test/try would be appreciated also.
Thanks
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CP
As there's no spark you can ignore the blocked cat test re the Lambda probe. [The point of removing it is to let any backed-up exhaust gases vent through the hole.]
The crank sensor reads the back of the flywheel and is mounted low down on the front of the engine. Check it's plug for water ingress. Checking the ECU [passenger kick-panel; drill the pop-rivets] and it's plug for signs of water might be a good idea too.
There are a varied number of fuses involved depending on the engine code and exact month of build. Consult your handbook for the appropriate numbers and check that both they and their matching fusebox contacts are OK.
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