Ford Fiesta (1995 - 1999) - 96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration

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Wed 30 Apr 2008 23:43
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - mickthematelot
My sons 1.3 Endura-E has got no power through acceleration whatsoever. I have serviced the engine but it all went from bad to worse as three out of four plugs sheared off in the head. I removed the head and managed to get them out, as well as clean and replace the idle valve ( it also had stalling problem), all pipelines and filters etc.

I have got it all back together but the problem is still there - no acceleration. And I think I need a new head as it seems that the plugs are not sealing properly and the engine is "running away". Anyone got any ideas (and a spare head lying around). Oh woe is me!

Cheers, Mick
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Thu 1 May 2008 00:20
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - Screwloose
Mick

Step back and chill. What does "running away" mean? Don't worry about a small leakage round the plugs [are they the right ones?] as they often do that.

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Thu 1 May 2008 12:05
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - mickthematelot
I don't think the plugs, or at least one of them, are sealing properly and so I'm drawing in too much "unmetered" air and so the engine revs-on when the foot is removed from the accelerator or the clutch is depressed for gear changes, and tick over is fast too.

I really would appreciate any words of wisdom you may have my friend.

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Thu 1 May 2008 12:06
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - mickthematelot
Oh yeh, the plugs are deffinately the right ones. Could do with some confirmation on the gap though. I set them all at 1mm.
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Thu 1 May 2008 14:42
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - Screwloose

I've never seen an inwards airleak past plug threads. Not the problem. Just clean the tapers and re-seat as best you can.

Idle flare is endemic to these; [have a search] and curing it [not just bodging it] will depend on which of around a dozen different variants of 1.3 is fitted in yours.

Firstly; is it singlepoint or multipoint injection? On the silver plate; what letters are against ENG or MOT?
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Fri 2 May 2008 00:12
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - mickthematelot
It's singlepoint, not managed to get the numbers yet but took it for a spin earlier. It starts fine, then once I start to drive the revs don't back off when I lift my foot off the accelerator, so it is accelerating (albeit slowly) without my foot on the gas.

When I slow down and stop, the engine revs its self 3 or 4 times then holds the revs on. Certainly is a strange problem!
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Fri 2 May 2008 00:45
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - Screwloose
mick

The ECU is not getting the message that the throttle is shut and isn't switching to idle control mode. The idle actuator runs fully out on part throttle and should slowly bring the revs down once the ECU sees the closed throttle switch operate.

It could be the closed throttle switch, or an idle actuator [a sort of motorized piston] fault. Engine loom connector plugs can corrode too and are worth a check. Just follow the injection loom away from the engine and look for round in-line plugs.

Is there a J6 on the engine plate?
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Fri 2 May 2008 13:55
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - mickthematelot
Cheers Screwloose, I'm off to check it out now. I'll also disconnect the battery to see if that resets anything. I don't know if the ECU has a non-volatile memory or not?
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Fri 2 May 2008 15:03
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - Screwloose

Waffling on about "re-setting" ECUs is the mark of the terminally ignorant, head-on-backwards, Corsa driver.

Do not clear the adaptive learned values from your ECU, as it may bring in confusing secondary issues.
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Fri 2 May 2008 22:59
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - mickthematelot
"Waffling on about "re-setting" ECUs is the mark of the terminally ignorant head-on-backwards Corsa driver"

Not sure how to take that comment!

I've played about with the TPS and Idle control, checked all the looming and replaced a split CV boot whilst digging around. I think the CV boot must have fixed it as the problem seems to have gone. I can now concentrate once more on my day job, fixing battlefield helicopters, where ignorance costs lives.

This car is my sons first, he is learning to drive in it and I am trying to teach him a little about car maintenance. I want him to be as safe as possible and if that means me displaying a bit of ignorance in order to get the help we require then so be it.
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Fri 2 May 2008 23:07
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - Screwloose

It wasn't aimed at you; it was meant as a warning not to listen to what were known as "saloon-bar tuners" in my day.

Anyone prattling on about the current obsession with "ECU re-sets" is demonstrating exactly how little they know.
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Fri 2 May 2008 15:04
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - L'escargot
Could do with some confirmation on
the gap though. I set them all at 1mm.


According to Jennings Ford, 1mm is correct. See tinyurl.com/4rt52d
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Mon 6 Jul 2009 18:20
96 1.3 Eratic running with no acceleration - bell boy
a singlepoint 1300 is a mk3 fiesta
these cause problems with the tps for the revving problem
or even a faulty battery or the terminals are not clean bright has caused this
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