Hi
Have recently bought a P (96) plate fiesta 1.25 LX Automatic
first question, does ne1 know where the transmission fluid go's?
I have had a look in the book but it doesnt actually say which is always useful :)
secondly - when the car first starts up in the morning, it stalls whenever it comes to a stop, the revs go to just below 1 and then it cuts out - after about 10 mins of driving it runs fine and it doesnt stall again for the rest of the day, just sort of kangaroo's a bit when slowing down
anyone have any ideas as to what it could be?
thanks alot
leon
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Have had experience of 2 of these. IF and ONLY IF it needs topping up, there is an exact procedure and you put the right fluid down the tranny dipstick.
DO NOT TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALER for any auto tranny work. Find a gearbox specialist (don't know where you are but good one in Epsom and Weymouth - there wil be others).
It sounds like you have a service coming up to change the fluid AND THE FILTER. A clogged filter will cause slow shifting and poor response. There are valves inside the chamber and they can get clogged. Only people who know these boxes can get it right, and then give it a service with their upgraded fluids every 20k and it will run and run.
If it gets to the stage where you put it in gear and it then tries to drag you out of the drive with the brakes on - it is usually too far gone.
If anyone says - they are rubbish - you need a new gearbox - RUN. If the specialist you talk to inspires confidence - go fot it.
Prices may have gone up, but if you catch it in time cost about £250 fixed mine (may be more now).
I regularly used to trundle my mother's up the M3 at (ahem) speeds wound up and only 3500 revs on the clock - we are talking "making VERY good progresss! And 35 ish to a gallon It sounds strange as it revs to maximum torque to pull away or overtake, and sounds like a slipping clutch. Get it working OK and after a week you will appreciate it.
It handles, it's quiet, it can be chucked around, power steering gives huge feedback, and it is never "caught" between the gears. Superb headlights too. It IS much quicker than the same engined manual. The auto usually has a faster power rack but could do with a harder brake compound on the front (or maybe it was me). After the gearbox fix at 40k ish, ran it to over 95k with no probs. I think another matter was it was usually bought by a much older driver (Mum) who never took it over 30 on short runs. A lot of town work sludged up the gear oil filter. Specialists drill into the valves and do a few mods (known to Ford and Fiat - but beyond the capabilites of grease monkeys in dealers).
Now await all who will tell you what a horrid gearbox it was and it waits to go bang!
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Just read your thread again. Did have trouble with carbon build up in the throttle body - where I had blamed the tranny too. Cleaned that out again and all was well. I drove it very hard which it seemed to "enjoy". Put it this way, at the time I had a Golf VR6, and on a long run and city traffic at the other end would come out and take the FIesta. BY CHOICE! Best time between the Chubb building on the M3 and Weymouth was 1:45. Usually nearer the 2 hours + in the Golf! A later manual 1.4 was never as sweet, or as quick.
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thanks for that woodspeed
will get it booked in to get the fluid to get replaced and and the filter cleaned etc asap me finks :)
am in leeds so a fair drive from epson - if anyone knows a gearbox specialist in or around leeds - please feel free to throw some up :)
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Try a "yellow pages approach". Ring em and say " I have trouble with my Auto FIesta". Say no more. If they really know what they are doing, they will tell you what is wrong. This is what I did with the Weymouth guy. If you get a slag off and told they are rubbish, walk away. The best places are well established on an industrial estate, clean neat and tidy tools and benches inside. Don't discount a good tune up first to make sure the engine is running well. I would hate to wrongly diagnose at a distance. But if you get a good idle when in N or P and hot, and it blips well - it prob is the autobox. Try giving it full throttle when idling in N or P and hot. It should only hit 3000 revs with no load, and no more. The engine is sensitive to oil too. a 0/30 or 5/30 (and I would suggest a fuly synth) is right. Anything thicker tends to cause drag and a stall if it set a little minus on the side of +/- revs/mixture.
This Ford engine is like a Swiss watch, compared to the nails of before. But tough as a Rolex!
Come back and give us your reports
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