Hi
Two questions for y'all...
1.
I have recently purchased a Fiesta 1.25 Zetec-s and am very impressed, apart from a slight hesitancy that feels as if the engine is "missing" when under load around 4000rpm. Any suggestions to what this may be?
2.
The car has a FSH and has currently 61k on the clock, but I would like to know the cambelt service interval - any ideas? Also what is a typical cost? I know the belts are around 20quid, but how much or long would the labour be?
Many thanks in advance
Moby.
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Could be spark plugs and/or HT leads...a common Zetec problem.
It's due for a belt now (it's really overdue IMO) - bank on 2.5 hrs work in a reputable local workshop plus a £30 belt. Keep it a genuine Ford part.
Perhaps use the Good Garage finder, found under the "Directories" heading on the panel to the left?
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1. Even if it's not the plugs and leads, change 'em anyway because they won't have much life in them if they're the originals.
2. You can get a quote from the Ford franchise here:
www.ford.co.uk/ie/service_repair/-/-
Use that as the absolute maximum figure.
3. It's a Zetec so make sure you run it on Ford's own 5W30 lubricating oil. Any other grade and they tend to get a bit fussy and may seize up (!) - and Ford's is as cheap as any so there's no point in going elsewhere. If your local RapidFit is doing a cheap oil change offer, get it done as a precaution unless you know there is already 5W/30 in there.
Ford's RapidFit arm may do some or all of the above work for considerably less than the same technicians in the same workshop when booked from the main service desk. It's worth having Ford compete with themselves and speaking to the RapidFit department first.
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Yes....good point DHM - play them off against each other!
BTW, the engine will not seize up if oil other than Ford oil is used - the hydraulic tappet operation can be affected thus effecting performance.
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On the RapidFit front, I needed an oil change in the Mondeo and, having heard about the cheap oil changes on offer, I gave both my local Ford dealers a call to enquire.
Both dealers told me that they no longer had a RapidFit department. Quotes for an oil change were £65 and £75, so I did the job myself.
The Ashford dealer still had the RapidFit signs up when I went to buy the oil and filter, so I am not sure what the situation really is.
Andy
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My local RapidFit in Cobham,Surrey quoted me £29.99 for an oil and filter change - thats less than half what Andy was quoted.
Wouldn't they use the same oil and filter in both garages?
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Yes. And according to the Two Daves above, the same labour!
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David (L or M),
Can you explain the problem with the Zetec HT leads? I didn't realise there was a well known problem with them. What are the symptoms?
Thanks, Chris
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I've changed the leads and plugs to Ford Motorcraft ones but the hesitancy remains, although not as bad. What else could this be? I have checked the coil and it looks ok, no sign of any tracking...
Help!!!
Moby.
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Re: the belt, I called Ford this morning and then took my details and said that the Zetec-SE engine has a service interval of 100k miles or 10 years...
Moby.
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I had a Fiesta with the 1.4 Zetec engine and it suffered badly from an apparent misfire under load. It wasn't plugs, leads or an ECU fault. It was a sticking valve, gunged up from cheap petrol and/or topping up with the wrong grade of oil over a period of time.
Latterly at each service the garage put a treatment in the fuel tank and this cleared the problem for a few thousand miles, but it would eventually return . Odd that, because by then I was careful to use good brand fuel and only Ford recommended oil. I suppose the damage was done and it really needed the equivalent of the good old fashioned de-coke.
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Just a thought but could running the air con cause this. My 1.8 Mondeo has the same problem whilst it is running but switching the air con off seems to cure it.
I'm a loser, baby....so why don't you kill me?!
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Don't know, but I don't have air-con on my Fiesta.
I have ordered motorcraft plugs and HT leads to fit tomorrow... hopefully that will sort it out.
Moby.
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I wouldn't let my belt run that long....100k or 10 years!
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Re: the belt, I called Ford this morning and then took my details and said that the Zetec-SE engine has a service interval of 100k miles or 10 years...
Get that statement carved in stone from them. I'm not going to say it will happen, but say when the vehicle is 7 yrs old and the belt goes ping, you have proof that you were told it would last 10 yrs.
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No need to get the statement carved in stone.
1.25 zetec engine cambelt interval IS 10years or 100k.
Bit scarey i know but thats the official ford line.
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