I was setting off before and the engine lost power, it was like I was in 4th gear, there was no revs at all. It then cut out 300 yards down the road and wouldn't start again.
I managed to push it home, removed the oil cap and it started first time. Its started every time since but I haven't dared to drive it.
The oil is very sludgy still so I am guessing this is connected. I am getting it compression tested tomorrow to see what it comes up with.
Either way I am getting sick of this car now and I think I will just give up on driving and go back to walking/push bike and buses.
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Hello
Does it cut out when you change gear.
Could be the Throtte position sensor or the switch on the clutch pedal.
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(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
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No it runs perfectly now :). Its very odd.
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Rattle, I sympathise! My son has now got the family 1.1 '95 Fiesta and for many years this has been a problem. You will find posts all about 'cutting out' Fiestas on this website.
It happens after about 300 yards and, although it won't start, the battery turns the engine over fine. I've put it down to 'mayonaise' under the valve cover and I just give it a quick wipe out with my finger via the oil filler. We've always found that it will start straightaway with a 'tow' start from the ol' Mondeo.
We always keep a length of rope in the Fiesta's boot now!
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That is interesting, I wonder if I should cancel the trip to the mechanics. It would certainly explain why its running now. Does your son's have sludge on the dip stick too?
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Hello
Ah ha.
Clean the rocker cover out and check the thermostat.
I bet that when the weather warms up the mayo will go away.
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(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
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That is interesting, I wonder if I should cancel the trip to the mechanics. It would certainly explain why its running now. Does your son's have sludge on the dip stick too?>>
The cutting-out problem has existed for 4 or 5 years now - and I would say it's worse in colder weather and with shorter journeys - so I'm pretty convinced it's the mayo thing. Regular clearing out of the mayo from within a finger's length of the oil filler and from under the cap seems to help a lot. The first couple of times that it happened, my local indie took it away and sorted it - but then we realised the pattern and sorted it ourselves. On a tow-start, it starts immediately and keeps running. I've always wondered if oil spec has anything to do with it.
I haven't checked the oil lately (doubt that son has, either!) so at the moment, I can't comment on the sludge level. I must have a look at it tomorrow!
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Thanks :)
The thermostat seems to work, after about 2-3 miles the needle goes about half way, they it will drop to about 1/3. After 40 miles the needle was almost half way up. The cooling system seems perfect.
I tried push starting it before and nothing, but I kind of ran out of road to do it in :D
I won't bother with the garage tomorrow, I have a couple of spare hours to remove the oil filler cap and clean out the breather.
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take the air box off and clean the mushroom type rubber valve and the sludge trap underneath in petrol,then flush out the breather pipes and reassemble, gap and clean the plugs
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take the air box off and clean the mushroom type rubber valve and the sludge trap underneath in petrol,then flush out the breather pipes and reassemble, gap and clean the plugs.>>
Yes, I remember the first time my indie chap fixed it - he had cleaned out 'breather pipes', but I wasn't sure which pipes were being referred to.
At one stage, the thermostat packed up completely and the symptoms were very obvious. On a cold night, the car heater refused to operate at all and the temperature guage stayed at the bottom. Replacing the thermostat was straightforward (even with my limited mechanical ability!) and IIRC it only cost a couple of quid.
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Sounds like you have thermostat problems;the gauge should be in the middle within 1/2 to 1.0 mile and stay there.It's not "mayonaisse" in the pipes or rocker cover that cause problems,it's the one-way valve,restrictors and filters in the system that must be clean".
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What would be causing the mayo though? I mean surely the 40 mile run out on Sunday would have cured that if it was short run syndrome?
The fact the camshaft is damaged suggests to me its time to sell the car and cut my losses or enquirer about the cost of 12 months MOT and a new cylinder head.
I am suspecting a faulty thermostat may caused the engine to over heat and the HG to blow.
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These engines are not known for H/G failure unless some idiot has run them without coolant!!The mayo could well be caused by 1.running the motor too cool "thermostat" and 2. as I said checking the important parts ot the crankcase ventilation system not just the pipes and the rocker cover which have zero effect.A thermostat will normally fail open and that will run the engine too cool and that won't fail a head gasket.
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Hello
The reason it cuts out is that it try's to inhale the waterery mayo with the fuel and that will not work.
High Quality oils that are changed every 6 months will not gunk up so quickly.
There were two types of thermostat for the 1.1 if i remember correctly.
One type opens at 88'c and the other at 92'c
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(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
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Kept for spare parts, I have a 1.1 L Valencia engine with failed head gasket and scored bores due to the thermostat failing SHUT! This was a 1984 build. (and yes it was driven by someone with no mechanical sympathy and very little mechanical knowledge).
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I couldn't do all that was suggested here due to lack of knowledge. But the breather from the air filter to the oil cap was completely blocked gunky oil. I have cleaned that out now. This some how seemed to help exhaust smoke at idle (there was nothing when there is usually a lot) but when I got back 5 miles later it was belching out the back again.
It seems the previous owner may have ran it without anti freeze.
The car seemed to run fine but I do ocassionaly notice a slight lack of power.
I can get hold of cylinder blocks cheaply, but its labour which will be the problem.
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Don't foget NORM on the temp gauge sweeps a large area. Does it go outside NORM? I'll say it for the third time, if not don't worry.
Rubber mushrooms invert over time. Meant to only open at running revs, and by-pass hole used at idle. FINIS 1654018, about £4, though not sure it makes a difference.
Just clean out cap and tubes with petrol and rag.
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Mike Farrow
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aha is that that mushroom type thing that was in the airfilter bay which sets on top of the webber fuel injector?
Done 20 miles in the car today, seemed fine, no loss of power, no unusual engine noises I've told my dad to keep using the car so we can see if the mayo clears itself up.
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