Hi - had a 1993 1.1 Petrol Fiesta auto choke for six months. It currently often refuses to start after a long rest (eg overnight) which may be temperature related. Engine turns over and you can hear it wants to go but won't catch and fire up even when I connect my jumpstart battery booster. Sometime if I leave it an hour it will start ok. Battery is good and spark is evident. When it does start it immediately ticks over and runs perfectly. If I tow it for a bump starts it starts ok and runs fine and seems to restart fine when the engine is warm. Have tried various numbers of accelerator pumps pre turnover and holding pedal to the floor, taking of air filter etc but cannot find a single reliable 'trick' to get it going. Got this car in the Summer and it started every time mostly first time - seems to have come on when the weather got cold/damp - but that may be coincidence. Have always owned older cars (this is the newest one I have ever owned) so fairly familiar with old car starting problems - but this one - with its electronic EMS etc - has got me baffled.
Any help welcome.
Many thanks
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 29/12/2007 at 12:02
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As always; the best move is to get it plugged in and see if there are any fault codes - this year is a bit primitive on codes, but if they're there, they're usually valid.
If you want to try a few things yourself; remove and clean the crank sensor and make sure it's pins are spotless; replace the EMS coolant temp sensor; check the tappet clearances aren't too tight.
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We used to have similar starting problems with our '95 1.1 Fiesta. The real mystery was that, having stopped after about 400yds, it wouldn't start via the starter motor - but would start easily when towed.
We concluded that it was due to 'mayonaise' blocking the breathers - apparently, this engine was VERY prone to it - the phenomenon has featured many times in the Backroom! In the winter, the problem is much worse - especially if you do short runs. I also suspect that it fared better on 10-40 oil rather than 15-40. Also, we found that we had a faulty thermostat which remained open so that the engine didn't warm up properly in cold weather. We used to clear the mayonaise from under the rocker cover and the oil filler cap using a finger.
Thinking back though, changing the thermostat (an easy job on this engine), seemed to make a big improvement. BTW, we spotted the thermostat problem because the heater was useless in really cold weather and the engine temp gauge stayed very low.
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Ran my 1.1 on Ford 10w/30 in the winter and Ford 20w/50 in the summer.You don't just need to clean out the mayonnaise,you need to really clean or replace the filters in the crankcase vent system and also make sure the orifice that controls the airflow thro' the crankcase vent system if not blocked.
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I second the recommendations made about the breather system. If the main breather pipe out of the filler cap is kinked and obstructed replace this also - about £10 from Ford.
Second the thermostat.
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Mike Farrow
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Hi - thanks for the replies - have cleaned the crank sensor - can someone help where the coolant sensor is - is it the small unit serewed into the cylinder head below the thermostat housing facing forward with a single wire on a rubber plug coming from it and pushed onto a screwthread pin?? If not have followed the coolant system round and cannot spot it.
Also looked at the breather and it was really clogged up with 'gunge' including the filter so stripped it down and cleaned it all.
I cannot report back if these have worked thus far as the battery is shot for the day and the second car is out at the sales so will have to wait till it comes home later for a tow.
If what I tried so far doesn't work tomorrow morning I will change the cooland sensor (if I can locate it) and thermostat tomorrow if I can find anyone open with these in stock.
Thanks for your help and will post back results. Still really puzzled why a good tow will get it going when the battery won't.
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change the crank senser
s/h one if you have to
on this age they do go faulty when the cold finally gets to them
a later one should be a straight forward fit
its at the right hand side front of engine just above the starter motor if you are unsure
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It sounds like you've found the right coolant sensor. There's a second one under the thermostat but that I believe is only for the gauge.
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Mike Farrow
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Halfords will have the t/stat.
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as far as i am aware the cts is underneath the inlet manifold with something like a 22mm socket fitting and a plug connecter that breaks with age as you try to undo it, so when replaced the loom connecter falls off
im ready to be corrected though
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