Hi Guys, firstly hi and secondly thanks a bunch for your replies to other threads on here, you saved my bacon yesterday. I will start from the begining as its a long story!
Ok from the start, basically my girlfreinds 1.3 96 fiesta 1.3 8v needed a service so being fairly technically savvy I attempted the service myself. Firstly I went for the plugs which on inspection had rusted paper thin and all sheared off including the bolt to tighten down into the plug recess as well so I looked on here for a how to guide on removing the remaining thread and managed to pick up a torx t55 head and we hammered it into the plug holes and screwed the remaining threads out....needless to say the plugs were pretty shagged, all 4 snapped with little pressure from the wrench so all needed hammering and twisting out. still a few bits of ceramic in the plug holes so needed a few cranks with the coil diss-connected to blow the broken ceramic out but some remained so went at it with a hoover to remove the rest. finally finished putting in the plugs earlier and its now developed a nasty ticking/click click click noise that increases with revolutions of the engine....now im praying that this could be the gapping on the plug or possibly highlighting other things like tappets or timing as the old plugs were so old.
I just wondered if anyone else has experienced any thing similar?
Please help :-(
Mike
engine and year details edited in for you - we only ask three times so very easily missed
Edited by Pugugly on 23/03/2008 at 19:22
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I just wonder if some of the ceramic is still in the piston?
If so damage will have been done to the piston or the valve.
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Mike
Was the noise there before you changed the plugs? Did any parts of the plug electrodes go missing?
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I managed to get most of the chunks out, there may have been a few microscopic bits still left inside but the car drives fine and there were definatly no chunks left in, the noise was not there before and it does sound like pinking but cant understand why it would! its been driven 1-2 miles today so the problem cant be that severe or something would have drastically failed while driving, would incorrect gapping cause this as I assumed they were pre gapped but might close them up slightly tomorrow to see if it helps at all, I just didnt asume it would be as critical on a lower powered car?
kind of kicking myself for driving it now just in case it is debris in the cylinder :-(
Edited by mikeyb10supra on 23/03/2008 at 19:33
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Sounds like bits in the engine. Try using one of those computer vacume cleaners that you can get in a one pound shop. They fit on to a Hoover and with just the flexible pipe (you don't want any attachments failing in), that is about 1/3 inch wide, get in in and moved about to suck up what in in there. Move the pistons a bit and see what comes out of all 4 cylinders.
I hope you copper greased the plug threads!
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if you have any form of compressed air supply (can or compressor or air line) blow air into the cylinders, see if it dislodges anything, would inserting redex into the bores (like 1965 again) float bits free?
or get an endoscope to take a look
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Sounds like those ceramic bits are getting hot and causing your "pinking" if you can't get them out a good blast down the motorway"might" work?
It's at your risk!!
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Might also be a faulty spark plug. Lets hope so.
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I f you have a bowful vacuum then tape a length of 8 or 10MM OD flexible plastic pipe to the nozzle and vacuum out the piston tops through the plug hole Start will all 4 pistons level ish then turn the engine over and repeat several times. Regards Peter
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I agree with Peter D. If something is loose enough to cause a tapping then it ought to hoover out if you can get a small suction pipe angled in to cover the whole of the piston top.
Does it do it rythmically at idle speed? You could try removing one plug at a time and running momentarily. It might blast it out, or at least indicate which bore is the culprit.
I wouldn't drive the car until you have sorted it. It sounds as if the piece must be quite large - ie big enough to cause a noticeable tapping, and too big to go past the valve and down the exhaust. You may be able to get it sucked onto the end of your pipe so that you can carefully lift it out.
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Try greasing a length of cord washing line and inserting carefully into each cylinder. Any debris may get caught in the grease and be removed...
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A couple of things you could try. Remove the new spark plugs, and try cranking the engine over with the plugs removed. Keep you face out the way and hopefully any debris should blow straight out the plug holes. The other thing to check is have you bought the right plugs? If they or even one is a shade too long, they could be being hit by the pistons. Worth a check even if just to eliminate them. Good luck.
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Bearing in mind the fight you had to get the old plugs out, it could be a faulty/damaged seal either in the head or on one of the plugs. I think this engine has taper seat plugs as opposed to crush washers. The rush of gas past the seal can sound like a tapping.
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Could well be a poor fitting ht lead on the plug.
These suffer from it. The old plug/lead sit tight and when disturbed it often pulls the metal connection "up the lead". It goes back on the plug but not as tight as it should and often gives a distinctive tapping sound. (the spark is jumping in the lead itself from the top of the plug to the lead connection)
Engine will run without missing as long as the spark maintains the ccircuitetc.
hth
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Do not use the grease cord method before trying the vacuum method as it mat stop you actually picking it up. Where do you live I have a dedicated vacuum pump if you need it. If you have a compressor and a Schultz gut the rig it up as the vacuum created to lift the under-seal is perfect for the job. However you will need to place the pipe in a robust bottle and another to use in the cylinders to stop the particals damaging the gun . Tape them up well. Regards Peter
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I think ex-TM may be on to something. Focus taper-seat plugs are 6mm longer below the seat than the Fiesta ones. What is the number on those plugs?
I'd have thought that any bits of ceramic would have been smashed to dust by now. Only a steel electrode embedded in a piston crown would have survived.
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