WB Festiva 1.3lt problem

Daughter Fstva · 16-08-2013, 02:42 PM

Not sure if anyone can help, but Daughter has a pretty well undriveable car at present.
It will start and run perfectly when cold, sounds great. But after a few minutes, the idle speed jumps to over 2k rpm, and power just drops off. It will not rev up very high, just fades and won't pull.
I've cleaned and checked MAF, resistance seems ok on the temperature sensor as it warms up, I've cleaned out the idle air controller, and checked all vacuum hoses etc. To say it's frustrating, would be an understatement.
I can't find an egr valve, does it have one?
And ------ any ideas?
Cheers,
DF

Road Games · 16-08-2013, 03:11 PM

G'day DF, does the engine surge with the accelerator held steady ?

See if you can get the faultcodes read matey, i may be able to help you further with the diagnosis??

It does have an EGR valve and seems an easy enough procedure to diagnose since you have already done the rest ?

Daughter Fstva · 16-08-2013, 05:29 PM

Hey man, thanks for replying.
OK, I wondered what those two wires were for----- the egr valve has been removed some time ago by the looks of it.
OK, I don't think the engine does surge greatly, it just won't rev up on full throttle when it heats up. I can rev it on partial throttle and get up to 4k rpm, but it goes really vague with no power.
OK, fault codes. Ummm, there don't appear to be any!
I've searched the owners manual and it doesn't show an engine light.
The only light that I've found that could possibly be so is mounted on the RHS of the dash in a square blanking plug. The lamp part had fallen behind the dash, and I reinstated it but it never comes on.
I did find a website which showed a jumper wire setup on the diagnosis plug near the batter, I tried that but could not get any pulses on an analogue voltmeter and no lights came on.
Sounds like a dodgy car? It's actually very tidy for it's age, and was owned by a mate of mine who used to get it serviced properly as far as he knew.
Thanks again, if you can shed any light I'd be very pleased. I used to be a mechanic, but that was a few years ago and i did very little work on computerised cars.
Cheers,
DF

Road Games · 16-08-2013, 06:32 PM

Wherabouts do ya live ?

I just changed my timing belt and this car of mine is tight as a drum , i can post you the workshop manual if you like?

Daughter Fstva · 16-08-2013, 07:33 PM

Hey again!
I'm just out of Toowoomba Qld.
The manual would probably be really handy, this is driving me nuts!
I'll send a pm.
DF

Daughter Fstva · 16-08-2013, 07:36 PM

Nah! Can't PM as I only have 3 posts!
Can you PM me?

Road Games · 16-08-2013, 07:53 PM

Copy

Daughter Fstva · 16-08-2013, 08:13 PM

got your message. Have to get to 5 posts before I can reply - here we go, number 5!

Road Games · 16-08-2013, 09:27 PM

Woooooooo if ya interested i have a total of $700 invested in this car not counting rego...

I could come for a drive if it turns out the poor car has done a head gasket ?

Daughter Fstva · 17-08-2013, 06:26 AM

That's pretty cool! Where's home base, are you in Qld?

Road Games · 17-08-2013, 12:04 PM

Gold Coast

Pursya · 17-08-2013, 07:24 PM

Make sure your MAF is connected right.
Symptoms sound the same as I once ha in the Sri Barina.
Turns out the MAF was installed wrong way around.

Road Games · 17-08-2013, 08:37 PM

Really ?

WB 1.3 Festiva's don't have a MAF

Daughter Fstva · 17-08-2013, 10:25 PM

Yes, it's got one. Right next to the air filter. But I'm pretty sure it would be difficult to install the wrong way around as it has a temp sensor or something in as well, and I think you'd have a job getting all the connections to line up. I'll certainly check though.
Thanks,
DF

Road Games · 17-08-2013, 10:49 PM

Hmmm the manual has a lot of generic references but my 1.3 WF definately doesn't have a MAF ...

Learn something every day ?

Throw a pic of your engine bay up ??

Road Games · 17-08-2013, 10:56 PM

Daughter Fstva · 18-08-2013, 10:01 AM

Here 'tis. Hope this works.
image.jpg

Daughter Fstva · 18-08-2013, 11:04 AM

OK, no better. I checked the MAF connections, and I'm pretty confident it could not be installed the wrong way around. It just wouldn't fit.
I cleaned out the IAC valve the other day, and thought I may have found a problem, but it only ran well for a few minutes before going ape again. This morning I thought Id try isolating the IAC by blocking off the water pipes and see what happened as it warmed up. It actually was worse I think. Would not drive unless only small throttle openings were used, and the cooling fan kept coming on, even tho I had released the water flow. Now it won't rev over minor throttle opening, and the idle sounds very rich.
I'm losing hope with this thing. Any more ideas out there?
DF

Road Games · 18-08-2013, 12:48 PM

Thanks for the heads up Pursya my bad matey...

Time for a compression test me-thinks ?

No chance that the cat has collapsed ??

Daughter Fstva · 18-08-2013, 01:48 PM

Nah, exhaust sounds clear. And it's intermitent. Sounds perfect until it warms up a bit.

Pursya · 18-08-2013, 05:39 PM

MAF will have an arrow moulded in to the casing to indicate direction.
Don't know about yours, but the Barina had same size pipe in and out, so easy mistake to make.

Two more experiences for you.
My toyota had surging type problem when warm. Was a dud injector.
My Eunos 800M had a similar problem to your opening post in regards to the not revving above 2.5rpm.
Was a vacuum hose not fitted properly after a full service in which the supercharger had been taken off. Turned out to be common for engines with perished vacuum hoses.
With the age of your Fiesta it may be worth alook if there are any hoses on the fuel inlet systems.

Daughter Fstva · 18-08-2013, 06:07 PM

Thanks mate, yes I double checked and the maf is bigger one end.
As you can imagine, there seems like about a thousand vacuum hoses on the thing, and I've checked (I think) them all. I'm reasonably confident it's tight. It seems like a control type thing to me, but with the code system not working, it's hard to narrow down.
I do wonder if the fact that the diagnosis system not working could indicate that the computer could be faulty?
Thanks
DF

Pursya · 18-08-2013, 07:15 PM

Might be time to get a Ford diagnosis.
At least they can plug in and see if there are codes thrown.
Sorry.

Daughter Fstva · 19-08-2013, 04:10 PM

No good plugging in if the diagnosis system is not working.
Thanks anyway
DF

Daughter Fstva · 31-08-2013, 01:28 PM

It lives!
Lashed out and bought another ecu. Pcu in the book.
Worked a treat and it runs well. Thank goodness for that.
Cheers,
DF

Pursya · 31-08-2013, 09:51 PM

Got to love a positive resolution.
Well done.