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05 zetec s choking

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City
Bedford
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Non-US
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United Kingdom
What I Drive
05 ford fiesta zetec s
#1
Hi, any help is appreciated!

a couple of months ago she would choke and lose power when accelerating. After a bit of research I changed the ignition leads, seemed to be ok and about a month later it happened again. So this time I changed the coil pack and while I was the put new cables on again just for good measure. Today it happened again so let the engine run idle for 15 mins took it out and seemed to clear up but know it’s just waiting to happen again.

hope I have made sense? Any ideas please?

thanks
 
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2011 Fiesta SE
#2
If you arent experiencing any check engine light, I would check the spark plug gap, or replace the plugs if they are do. The plug gap tends to open up over time.
Are you sure you are having an ignition problem? Could the injectors be in need of a cleaning. You can try a reputable fuel system cleaner, however you might need to sent yours out to be cleaned or replace them.
Also a good MAF cleaning and check the connector.
These are just starting points, how did you come to the conclusion the plug wires/coils needed replaced?
 
OP
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05 ford fiesta zetec s
Thread Starter #3
Thank you for your reply.

check engine light did come on both times and the cleared when I did the work.

i was just fussing by research I did and came to the conclusion myself. Thought I had solved the problem. I am not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination
 

Handy Andy

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Grand Rapids
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MI
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2018 Ford Fiesta SE HB
#4
Well, ignition system would be a good thing to always keep in mind and under control.

That missing/hesitation part though - you got an automatic by any chance? Those use an EGR valve to help with emissions yes, but can cause hesitation when you try to accelerate - because the transmission is trying to shift as it sense load. IF the EGR system is plugged or not sealing when it is not needed (due to exhaust debris in pipe) or you have a plugged catalyst that would also set a check engine light.

Another thing to check - like @SyntheticAtmosphere mentioned - your Year you'd have a MAF sensor on the snorkel of the air intake - which if the air filter was plugged, or any of the hoses were leaking, less or more air getting into the system uncontrolled, into the system than it should would also affect idle speed and it would tend to surge while it sorts out a mixture that helps it bring the idle back under control.

If you are not having idle issues, then the hesitation can be from worn plugs or a fuel injector problem - that would be my next approach Pull the plugs, look for cracks and see if any type of deposits or fouling is occurring - if possible and you have not changed them - just put in a fresh set and see if it gets better performance.

The Fuel injector part, can be many things - you have 4 cylinders and the injector to each one of them - on a shared fuel rail.

The Zetec has variants - you have the 2.0L and the 1.6L which for the Fiesta - you might have the 1.6L so the sensor locations vary and so does the Fuel delivery - so do you have the TDCi or one with VVT-i.

It affects the direction to help with hesitation - so that affects how far to go with this.
 
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05 ford fiesta zetec s
Thread Starter #5
Thanks Andy, it’s a 1.6, manual, petrol.
mot has always sat at low revs in idle. It has to make it to work today so see how it goes.
 

Handy Andy

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2018 Ford Fiesta SE HB
#6
It might be a good idea to carry along a Digital Multimeter - so you can check your battery when the engine is running and see what the charging voltage floats to.

Then when you're done driving and getting ready to go in, try testing that voltage when the engines shut off - usually the ciggarette lighter (12 volt power port or whatever port) when you're inside the car - easier there - good way to monitor. Then recheck before your start - then monitor that voltage as you let the engine warm up.

When you chart this, you'll see the votlage will drop at rest, but starts out nealy full charge when you shut it off, but when you get back to the car the voltage will drop - it's normal - but what you got to look at is how far the voltage will drop as you start the motor (cranking voltage - much like your batteries CCA rating) can offer clues as to what is going on with your system.

The Alternator; one, the Check Engine light goes out - two, means the PCM and BCM (Engine and Body modules) are setting the charging voltage and the alternator should be filling up the battery. But if voltage is weak to a sensor in one subsystem - the WHOLE system seems ok, no matter where you check, except for that sensor - which if you see this but have issues with hesitation - it may mean you have weak power points to some sensors.

Or more of a physical Wear condition, your cam belt is aging and it's internal timing belt needs to be replaced. Possibly even the Water pump.

We don't see you service history on your vehicle - but it's a 2005 - so that means you deserve a congratulations - for not too many older vehicles in the UK make it past MOT issues this long.

You just might need a little TLC around the battery and power connections - even fuses - they are not infallible and are left in an environment similar to the engines all the time - so they are subjected to the heat, moisture - vibration - would not hurt to check and pull fuses to verify that their terminal connections are still working.

1683543241138.png
That's pitting on the lower portions of their legs,
Caused by corrosion - eventually causes intermittent
failures then it will literally plug up the terminals' socket
forcing you to tear apart the block and remove the debris.​

I've had fuses in older SUV's that fell apart and left their "leg" at the terminal - corroded away - due to the environment and their age.

This also applies to the sensor grounding points - a long leg of a journey in the wiring harness might vibrate a wire loose off a ground lug, so be sure to look for and recheck - clean as necessary - those points you can get at.
 
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OP
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05 ford fiesta zetec s
Thread Starter #7
Got the RAC out today when I got to work (don’t have home start) noticed there was water around the plugs, he got it out and I changed the spark plugs. He said if it happens again it might be the core plugs as they are original and it has 127,000 miles on the clock
 
OP
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Messages
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City
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05 ford fiesta zetec s
Thread Starter #8
And just reading on in your post Andy it flew through the mot, she has had a bit of work done to her. Even the RAC man was impressed by the look of the engine. Makes me happy
 


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