Fiesta Idle problem

RedStar71 · 13-06-2005, 04:54 PM

Hi
I got my Fiesta back in May 2004 and noticed a small missfire when the car is idling. It isn't much but since it was a new car I took it back to my dealership to ask about it. At first they couldn't feel it and told me I was imagining things but after a few minutes driving they noticed it as well. We then got another Fiesta that was in for service and took it for a drive and noticed the same thing. They told me that it must be a problem with our unleaded petrol in relation to German unleaded petrol. They put it on the Ford database as a problem that needed addressing. They reset the engine management program and it drove smooth as glass, and had more power, but after a few hours the adaptive programing comes into play and so does the misfire. Hopefully the have fixed it by now and when I take it in for it's 15000 service they can download the fix into the computer.
Anyone else have this problem with their Fez?
Cheers

Jason

chown · 13-06-2005, 07:46 PM

Nah mate i got mine in late 04 and havnt had a thing go wrong with it. What exactly is the misfire like? i will keep a close eye on it next time to make sure but as yet no problems at all.

GROOV3 · 13-06-2005, 10:08 PM

i noticed mine sometimes idles rough like you can feel slight fluxuations but nothing in the rev range, i use bp ultimate

Danny · 14-06-2005, 12:15 AM

Mines done it only once or twice, I use optimax all the time so my octane levels are pretty high in the tank...

RedStar71 · 14-06-2005, 02:10 AM

The misfire is just a little shudder every now and then. Especially when cold. You can see the tach jumping around a small bit.
I also only use BP Ultimate, I tried the Shell Optimax but it was rougher on that so I went to BP.
Hopefully they fixed the problem by now and will download the fix when they do the 15000km service.
Cheers

Jason

Teki04 · 14-06-2005, 02:40 AM

Yea.... i have the same problems... especially now since it doesnt get driven much. But yea, im going to get it looked at for the 15,000km service!

Teki04 · 14-06-2005, 02:46 AM

And welcome RedStar.... saw you over in ukfn.com forum... You have a nice looking car there... it just needs the rims and it will be set! How did you get that Ghia Gear Stick Surround?!?!?!??! Do you have the part number?!?! When i got the sports leather gear knob i wanted to get that part as well, but the stupid guy at the parts didnt know what i ment..... idiot. Ne ways, welcome.

Looks like your spending big bucks on that fez of yours.... post up some pics!

RedStar71 · 14-06-2005, 03:52 AM

Thanks Teki04!
I spoke to the service manager when I first had the problem and he felt that it would be a software problem that ford would sort out as more Fiesta owners reported the problem. Hopefully they have by now and will have the latest software for it now.

15-06-2005, 08:41 PM

Hi RedStar71

Just doing some research on the same problem you have with the idle on your Fiesta and came across this great site!

I took my 05 Fiesta LX in for it's 3000 kms service today and the only problem I have is a miss in the engine at idle. It's just as you described but perhaps a bit more noticable as it shakes the car and you can really feel it through the seat and pedals, and see the tacho going up and down. It happens about every 5 seconds regardless of engine temp.

So Ford Service said 'we did not notice anything unusual' but then went on to say there were no codes logged in the computer and that I have the latest software version available. They then said they would 'log an EDR' (or something like that, EDS?) with Ford Australia to look into the matter? So they must realise it's a problem if there doing that, right?

Apart from the engine miss, the car runs great! But I'm not very happy with the response from Ford, it was like - just put up with it. I only put PULP in it, usually shell optimax or vortex. I've yet to try BP ultimate. I wonder if it will idle better with regular ULP?

Does anyone know how much the power outputs vary when using Regular ULP compared to Premium? Is 74 kw the output for 95 or 98 octane PULP?

Anyway, sorry to start off my first post a bit negatively, just looking for any help and advice. http://www.fordforums.com.au/misc.ph...=0&forumid=78#
Eclipsee Steering

mitch_lx · 15-06-2005, 10:37 PM

74 kw is for premium. the ASTRA recieves an additional 3kw from 98 Ron fuel i believe. should be similar for fiesta. as the comp will adjust timing to suit different octane fuel.

RedStar71 · 16-06-2005, 02:27 AM

Hi Tripe
You discribed the same problem I have. Just a lot better than I did!
Ford did the same routine for me and filed the problem on their intranet. Just the same thing they did for you but almost a year ago! You will notice if they reset the computer that the car runs as smoothe as glass and has more power. It just gets problems when the adaptive software comes into play over the next few hours.
But yeah I can feel it through the body and pedals and the tach does move up down to fix things.
I now use BP Ultimate and the problem seems less pronounced but it never goes away. As the car warms it does smooth out a lot though and becomes almost unnoticable.
Oh well ford have not come up with a fix then!!!
Cheers

Jason

Cypher · 22-06-2005, 02:03 PM

I have this on my car. I would say it would have something to do with the mixtures running rich when the car is cold? But I am no mechanic.

When cold mine idles roughly but that is normal as far as I know. When it reaches operating temp, the idle is dead set flat. I would think this is a normal thing with the Fez when it is cold.

Danny · 22-06-2005, 02:20 PM

Also one other thing. I once revved it a little bit at the initial stage where you start it cold and it idles higher, and when I revved it it blew some smoke like it was runnin rich... I hope thats just normal...

Teki04 · 22-06-2005, 02:34 PM

Well, my car blows smoke when its cold...... but when it gets warm is all fine

Cypher · 22-06-2005, 08:50 PM

Thats just condensation I would think...

Teki04 · 22-06-2005, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cypher

Thats just condensation I would think...

Yep... me to

Danny · 22-06-2005, 10:10 PM

Yours sounds like condensation, Mine seemed blck like carbon "hey, i'm runnin rich" black.

Teki04 · 22-06-2005, 10:11 PM

ohhhhhh no.... mine isnt black smoke.... its like white/grey... only when cold

Cypher · 22-06-2005, 10:33 PM

Black = rich
White/grey = condensation
Blue = Oil and new engine :(

mitch_lx · 23-06-2005, 10:28 AM

Cracks me up because i went to a car show in Coffs harbour, and there was a guy from their local ford dealership there with a few falcons on display. there was a bright yellow Typhoon, xr8 Ute. and a orange GT with a fully functioning shaker system.
Anyway the guy was a total toss off, he started the GT in the morning after it had been sitting there all night and reved it right out. big cloud of blue smoke came out of the exhaust pipe lol. freakin idiot

mitch_lx · 23-06-2005, 10:30 AM

Moral of the story, let your cars warm up before you drive it or rev it.
Mine sits in the garage turned on until its at the full operating temp

usualy takes around 7 mintues.
A huge percentage of damage and wear to your engine and transmission etc happens in the first 10 mins your car is turned on.
So let it warm up, even if you can only afford a minute or two, and drive it really gently for the first 10 mins to let everything else warm up.

Danny · 23-06-2005, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitch_lx

Moral of the story, let your cars warm up before you drive it or rev it.
Mine sits in the garage turned on until its at the full operating temp

usualy takes around 7 mintues.
A huge percentage of damage and wear to your engine and transmission etc happens in the first 10 mins your car is turned on.
So let it warm up, even if you can only afford a minute or two, and drive it really gently for the first 10 mins to let everything else warm up.

7 minuthes?? Mine only takes about two or three minutes to get to the half bar...

(Half Bar on the temp guage that is lol)

I know cuz i wsa surprised at how quickly it warms up comparedto my old car!

mitch_lx · 23-06-2005, 04:54 PM

mine seemed to warm up a fair bit slower after i got exhaust put on.

mitch_lx · 23-06-2005, 04:55 PM

and by full operating temp i mean this....
when you first turn the car on a small bar pops on.. then a really large one pops up after a couple minutes.. then a really really small bar goes ontop of the big one.
i let it complete this whole process before i drive it anywhere

Cypher · 23-06-2005, 07:50 PM

Do U think the engine is suffering wear during the warm up phase?

If you use a quality oil, this is will mimimise any wear that the rings, etc experience...and the point is u can drive the car cold as long as U dont rev it hard.

In the old days, people use to warm up their cars because the engine would stall till the car came upto operating temp as the carby was set to run at operating temp, ie the mixtures are optimised for warm running. But with efi cars, no such problem exists.

Another thing to think about, ove the life of the engine, how much fuel do U use idling the car to warm it up? Would this equate to a new engine at say 300,000km? How many km do U think the engine will do before it needs to be rebuilt??? And what about the polution...a cat converter doesnt really work when it is cold and a car always warms up quicker when it is moving than when it is stationary....

Now who warms up there engine and proceeds to drive at full revs??? What about the gearbox and diff? Did they have time to warm up???

Not having a go at anyone, just some points to consider.

I personally let it idle for about a minute and then take off...but thats cause my trip to work is 2.5km and I get stuck at this intersection most mornings...

Danny · 23-06-2005, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cypher

Do U think the engine is suffering wear during the warm up phase?

If you use a quality oil, this is will mimimise any wear that the rings, etc experience...and the point is u can drive the car cold as long as U dont rev it hard.

In the old days, people use to warm up their cars because the engine would stall till the car came upto operating temp as the carby was set to run at operating temp, ie the mixtures are optimised for warm running. But with efi cars, no such problem exists.

Another thing to think about, ove the life of the engine, how much fuel do U use idling the car to warm it up? Would this equate to a new engine at say 300,000km? How many km do U think the engine will do before it needs to be rebuilt??? And what about the polution...a cat converter doesnt really work when it is cold and a car always warms up quicker when it is moving than when it is stationary....

Now who warms up there engine and proceeds to drive at full revs??? What about the gearbox and diff? Did they have time to warm up???

Not having a go at anyone, just some points to consider.

I personally let it idle for about a minute and then take off...but thats cause my trip to work is 2.5km and I get stuck at this intersection most mornings...

Totally agree with what youve said cypher. Im not a big beleiver in warming up cars for ages and ages before driving them. A little bit yeah, but not to an excess!

b2tf · 23-06-2005, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

Totally agree with what youve said cypher. Im not a big beleiver in warming up cars for ages and ages before driving them. A little bit yeah, but not to an excess!

It can actually cause more damage than protection in some cases. Modern cars are designed so you dont need to warm them up, you're only wasting fuel. That said, dont get it sideways round the first corner, but dont feel you'll damage it by driving it straight away.

Danny · 23-06-2005, 10:40 PM

Sideways in a Fiesta Austin?

Was that some kind of sick joke!!!???

:

Timmeh · 24-06-2005, 07:16 AM

Lift off oversteer!! maybe

Tim

b2tf · 24-06-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

Sideways in a Fiesta Austin?

Was that some kind of sick joke!!!???

:

Well, you know how it is, with all these Falcon owners and their underpowered cars, we have to put them in their place and tell them to not worry about modding their vehicles, while we have all the fun.

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