[hrag]

tortoise,

If the problem persists, please have the service centre check all 4 MPFI HT cables and spark plugs. MPFI HT cables are supposed to last 30000 km but if one of them is defective, the problems as stated by you could occur.

If the above fails, you might want to check the fuel filter and the fuel pump (as others have mentioned) and a cleaning of the fuel tank.

Hope this helps. MPFI HT cables are sometimes referred to as "card wires" by the service centres, so please bear this in mind.

[LandCruiser]

Hello tortoise,

what is the update on this issue? Finally resolved or not. I had an accident and the car was repaired and fixed minor follow up problems few times. There was excessive engine noise and tire noise while running.

These are fixed (I dont know what they did as they dont agree in the first place there was an issue). As you say I can see that during idling the needle fluctuates little bit just after this last service. It just stays there and suddenly it goes up little bit and then comes down more and takes few seconds to settle down. Then again it starts.

Also on the clutch pedal I can feel a pulsation continuously. Could any one tell me what could be the possible problem. The mechanics at Ford checked it and they say there is no problem.

I showed them another fiesta also where things were normal. They said in my car the clutch is hard but it doesn't need any replacement! After reading this thread am worried if it could be really some issue.

Guys please help me with your ideas!!!

[Fiest@DuraTec]

Opening up a thread long closed, because the issue is same.

Recently for the last 2 months, my Fiesta 1.4 has started behaving a bit weird. It starts up with a jerk, rpm fluctuates a bit sometimes and a constant tikir-tikir sound(I know that sounds funny) comes from the engine.

I suspected it could be the spark plugs which were due in the next service. When I sent the car for servicing around 2 weeks back, I narrated the problem to SA, he said the engine is 'misfiring'. He also said it could be the plugs.

During service, the SA called me and said the spark plugs have been changed but the noise is still present. He said the culprit is the 'Ignition Coil' which needs replacement and costs a bomb 6k - have you seen the size of that thing ?

I thought of giving it a pass right now and spoke to another known SA of the other dealership. He said it could only be the sensors and not the Ignition coil and was pretty confident that ignition coil doesn't need replacement so early. He asked me to bring the vehicle so they can try their hands on it.

Any pointers guys before I go to the dealership ?

[rikhav]

Is there excessive vibration of engine and a vintage ENFIELD type exhaust flow

If that is the case it can be a bad ignition coil.

Had the same symptons in my Fiat petra and culprit was bad ignition coil

[Fiest@DuraTec]

Originally Posted by rikhav

Is there excessive vibration of engine and a vintage ENFIELD type exhaust flow

If that is the case it can be a bad ignition coil.

Had the same symptons in my Fiat petra and culprit was bad ignition coil

No the vibration is not excessive and neither is the exhaust flow. Vibration can be felt upon startup and while idling though.

[Jeroen]

I've owned a whole host of Ford Fiesta's (4 or 5 I think).
Well, actually they were all my wife's, but I got to buy them, maintain them and repair them.

Not sure on the more recent models. But I've had issues on all of them with the idle-valve. That leads to irregular idling and sometimes all sorts of problems, engine hesitating on accelerating etc. It's an easy fix. You could either take the valve apart, clean it and check if it works properly or just replace it.

Jeroen

[Fiest@DuraTec]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I've owned a whole host of Ford Fiesta's (4 or 5 I think).
Well, actually they were all my wife's, but I got to buy them, maintain them and repair them.

Not sure on the more recent models. But I've had issues on all of them with the idle-valve. That leads to irregular idling and sometimes all sorts of problems, engine hesitating on accelerating etc. It's an easy fix. You could either take the valve apart, clean it and check if it works properly or just replace it.

Jeroen

Whoa !!

I own 2 myself as you can see in my signature, was planning for another one - a 1.6(by selling the 2006 1.4), when my family intruded, nicknamed me a maniac and wrote it off.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will try that out when I go to the service center.

Edit : Forgot to mention that the acceleration is not affected as you've mentioned in your case. Its pretty humble but accelerates without 'hesistating'. Everything else is smooth, its just the sound and vibration that annoys me.

[Jeroen]

Just google Ford Fiesta idle control valve. You will see a host of links to various Ford Fiesta Forum and even youtube video's.

The other thing you might want to check, depending on the model is the mass air flow sensor. Again, very easy to do, just a ten minute job. And like the idle control valve, all sort of rough idling, hesitating problems can be related.

Google Ford Fiesta MAF and you will find all the information you need

Jeroen

[sbalagru6]

Bumping the old thread..

Started facing engine jerking/sluggish issue since last week. It was an early morning cold start and car was running fine for around ~30 kms. All of a sudden it started jerking as if the fuel was going to be empty.The jerk was felt especially in 2nd and 3rd gears. Topped up the fuel but still same issue.

Over the weekend left the car at elite ford. Today got a call from SA saying coil pack (~6000), HT cables (~6000) and engine mount (~9000) has to be changed and I was like Tomorrow going there directly to understand what made them to suggest me change all these things.

Meanwhile need some help/ideas from gurus on possible reasons for jerk.

1. Ford Fiesta 1.6 S (P) 2008 model
2. Completed around 57000 kms
3. No engine check light warning
4. No error codes when I scanned using my ELM327 OBD2 scanner
5. When I opened the bonnet, could observe PCV valve was disconnected (Don't know how and when). Connected back the valve and drove, still same jerk
6. Disconnected the battery for over night to reset the ECU same issue still
7. Car is not going beyond 60~80 kmph speed on full throttle in any gear and suddenly opens up and touches 100 kmph
8. No erratic idle rpm, it stays at around ~850
9. Idle revving is very smooth and could not observe and jerk or sluggish

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by sbalagru6

Started facing engine jerking/sluggish issue since last week. It was an early morning cold start and car was running fine for around ~30 kms. All of a sudden it started jerking as if the fuel was going to be empty.The jerk was felt especially in 2nd and 3rd gears. Topped up the fuel but still same issue.

It might well be the a HT coil and cables, a few other possibilities, such as mass air flow meter etc.

I don’t see what the engine mounts have to do with this particular problem. They could need replacing, but again, that doesn’t make you engine jerk or sluggish. Really at 57K you should not have any problems with the mounts. In theory it could be the fuel, but I assume you are pretty sure you put the correct fuel in it.

So it’s likely to be something in the ignition or the fuel circuit. I’m not familiar with your scanner, but ideally you want to use one that can read Ford specific codes. Most commercial affordable scanners just read generic stuff. Useful, but far from all there is.

So I would ask your SA if they have read the (Ford) specific codes and if so, which one showed. HT coils and cables can be measured for compliances with Ford specification, your SA should now how to do so and should have the equipment. Its fairly straightforward. I would never ever replace anything until I have done a proper measurement what is wrong.

If it was me working on the car, I would always read the car with a manufacturer specific code OBD analyser/reader. That might give a good idea what’s going on.

If nothing shows in this particular case I would do the following:

- Check fuel pressure with engine not running but ignition on and engine running. (Not sure if the Fiesta has the possibility to do this via the OBD, if not you have to simply hook up an appropriate manometer to the high pressure fuel lines.

- Check spark plugs visually, gap and spark.

- Check, visually all HT cables, pop the distributor gap, check the insides, rotor etc, check the packs.

- Start measuring the packs and the cables.

Good luck

Jeroen

[sbalagru6]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

In theory it could be the fuel, but I assume you are pretty sure you put the correct fuel in it.

Really appreciate your detailed response . Here is the thing, I have filled up petrol in some unknown fuel station near Kadur (Tumkur-Shimoga highway) 2 days before this incident and drove it to Bangalore. After that I started my car only on the day the issue started. Could it be fuel? If yes how can I verify it?

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by sbalagru6

I have filled up petrol in some unknown fuel station near Kadur (Tumkur-Shimoga highway) 2 days before this incident and drove it to Bangalore. After that I started my car only on the day the issue started. Could it be fuel? If yes how can I verify it?

The simplest way is to drain the fuel, put new fuel in from a reputable station and see what happens. If the problems are gone, it might well have been the fuel.

But if you filled up more then say half a tank, I would have thought you would see fuel related problems soon after starting up.

Jeroen

[Rohit_Quad]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

The simplest way is to drain the fuel, put new fuel in from a reputable station and see what happens. If the problems are gone, it might well have been the fuel.

But if you filled up more then say half a tank, I would have thought you would see fuel related problems soon after starting up.

Jeroen

Also, after trying the above suggestion, i would recommend you to try out a 'fuel system cleaner, which by definition should clean the entire fuel system. Something like this - http://www.amazon.in/X-1R-Petrol-Tre...system+cleaner or Abro fuel system cleaner - http://www.abro.com/fs-900.html
Or you can try a fuel injector cleaner - http://www.amazon.in/Abro-IC-509-Fue...&keywords=abro
Also get the fuel filter, spark plug leads and spark plugs checked just to be sure.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by sbalagru6

Really appreciate your detailed response . Here is the thing, I have filled up petrol in some unknown fuel station near Kadur (Tumkur-Shimoga highway) 2 days before this incident and drove it to Bangalore. After that I started my car only on the day the issue started. Could it be fuel? If yes how can I verify it?

How much petrol was in the car when you topped up? I suspect fuel adulteration in this case. Try to drain out the fuel and check again.

We had a similar issue on my friend's Sonata Embera. We filled up petrol with the tank one-third full at Hospet and were driving towards Shimoga. After around 50 kms, the engine started sounding coarse and jerking. We were in a dilemma as it was on a holiday. With no alternative, we continued towards Shimoga. Somewhere after Chitradurga, while crawling over a speed-breaker, the engine stalled! And it was getting dark in the forest area. We were really scared. But after re-starting, the engine sprang to life.

We stayed at a hotel in Shimoga which was thankfully opposite a Hyundai service center. Our plan was to get it checked up the next day. But when we went for a trial run early morning, everything seemed fine. So we continued our trip to Jog falls without any worry.

[mayankk]

Two times I have had the jerking issue.
One was traced to the fuel filter. The second, apart from jerking, was causing erratic idle, traced to the HT leads.
Teh costs quoted by the ASC are horribly inflated. Get it done outside, it'll cost about a third as much. Apart from the mount, its not even a labor intensive job.