Quick car question...

My girlfriend has a Ford Ka (1999 - 1.3), which seems to be juddering really really badly at part throttle, she's also complaining it's down on power.

Despite my protestations, she hasn't had it serviced in her ownership (the last stamp in the book was in 2006 at 17k, it's now on 57k!).

Might not be related - but I think the cat's on it's way out (rotten egg smell from the exhaust).

Will have a proper look at it before Uni tomorrow - So far I'm thinking of checking the oil (to make sure it's not sludge...), the fuel filter (she routinely runs the thing with no fuel in it), the air filter and perhaps the spark plugs.

Any other suggestions?

EGR Valve stuck or filled with crap?

Try shut the EGR down by blocking it if all else fails

Wait, what? No oil, filters and spark plugs were changed in 40k miles time? O__________________________________o

might as well check coolant while you're at it. not because it's related, but because i know a few people who beat the piss out of their cars and they all seem to die with cooling related problems (overheating, head gaskets, etc).

Quote from PoVo :

EGR Valve stuck or filled with crap?

Try shut the EGR down by blocking it if all else fails

Don't even think it has an EGR - we talking an old design of engine here.

Quote from Agniz :

Wait, what? No oil, filters and spark plugs were changed in 40k miles time? O__________________________________o

She says it was services when she bought it (private sale) but imo no receipt / stamp = no service.

Quote from bunder9999 :

might as well check coolant while you're at it. not because it's related, but because i know a few people who beat the piss out of their cars and they all seem to die with cooling related problems (overheating, head gaskets, etc).

The coolants fine - I have no idea when (or if) it's been replaced, but it has plenty of colour (it's OAT) and the levels are all ok (I've managed to at least train her to check the coolant / oil levels etc occasionally...)

My toyota had this problem. Changed spark plug wires and set ignition angle correctly, runs like new atm.

plenty of colour as in multiple colors? if so the engine could be mixing the oils with water and i think a head gasket should be changed


and i could get a far fetched answer and try to say that it could be a fuel pump/ecu problem or something like that but i doubt that is correct


also the spark plugs can be the cause of the problem too.

plenty of colour as in one colour - i.e. it's a good mix of OAT / water, i.e. is not just pure water or something ridiculous.

I would say being a KA it is probably the coilpack, but if it hasn't been serviced for that long you are probably best changing the plugs and leads while you are at it.

Though given the age and time since plugs were last changed, you may even struggle the remove the plugs as they have a habit of not budging

99% Chance it'll be spark plugs.

If the exhaust smells disgusting the constant missing could have heated up the cat and melted it.

Had a look today - all the sparkplugs were way way way too gapped (and didn't look like they'd been removed in a very long time)

Regapped (to 1mm ish) and it runs fine.

Also convinced her to book the thing in for an air filter / fuel filter / oil change / sparkplug change.

Job done

I just can't unsterstand how someone can drive about 65k km's without any oil and oil filter change. It must be done every 10k km's, I do it each summer, even if I drove 3k km's. I hope that mechanic who will repair that car, will not have hearth attack after he will remove valve cover.

Jakg, cant you do the service yourself? Its only an x-flow engine, theyve been around since the 1950's! Parts would be very cheap and wouldnt take you half a day.

Quote from robt :

Jakg, cant you do the service yourself? Its only an x-flow engine, theyve been around since the 1950's! Parts would be very cheap and wouldnt take you half a day.

I could do, but...

I've never done an oil and filter change on my own before - in the past on the ZT I've always found a garage who'll do it for what the oil + filter would cost me, and I get a stamp in the book

Air filter = easy

Fuel filter = probably easy

Spark plugs = very easy BUT the theads very very dodgy on the engine on one plug. If I **** up, she'll kill me, if they **** up, then they'll fix it...

rofl.

Quote from Jakg :

I could do, but...

I've never done an oil and filter change on my own before - in the past on the ZT I've always found a garage who'll do it for what the oil + filter would cost me, and I get a stamp in the book

Air filter = easy

Fuel filter = probably easy

Spark plugs = very easy BUT the theads very very dodgy on the engine on one plug. If I **** up, she'll kill me, if they **** up, then they'll fix it...

Kill her for not servicing the thing.

Quote from Klutch :

rofl.

I agree! on older style engines where it's just whack off the sump nut, drain oil, replace oil filter with new one, replace sump nut washer, fill with oil...

piece of piss!

when it's newer engines when you have to suck out the oil then maybe not...but seriously, come on jack!!!! you're a bright boy you could have figured it out.

stamps in the book count for much less than a wad full of receipts and a lovely condition car and engine..

Besides it's a Ford KA not a Mitsubishi Evo..

Quote from Klutch :

rofl.

this

KAs are notorious for stripping threads in the spark plug sockets, but since you already successfully removed and replaced the plugs, you've dodged that potential bullet. I'm sure you could do it yourself, but I don't blame you for giving to someone with experience, even if just for the illusion of peace of mind. Besides, even if you took it to the most expensive Ford dealer for the service, and they charged full whack, when you spread that cost over the 40k miles since its last one it's not going to be much per mile!

Quote from sinbad :

besides, even if you took it to the most expensive ford dealer for the service, and they charged full whack, when you spread that cost over the 40k miles since its last one it's not going to be much per mile!

LOL....z

D.I.Y mechanical knowledge is good knowledge.

Quote from sinbad :

Besides, even if you took it to the most expensive Ford dealer for the service, and they charged full whack, when you spread that cost over the 40k miles since its last one it's not going to be much per mile!

Hate to be so factual, but I'd have some serious concerns about an engine that hasn't seen a mechanic for 64k kms, you'd usually replace oil at least 4 times over the course of that.

@Jakg: When she gets the service done, would you mind sharing with us how did it go and if there was any permanent damage to the engine? I still can't believe that any engine could survive such a torture...

Quote from MadCatX :

Hate to be so factual, but I'd have some serious concerns about an engine that hasn't seen a mechanic for 64k kms, you'd usually replace oil at least 4 times over the course of that.

@Jakg: When she gets the service done, would you mind sharing with us how did it go and if there was any permanent damage to the engine? I still can't believe that any engine could survive such a torture...

Of course you are right, but there's not much point in servicing it 4 times in one week to make up for it is there?
The important thing is that this service is done correctly and by someone that knows what to look for, given its less than cherished history.

As long as the levels stayed acceptable a fairly unstressed engine like the KA 1.3 shouldn't necessarily chew itself up. Not ideal, though, and perhaps something it will pay for at a later time.

Quote from sinbad :

Of course you are right, but there's not much point in servicing it 4 times in one week to make up for it is there?
The important thing is that this service is done correctly and by someone that knows what to look for, given its less than cherished history.

As long as the levels stayed acceptable a fairly unstressed engine like the KA 1.3 shouldn't necessarily chew itself up. Not ideal, though, and perhaps something it will pay for at a later time.

It's not like I suggested anything like that, but an engine with such history can have a dozen of hidden problems, especially all the moving parts might be seriously worn.

Some year and a half ago I spent approx. 500 € on my car's engine only to wind up with stuck aircon compressor some 2 months later. The aircon compressor was driven by the same belt as the power steering pump and I really didn't feel like getting a new one for another 300 €. Since the car was pretty aged anyway, I eventually decided to get rid of it, but I still regret those 500 € which I might have put to a much better use.
My point is that I'd have the engine checked up pretty thoroughly before spending a single penny on spare parts.

i try not to count money spent on old cars. You'll regret it anyway, no matter it breaks or not. But I'll still never buy newer car. Old clunkers are so cute ^^