Puzzling Car Problem!

kingstreet

Dodgy direct ignition cassette (DIC)?

I'm lousy with Fords, so I'm guessing.

If you change the plugs and the problem persists, you then try leads. If it isn't the leads, next check is the coil (or DIC in a later vehicle).

I thought I had auto-box trouble in my Saab and it was a DIC. My wife's A class was like a bag of spanners running on three cylinders, again a DIC problem.

There's nothing wrong with running an older vehicle, as long as you schedule replacement of the items which will fail with age/mileage. You can't expect mechanical parts to go on forever.

TrickyWicky

UK_AEH wrote: »

Thursday after work, put about 4 litres of Tesco 99 Ultima Petrol (petrol light was on, only had a fiver on me).

In other words the tank was so low that the sludge and crap at the bottom has got sucked up through the clunk and blocked the filter.

For some reason people are happy to do oil changes, spark plugs, oil/air filters but they don't like doing fuel filters which are one of the most important things to get done.

When the filter is blocked it won't let the fuel pass through it as quickly as normal and your engine will basically be under powered and unreliable.

If yours has never been changed and you've let it start sucking up sludge three guesses where the sludge will be right now.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

isnt a DIC a saab concept?

motorguy

UK_AEH wrote: »

So whats the consensus here then - bad fuel or sparkplug failure or something els?

Having just experienced similar on a 1.8 2000 focus, if its not the plugs, which you've replaced, then next i'd try replacing the coil pack, then the leads.

Chances are its the coil pack - they're £20 something new. Dead easy to fit too. I just did one on an 03 fiesta.

Itismehonest

Have you tried Redex? Our old 4x4 has spells where it loses power, coughs & generally feels sorry for itself. Am occasional dose of Redex works wonders.

Biketrials08

pgilc1 wrote: »

Having just experienced similar on a 1.8 2000 focus, if its not the plugs, which you've replaced, then next i'd try replacing the coil pack, then the leads.

Chances are its the coil pack - they're £20 something new. Dead easy to fit too. I just did one on an 03 fiesta.

Agreed, had a 99 Focus 1.6 myself and the coil pack went - pulling the plugs showed a dirty one, I'd change this - do it DIY, it's a plug and play unit (just note which HT lead went where)

Wayne3765

As soon as I saw

20-30 in 3rd it was 'laggy' (i.e. not very smooth like the timming was a little out).

I thought coil pack , I once had a Mondeo that did exactly the same.

vax2002

The fuel filter traps water in the fuel system, try a new cartridge filter

closed

could be many things, leads?

vax2002

closed wrote: »

could be many things, leads?

Good point, night time is a good time to check leads as any sparking to earth are seen.
Also a voltage check on the battery and alternator as well