Broken car drinks petrol - should I keep driving?

Badger_Lady

Hello,

A couple of months ago, a trusted friend sold me her beloved '89 Fiesta for £200 - it had brand new tyres, full service history and had never suffered major problems. A bargain!

However, last week, it broke. Can't explain exactly why, but if it drops below about 1,200 revs it stalls.

I've developed some new driving techniques to allow me to continue driving:
- Using the manual choke for slower manoevres, e.g. parking
- Using engine braking as well as brakelights when approaching a junction
- Constantly revving the engine when stopped at traffic lights etc (in case the engine won't restart easily when they go green!)
- Bump-starting it in mid-flow (if I've taken 2 seconds too long to find a gear)

All of this means I'm drinking petrol, which we all know is as bad for the environment as it is the pocket. But to take it to a garage even to be looked at will be uneconomical compared to the car's value.

It's got another 5 months' MOT - should I just run it into the ground until then, and bear the additional petrol cost, or should I fix it even though I probably won't recoup the cash?

epninety

Manual choke means carburettor engine, not efi...

Stalls below 1200 rpm - my first thought would be a blocked idle jet in the carb. I don't know what carb types were fitted so can't offer any more detailed advice.

You need a happy tinkerer or old timer (*) in some back street garage to have a quick look. Seriously it shouldn't take more than 1/2 hour for a backstreet mechanic to give you an opinion (or fix it if it is just a blocked jet).

A decent garage would look under the bonnet and offer an opinion without charge.

(*) I say old timer 'cos the 16yo apprentice has probably never seen a carburettor, and this isn't the person you want to stick a screwdriver into it.

"Carburettor" is an Italian word meaning "Leave it alone"

mx-3

Try putting good old Redex in it........use to work in the old days.Ita available from most car spares shops.

Badger_Lady

Hmmm...

mx-3, I've no idea what you just said.

I've got a friend who tinkers about with engines - maybe I'll get him to have a look (didn't immediately think of it because he's 200 miles away)! Thanks, guys.

If it isn't easy to fix, though, I think I'll keep going until it dies. Strictly speaking, I'm sure it shouldn't be on the road, but I'm getting better and better at my modified driving :-)

tomstickland

Redex is rubbish.
I'd clean the carburettor internals with a can of carb cleaner.
They can get dirt in them which blocks or restricts a jet, probably the idle jet, leading to poor running at low rpm.

mrbadexample

If you post your location, one of us might know a reasonably priced, sensible mechanic who'd take a look for you?

Browntoa

it's the air flow sensor, had the same thing on one a few weeks ago

Conor_3

Browntoa wrote: »

it's the air flow sensor, had the same thing on one a few weeks ago

Because cars with carburettors have MAF sensors don't they? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

To the OP, could also be the sparkplugs needing changing.

Badger_Lady

OK, when you've all finished talking Marsian...

I'm in Newport, Wales but travel through the West Country to Wiltshire every weekend, so anywhere along that route is convenient for me.

epninety

Badger_Lady, do you have breakdown cover?

Bit naughty, but on one of your trips to the west country, pull over into a layby, phone them and tell them your engine keeps cutting out.:o

If it's as simple as we all suspect, they should fix it at the side of the road.

Badger_Lady

epninety wrote:

pull over into a layby, phone them and tell them your engine keeps cutting out.:o

Aaah, great plan! I don't have breakdown cover...yet???