Bodging with Alabama Shrimp

[AlabamaShrimp]

Don't think there's anyone close that has a reader

[3VOM]

Just thinking out loud here but does that car suffer from needing the throttle body cleaning out?

[AlabamaShrimp]

Not sure but I think so. Problem is I either put the wrong thing in the Internet and got a few results on what it might be (clean it) or sod all as the ST is the only car with that engine.

 

It's the same one but different in the Focus.

[mk2_craig]

As I wrote in another thread the red Fiesta failed its test the other day on a stupid drain hole rotting out (one an inch above where it would be any use) and some scratches on the windscreen that have been there for years.

 

I'll do what I can to the hole if I done smash the welder up first and although I spoke to the tester about polishing the scratch out after a few posts on here I thought sod it and I've got them coming on Wednesday to put a new screen in.

Claimed on the insurance as there's a chip too (also there years) and it'll cost £100 I don't have but I need the car.

Did you check out how much a screen would've cost for cash? Last time I changed one on a mk2 it was well under £100 fitted.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Did you check out how much a screen would've cost for cash? Last time I changed one on a mk2 it was well under £100 fitted.

Yeah they are £60 on ebay but then with fitting cost it would have been about the same. This way I know exactly what it cost and I know they have a screen.

[Ghosty]

Don't think there's anyone close that has a reader

 

Shame you aren't that nearby, we've got a couple of handheld OBD readers in the garage.

That said they're about £25 on eBay and can be really quite handy (that is if your car has an OBD port, and not a flashing red LED on the ECU that you view through a hole in the passenger footwell after pulling the carpet up, or something).

[bub2006]

Where are you alabama? I've an obd reader and a Bluetooth dongle and app on my phone

[AlabamaShrimp]

Thanks for the offer Bub I'm in Wakefield. You've been here before to drop a Ka off.

 

Co I keep you on stand by as Mrs Shrimp has already booked the car in. The place it's going, Coopers of Oulton, aren't bad and I'm not even sure they'll charge for plugging the car in. She pretty insistent on gaming it there first.

[AlabamaShrimp]

See I said they were a good garage no charge for them plugging the car in.

 

Came back only with a fault code for the door sensor which they cleared. Seeing as it had a new* passenger door that'll be that then.

 

Expert advice was it'll be a sticky throttle body, give it a clean. He says they aren't meant to be taken a part and cleaned but do it anyway as it won't hurt and a guy in the workshops done one before with no problems.

[overrun]

Blast some carb cleaner in it. Same goes for the AFM, I reckon.

 

As for the windscreen, rubber sealed ones are easy to install/remove.

I took every window out of a mk1 XR2 with one plastic trim tool and my fingers.

[bub2006]

Thanks for the offer Bub I'm in Wakefield. You've been here before to drop a Ka off.

 

Co I keep you on stand by as Mrs Shrimp has already booked the car in. The place it's going, Coopers of Oulton, aren't bad and I'm not even sure they'll charge for plugging the car in. She pretty insistent on gaming it there first.

Yes,I know I've been but buggered if I can recall where it was!

[AlabamaShrimp]

No worries Bub the offer was more than appreciated and I'm sure I'll pester you next time!

 

As for the for rubber seal windows. Yeah I know they are sort of easy but the last time I tried to take on out of a Nova a broke it. To save any drama it's best I pay

[AlabamaShrimp]

Windscreen changed this morning

 

Before

 

 

After

 

 

 

I know looks so different...

[AlabamaShrimp]

Good news when it was out though as not a bit of rust round the screen

 

 

Or either drain hole

 

 

 

They guy doing it was impressed commenting on how he's found them before in a mess so he must have been doing it a while.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Now it's time to start saving for the new inner and outer wings. While the parts aren't expensive and available the amount of welding is not small.

 

There's also the dilemma of the back arches. They've only gone on the lip and inside is still strong. So cut out good metal and put new arches on? Lot of work for such a small bit potentially doing more harm than good.

If I were good at welding or knew someone that was it'd never question.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I preferred the old 'screen

[fordperv]

Personally if it's only small areas id only be cutting out the bad areas on the archs

[AlabamaShrimp]

Just been back to have another look and without taking those stupid silver trim bits off it does look like it's just the edge.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Just taken it for its retest and they've passed it.

 

Had a good talk and says they had drama with the guy from head office that was there when I first took it in. Says they were arguing about my tyres as he wanted to fail them. Turns out he's a proper arse covering knob. They say I've to make sure if I take anything back again avoid the end of January and July as that's when he's around. (comes down from Scotland head office)

 

Good thing is they knew of a tyre at another of their garages and I can have it for free. Will be the massive amount of £14 to get it fitted. Going back next week.

[fordperv]

Seen this on eBay, any use to you?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIESTA-MK2-XR2-L-H-inner-wing-panel-Race-Rally-Retro-Ford-NEW-OLD-STOCK-/232418827077?hash=item361d3ddb45:g:gsoAAOSwol5Y3qWn

[mk2_craig]

Judging by the extent of grot visible on that rear lower arch I would say there's NFW the metal inside is going to be perfect. Do the job properly, knowing what these can corrode like, anything else is a false economy if the cars a keeper.

[AlabamaShrimp]

That inner wing could be useful but it's only small bits that have gone the main part at the front is the replacement wings someone had on it about 25 years ago. They're rotting in stupid places.

 

At the back its mainly the lip of the arches and the very end of the sills. Passengers side is worse.

 

All this said its 90% good metal hiding under pogweasel and nothing like the one years ago where we were replacing sills, scuttle and big bits of floor.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Thought I'd try and stop the ST over revving today so went to take the throttle body off

 

 

Internet says this has happened before and people have fixed it doing this.

 

Looked clean from the outside when I took the pipes off

 

 

Other side was a bit different

 

 

Spent a bit of time and used Carb cleaner to get it looking ok

 

 

All went back together OK.

[AlabamaShrimp]

That's when the trouble started.

 

Now not only is is over revving but it's higher than before.

 

Tried to take it for a drive to see if that might help but instead I got it about 50 yards it started to judder and EAC fail came up on the dash.

 

Restarted OK but I took it back home. Didn't need to touch the accelerator as it was just moving itself. Push the clutch down to stop and the revs jump even higher to about 3000 and stay there.

 

I've left it on the drive with no idea what's wrong or how to fix it I'll go back and give it a try in an hour or so in case as Carb cleaner is affecting the engine? But really I'm clueless.

[Dave_Q]

Some suggestions:

 

There is probably a throttle position sensor somewhere on the throttle body, this could have been knocked or something meaning it can't sense where the flap is. 

 

Something might not be connected properly and be leaking air - any extra air getting in anywhere between the airflow meter and the engine causes problems. 

 

Carb cleaner evaporates quickly and anything left would have burnt off immediately, so it's not likely to be that.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Would a throttle position sensor be thrown off if I've opened the flap while cleaning it?

 

Air sort of gets in but much further back in the system before it gets into the air filter. I changed a split pipe for one a lot less split but it made no difference.

[egg]

I had EAC fail on my duratec Fusion, fault code was throttle flap unable to close properly or something. Hasn't reoccurred, so didn't have to fix it.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/28479-ford-fusion-eac-fail-pcm-fail-codes-now-identified-p2119p0460/?do=findComment&comment=1247167

[AlabamaShrimp]

Thanks for the link. Think it might be something similar as EAC fail has come up before.

 

Only thing that's different though is that it was plugged in last week at the Ford dealers and it came back with no faults.

 

The link says something about the first 400,000 thousand throttle bodies being broken in some way. What's wrong with them? Is it the same kind as mine as it's well under that number. (can't get a photo)

[andy18s]

Don't over complicate things so soon

Check for an air leak by spraying easy start/carb cleaner at the various hoses and joints whilst it's ticking over

Idle control valve would be the next item to investigate

[AlabamaShrimp]

The idle is as lumpy as chuff now. Read that taken the battery off can rest stuff so I am expecting taken it off for now.

 

I'm not trying to over complicate stuff it's that I've got no idea what all these sensors do or where they are. I've no experience at all of working on new cars and the Internet is full of similar problems but few answers.

 

I'd buy new bits if I had to but even that seems difficult.