Car Is Jumping Like A Kangeroo When I Accelerate!

[12356]

Hi All,

My mondeo MK3 2003 Zetec 1.8 petrol with 97k. When I accelerate in low revs it gives a couple of short and sharp judders, after about 2.5k revs it doesnt do this. Its only just started doing this.

Any ideas as to what this could be at all?

Cheers

Gary

[fishpond 47]

when was it last serviced?, I'd try changing the spark plugs, then if that dont fix it try changing the ht leads

[btmaldon]

As above. Most probably its the leads breaking down, but you should do the plugs anyway.

[12356]

It was serviced in July, but I dont know if the spark plugs were changed at all. I had one of their deals, £99 for a service & MOT, I would need to check!

[ben grimshaw]

i had a similar problem to this with one of my old cars, as stated check the plugs, if there fine it ill be your ignition leads, dont cost much to replace approx £20, and a little easy DIY job

[12356]

Cheers for this all, can any of you link me to how to replace the ht leads at all?

Could this be linked with the starting problem I also have with the car, as sometimes it struggles to start?! I have bought a starter motor as some chap told me i have a lazy starter motor but im wondering if this is a related issue?

[cyb]

It was serviced in July, but I dont know if the spark plugs were changed at all. I had one of their deals, £99 for a service & MOT, I would need to check!

Before you go out and buy a set ask the garage if they replace the plugs?

If you received a list of items they serviced just check to see if the plugs are listed.

You should still remove one to check and if it looks old, (covered in carbon) you might want to call in and get them to 'check' they have actually changed them. I'm not suggesting they wouldn't do this but they may have forgotten.

[Haylo714]

Before you go out and buy a set ask the garage if they replace the plugs?

If you received a list of items they serviced just check to see if the plugs are listed.

You should still remove one to check and if it looks old, (covered in carbon) you might want to call in and get them to 'check' they have actually changed them. I'm not suggesting they wouldn't do this but they may have forgotten.

It happens all the time. Trouble is 99% of people trust if they paid for it to be done it has been done and why would they bother checking?

The two times I've trusted my car with a garage to be serviced, they have missed atleast 2 things they have invoiced for.

And don't even get me started on the old oil filtering and recycling some garages this way have previously been known to do, it's just pure criminal.

Garages you have a warranty with seem to be better at carrying out services, for obvious reasons. If it breaks due to it being neglected, they pay for it.

[SirKit Breaker]

I had a MK2 1.8 petrol a few years ago, and it used to do what you described. Do as the others have said and check plugs and leads, but whilst you have the plugs out before you clean the ceramic part have a really good close look at them and see if you can see a very fine line similar to a light pencil mark running down the side of the plug. If you can then this is the spark not getting to the plug tip, it is tracking down the side of it and going to earth, this will give you a misfire which will make the car judder. Ford had a special silicon grease that you could use to coat the plug body with to re insulate it and this fixed the problem.

Cheers...........Howard

PS i have just re read your original post, and just by coincidence my car also had about 97k on the clock when it started to play up.

Edited October 26, 2011 by SirKit Breaker

[12356]

I had a MK2 1.8 petrol a few years ago, and it used to do what you described. Do as the others have said and check plugs and leads, but whilst you have the plugs out before you clean the ceramic part have a really good close look at them and see if you can see a very fine line similar to a light pencil mark running down the side of the plug. If you can then this is the spark not getting to the plug tip, it is tracking down the side of it and going to earth, this will give you a misfire which will make the car judder. Ford had a special silicon grease that you could use to coat the plug body with to re insulate it and this fixed the problem.

Cheers...........Howard

PS i have just re read your original post, and just by coincidence my car also had about 97k on the clock when it started to play up.

Okay so I know it has taken a while to get to! But I went to the garage today and he pulled all 4x plugs out and he checked them only to say they were all fine and the leads were okay. He also ran a diagnostics and it came back with no faults on it :( so now im left stumped as to what it could be.

Could it be a coil pack or an injector? If it is the injectors then, can I do a straight replacement swap or do I need to get them programmed when re-fitted so they spray the right fuel.

Appreciate your comments back all :)

[btmaldon]

If it was an injector, I would have thought that would throw up a fault code. You cannot tell by looking at the leads if they are breaking down, which they only do under load. I would change them anyway and if you still have a problem, move onto changing the coil pack.