Good evening all,

I recently suffered a misfire with the engine shaking like crazy. Towed to the garage and they said there was water in the spark plug wells. I had the spark plugs changed and the ignition cable (something like that) was also changed. It was fine for a couple of weeks and after that I experience loss of power. Back into the garage and they said they had found a crack in the coil pack and they replaced that. Another couple of weeks on and I am experiencing low power especially up hills and a bit of a juddery feedback down the car. I have read online that there is sometimes an issue with the water jets with water leaking in through the water jets on the bonnet. Thinking back I realised that I had problems after heavy rain and even when I went through the car wash. I have poured water on the jets to see if it leaks through but it didn't. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am at the end of my tether after only owning this car for six months. The car is a 04 plate MK6 1.4 Zetec.

Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using Ford OC

I had a similar problem when i bought my mk6. the water jets DO leak water, not much.. but enough to cause trouble if the car is stood in the elements for a while. When i went to service mine the spark plugs were siezed in with rust & corrosion. 2 snapped, one came out eventually & the fourth was so badly corroded that the socket couldn't grip it! I eventually managed to extract the plugs (which had als been over tightened by the previous owner) and fitted new ones.. Car felt much better!

Now, as for solving the leaky jets, you can; 1.) remove the originals, Place black bathroom sealant where they sit and then place them back on the bonnet. or 2. (The route i went down). You can either purchase these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Ford-Fiesta-MK6-Front-Modified-Washer-Jets-x2-New-1442176-/161223585535?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2589acaeff

which are original jets with a rubber seal added. Or you can add these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Fiesta-Mk6-ST150-zetec-zetec-s-Mist-Spray-Washer-Jets-2001-/121267294519?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c3c181137

These are MIST jets with a rubber seal :)

As for the lack of power; Have you checked the air& fuel filters? All manifolds/tubing?

Thank you for your detailed reply. I took the car into the garage after low power is sure for a few day. The garage said they tested it four times by driving it around and they found no problems at all saying the power was fine. I picked the car up and it drove perfectly fine. Strange situation, I did seal the washer jets before but can't help but thing the problem will return at some point.

Sent from my iPad using Ford OC

By the ignition lead being changed do you mean the HT leads that run between the plug cap & the coil? Have you checked that the ends are screwed into the cable tightly?

Have you looked to see if you're loosing oil or coolant? :) also, have you checked the condition of your whole exhaust?

Sorry if I'm not describing the HT lead thing very well, quite difficult to explain without it infront of you to show people.

How are you driving when the problem appears? What type of roads? How warm is the car saying it is? (Engine & outside air)

Hi thanks again for a reply. Yeah I believe the ht cable was changed. No oil or coolant being lost. Exhaust has a new silencer middle section is corroded but not blowing. I have fitted new washer jets and sealed them. Car was fine for a few days now can be sluggish and then can go back to normal and so on. I haven't changed oil filter or fuel filter. Problem occurs throughout the journey and can be noticed straightaway if its going to be sluggish for that journey. Temp of car is normal. Roads can be motorways and minor roads.

Might be worth changing the fuel filter? It's cheap and even if it isn't the problem, it will still benefit the car in the long run! :)

Have you checked the colour of the spark plugs recently?

It could be a faulty ECU or if you're lucky, just a sensor that feeds the ECU information

All the spark plugs have been changed. Would you recommend looking at them again? What are the chances that the new coil pack is faulty?

Yeah if you check them then you can tell if it's running rich/lean. The new coil pack could be at fault but I highl doubt it... Might be worth checking somehow? The HT leads might not be connected to the pack properly

Can you recommend the tools that I need. I know I need a rench, an entension and a spark plug socket but not a clue which ones to buy. Cheaper the better :)

Extension*

The socket & wrench set I have is about 12 years old! Don't have a clue what brand it is... Used to belong to a family member.

All I can say is stay away from cheap tools! If you're looking for decent tools at a reasonable price, as weird as if seems; halfords is the place to go! Look for "halfords professional"

All items have a life time warranty that's actually worth something! Where as snap-on and similar companies will always find a way to charge You for a replacement or repair. Halfords will pick you a new item off the shelf FREE OF CHARGE if you have a problem, or if it's not in stock they'll deliver it FREE! :)

If you so want cheap tools... Then eBay "spark plug socket set"

Item no 300924809090 would do the job

http://m.wikihow.com/Change-Spark-Plugs-in-a-Car