Good morning all

I know this topic has been covered a few (hundred) times before but I cannot find my symptoms where I have searched so far so here goes... if anyone can shed light I would be eternally grateful..

My wife's Fiesta Style TDCI (06) (87k)has suddenly died. It has not had a starting problem before now but a few weeks ago the gearbox master cylinder was swapped out. She drove about 40 miles on Monday and stopped for a few hours. On returning, the fiesta started but then died pretty quickly. No warning lights, engine turning over fine, but just not kicking into life. I recovered the car to our local mechanic who has been scratching his head ever since.

There is a small amount of air in bubbles showing in the pipework when pressing the priming pump and on turnover there did not appear to be much fuel pressure coming out of the fuel pump when he cracked off the pipe from that (there were a few air bubble as well). He changed the fuel filter, primed the system again and we have just returned from a short tow to see if we could bump start it. However....nothing.

I am worried about changing the system fuel pipes as this is a £155 spare from Ford.. when it might be the fuel pump or...or....or !

BTW there are no system faults registered on the ECU -he has one of those testing gizmos. I took another car out of retirement to cover the loss of this one and the head gasket has gone on that so we are desperate for a fix. If anyone can suggest our next move without going to as dealer, we would be forever in your debt!

What "testing gizmo" does he have? A professional one or a cheap eBay job?

I'd start with the fuel pump to begin with if you're suspecting fuel

It is a pro gizmo rather than an ebay job!

Thanks

Sounds like the mechanic has disturbed the fuel pipework and it is now drawing in air.

Get him to check all the joints and purge the system again.

Thanks for that... just doing another diagnostic through the ECU, the code reader is reading a pressure of between 200-300 kpa on the fuel pressure switch even though the engine is off ( sorry but I am trying to quote the mechanic verbatim). He says this should be zero so is suspecting a faulty fuel pressure switch (a snip with Ford at £325 plus VAT!!!)

Does this help with anything?

Many thanks again to all

There will be residual pressure in the system, what does the code reader say when the engine is being cranked?

Not sure.. I will have to check with the mechanic and get back to you. The mechanic said he would expect the pressure to slowly decrease with the engine off but he said it fluctuated between 200-300kpa. I will get him to code check whilst cranking to see if it throws up anything

Many thanks

Well, monday mornign and having had people working on it for the weekend we have narrowed the fault and actually got the car started... The ECU was only pushing 10.8v to the cranckshaft sensor instead of the required 12v. By bypassing the ecu and feeding 12v to the sensor we managed to get the car started...... However, on reassembling everything for a test drive this morning, the car started fine but then 2 minutes later it has died once more.

Has anyone else experienced this... and does it mean we need a new ECU....and is it actually worth it on a 56 plate?

Many thanks

Fredzefisher

Well, monday mornign and having had people working on it for the weekend we have narrowed the fault and actually got the car started... The ECU was only pushing 10.8v to the cranckshaft sensor instead of the required 12v. By bypassing the ecu and feeding 12v to the sensor we managed to get the car started...... However, on reassembling everything for a test drive this morning, the car started fine but then 2 minutes later it has died once more.

Has anyone else experienced this... and does it mean we need a new ECU....and is it actually worth it on a 56 plate?

Many thanks

Fredzefisher

New Ecu kits are usually less than 100

On eBay, They consist of ECU, clocks, Keys, locks, key transponder etc

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Hi Gingerflame

Tahnks for the reply - I have had a quote from Ford for a new one at £1300 - when I picked myself up I looked on the bay and see the prices there which are more in line with my worth. However... the mechnaic says you have to be careful in getting the right ECU as the part numbers HAVE to be the same or you will not get the car working again. Is this correct or will most TDCI Fiesta 06 ECUs be OK

Many thanks

Hi Gingerflame

Tahnks for the reply - I have had a quote from Ford for a new one at £1300 - when I picked myself up I looked on the bay and see the prices there which are more in line with my worth. However... the mechnaic says you have to be careful in getting the right ECU as the part numbers HAVE to be the same or you will not get the car working again. Is this correct or will most TDCI Fiesta 06 ECUs be OK

Many thanks

With the diesel I couldn't tell you.

But I know the petrol ones have to be the correct variant (2002-2006 / 2006-2008). The as well as the year you MUST keep the ECU, Clocks, Transponder ring, key transponder together. NEVER power anything on whilst mismatched as then things start to sulk