Any of you mechanics had this in the past?

[Flapdisk]

Not for a couple of years, but if that was getting blocked, surely it wouldn't then go for a month before doing it again?

 

[Wallace]

Does it have a coil pack or an electronic distributor? I seem to remember the electronic pack on the dizzy being a regular replacement on CVH Escorts.

 

[Flapdisk]

Twin coils, no distributor Wall.

 

[simplysimon]

Not for a couple of years, but if that was getting blocked, surely it wouldn't then go for a month before doing it again?

not necessarily it could have collapsed inside causing a lack a of pressure to your injectors, they are only around £15 and once replaced you know its not that, it a consumable item on a modern car especially with some of the crap supermarkets sell as petrol

when you crank it over and it doesn't start, whip the plugs out and see if they are wet, if they are you probably don't have a fuel issue

 

[Tman]

Once had a bit of bother with a Saxo doing similar thing after weeks and hours of head scratching worked out it only fails to start when parked facing down bank. Turned out to be water in a relay only shorted out when parked down hill. After it was all sorted made sure that relay would never bother anyone else

 

[the snooper]

Not for a couple of years, but if that was getting blocked, surely it wouldn't then go for a month before doing it again?

i would agree and it certainly wouldn't drive because the flow of fuel needs to be higher and a blockage would prevent this

 

[simplysimon]

ok, so you say theres no smell of fuel after cranking and I assume thats the case with the plugs out, you can try this if you want the next time it doesn't start, if the fuel filter has in and out marked on it remove the out pipe and replace it with small length of hose and put the other end in a clear plastic pop bottle, get someone else to turn the ignition key to the stage before cranking for a few seconds and see if any fuel comes out, if nothing happens I'd check the wiring back to the fuel pump or it could be in the ignition switch or immobiliser if fitted

if this fault only happens say once a month I'd be looking for an electrical fault like a fracture in one of the multiblock connectors, maybe some fords from this period had iffy electrics

 

[the snooper]

maybe some fords from this period had iffy electrics

they did it was the fuse board

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

they did it was the fuse board

Agreed - Well Known Issue.

M

 

[Flapdisk]

Thanks Guys, I will get a fuel filter anyway. Those of you saying next time it does it check this and that, as I explained at the start of the thread the damn thing does it at the most inopportune moments when it's not near me or there is a reason I can't get straight to it, and by the time I get to it, it starts!
I have a list made from all the good advice you have all given me, and I have several things I am going to do and check.
I will report back, when I have done them, other things preventing me at the moment.

 

[bump]

not necessarily it could have collapsed inside causing a lack a of pressure to your injectors, they are only around £15 and once replaced you know its not that, it a consumable item on a modern car especially with some of the crap supermarkets sell as petrol

Not this FUD again. Same stuff from the same refinery

 

[simplysimon]

Not this FUD again. Same stuff from the same refinery

I take it you never had to replace your lambda sensors due to the Royal Vopak fiasco, cost my sis the best part of £500 for her audi s4

 

[Rocketman]

I take it you never had to replace your lambda sensors due to the Royal Vopak fiasco, cost my sis the best part of £500 for her audi s4

OMG were they gold plated lamba sensors. Mind you I'm thinking a pre and post lamba's on a single cat - I take it the s4 has more than 1 cat to cost that much?

 

[simplysimon]

no, labour charges from our local VAG dealership I suspect, one had to be burned out I think and in all credit to them they delivered it back to her house that evening, they also gave her use of an A3 whilst the work was being done, as for how many... I dont know she wont let me near it with a spanner lol

 

[Flapdisk]

Of course the car is working perfectly now, I did manage to hear the fuel pump once I removed the rear seat, so I will leave it off for now and I have given "She who must be obeyed" instructions that she must listen for the pump every time before starting so we will know if it ran on the day it won't start again. I also have fuel filter coming in the mail. I got down on my knees and the fuse box has a small clip on cover over it and if you take that of and feel up top, I can't feel any kind of clip or catch. The Haynes manual says you have to undo six screws to remove the lower plastic panel to access and remove it, so that can wait for now until we find out if it is fuel or electric causing the problem. So we wait, it could take a month or so, but I will report back when something happens.

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Fuel Pump Would Appear To Be Working - Hopefully

Fuse Box - Have Seen Many With Broken Clips In The Scrap Yard That Have Then Had A Wire Tie Or Even A Screw To Retain It.

Variations Do Occur, As You Know, And I Am Working Off Fuddled Memory.

Keep Plugging Away, You Will Get It.

M

 

[Flapdisk]

Will do Mick

 

[the snooper]

look at post 34 you can see the spring clip hanging over the fuses that releases the fuse board

 

[Flapdisk]

Ok, well it seems to me you guys wouldn't be saying it's there if it aint so and the problem was I couldn't get low enough or lay on my back in the foot well so I got my digital camera and took some looking up shots. Found it

Ok Thanks guys I can now see where the little git is
Now then, fuel filter, I ordered two so I had a spare and they arrived this morning, got them of the bay and searched for Escort Hatchback LX 1997, they are quite large with a connection pipe sticking out of each end.
Opened the bonnet to fit one and I can't find one!! So where is the fuel filter please?

 

[steveo3002]

not near the tank then?