Ford KA mk1 - fettling and diagnosis - First diy car service

Sponsored Links
That's the MAP sensor, right enough......if the manifold is plastic it should come out fine.
On a diesel, expect the thing to be coated in filth, courtesy of the EGR :(
£2.22?? Usually around the £20 mark for a Bosch one.
John :)
 
Well, I removed the air filter housing and the filter actually looked brand new. But that gave me a chance to at least look into the throttle body (which is what the MAP sensor is going into) to see how dirty it looked in general, and....well....it looked brand new too. The butterfly valve looks shiny brass in colour.

If I was desperate to clean the MAP sensor....it might be much easier to remove the throttle body I would guess....

But, with it being that clean....I guess the chances the MAP sensor is dirty are pretty low.
 
OK, next on my list is the fuel filter (unlikely to have been changed in 16 years) , and to check the spark plugs and coil packs.

Apparently this engine can have an issue with spark plug removal as the block is aluminium an the spark plugs are steel. So if they have been in there a good while....they can get the dreaded bonding corrosion between the metals.

In the mean time, this is a good diagnosis method for checking the coil pack and leads?


It seems to be a legit method based on comments.

Is there a chance I set off an ECU code/light while doing this? Will a battery disconnect on this age of car provide a reset if that is the case?
 
Sponsored Links
If it’s not running on three cylinders, I doubt that it is either a plug, a lead or a coil pack that is giving you problems.
 
hmm what would that leave then.... it seems to be running on all 4.

No holes in the exhaust from what I can see. How hard can holes be to see? Does it just need to be a pin hole?

The specific issue is that it always takes 3 times to start. First attempt it tries, but fails. Second time it gets going and then just seems to splutter and choke and die, third time it gets going and needs an initial bit of acceleration encouragement then it seems to settle. No signs after that of their being an issue (power loss etc).

When it does get started, for the first 10 seconds so it is very hesitant on throttle response. Pressing the pedal a few times lightly nearly makes it stall before it responds. Then it seems to settle and then responds perfectly normal.

It idles at 1k rpm.

So....does that suggest fuel supply? Or initial fuel pressure? Dirty injectors?

(Learning on the job here, so give me time)

Stick to plan A and replace the filter? Then some injector cleaner?
 
Last edited:
I will change the plugs tomorrow, along with the fuel filter.

One thing that did just occur to me. If the battery is a bit weak.....could this contribute to the symptoms perhaps? So it's not generating a strong spark until the alternator kicks in type thing? Which is why it eventually settles down.

I did kind of discount the battery as an issue as it does not sound like it is struggling to turn over.
 
Last edited:
If the temperature sensor ( that measures engine temperature, not the coolant temperature gauge) is inoperative it won’t increase the fuelling for a cold start - just like the choke of old!
John
 
Burnerman said:
If the temperature sensor ( that measures engine temperature, not the coolant temperature gauge) is inoperative it won’t increase the fuelling for a cold start - just like the choke of old!
John
Click to expand...

Found this.....similar symptoms, although his battery sounds very flat. But, as per him mentioning in that video, when I was checking around the throttle body, and airbox, I did notice a bit of fluid in the port where that sensor is.
I'll hook up an obd2 reader.

I took a picture of it at the time because I noticed it had a slight glistening of moisture in it's connection or something. Not that you can see it in the image.
 

Attachments

  • ka10.jpg
    ka10.jpg
    223.1 KB · Views: 53
Just a point regarding MAP sensors.
As far as I am aware, they always throw up a fault code, and if it's a generic code this could well include the air flow sensor.
Typical codes are:
B1662 (Inlet manifold air temperature issue - dirt on the MAP sensor)
P1015 (Air flow meter temperature issue)
P0015 (Air flow meter short circuit).
I have cleaned a MAP sensor and afterwards it looked fine - the fault code disappeared but returned after 3 days. A new one sorted things perfectly.
Air flow meters tend to be spotlessly clean at the best of times, and the price for a typical Bosch one is around £120.
John :)
 
OK, we seem to have a winner!

Looks like it is the coolant sensor as per that video!

Using the OBD, the coolant temp sensor (ETC) shows up as being 40c. This is with the car being unused all night. This was also in contrast to the air temp sensor which was around 4c.

Looks like a sensor swap is on the cards....just have to get the correct one.

No other apparent codes showing.
 
Last edited:
Just when I think I am nearly there....

This new part feels impossible to fit. The washer is much thicker than the old worn one, as I expected it to be perhaps...

But, it means it is nearly impossible to push the pushfit sensor into position.

Is it meant to be this thick?

I have tried rotating pushing down hard....it feels impossible.

Any ideas?

I don't want to put the washer in first as the way it is designed it will just push it into the thermostat housing....then I will be buggered.
 

Attachments

  • ka11.jpg
    ka11.jpg
    184.4 KB · Views: 59
You must log in or register to reply here.
Sponsored Links

Similar threads

R
Oil leak after laying idle for approx. 2 months
Replies
7
Views
863
LooPrEvil
L
I
Ford Focus 2010 - struggles to start from cold
Replies
7
Views
1K
industryspark
I
F
ford ka boot problems
Replies
6
Views
12K
fordka1998
F
R
Ford KA - could anybody please list EVERYTHING I'd need to change brake pads?
2
Replies
15
Views
959
Mottie
Mottie
D
ford escort breaks down
Replies
5
Views
886
doyle
D
Back
Top