FAO NSC car mechanics - advice please

[See-Goals]

I have a P reg (96) 1.4 Ford Escort which has recently developed a running fault.

I drive the car daily to work and it starts and runs fine when I set off and when I start it up to return home. When I take shorter journey's (run around at the weekend etc) it fires up first time fine but straight away stalls. I can keep turning the key and it fires up with no struggle but then stalls again. I end up having to drive rather dangerously by revving and using the handbrake only when going downhill to prevent it stalling. After 10 mins it will run fine without revving as if nothing ever happened.

I know its not the battery as I only replaced that a month ago.

I took it to my local garage last week and paid over £100 for a full electric test and a road test and they reported nothing wrong (although I suspect that they didn't replicate the fault by stopping and starting but just drove around for 15 mins).

I'm pretty pissed off that I've got it back with exactly the same problem, I'm going to phone the garage tomorrow and get them to find out exactly what their road test consisted of and get them to have a closer look.

Does anyone have any (sensible) suggestions what might be wrong? Sometimes when I start the car the engine runs very high and after 5 mins it settles down, could this fault be associated with the automatic choke?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice. Its becoming very frustrating/stressful to wonder if the car is going to start each time I do relatively short journeys one after the other

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have you tried turning the ignition off and on again?

 

[See-Goals]

Congratulations, you are the winner of the first to post the NSC cliche solution to the <insert problem here> thread.

And yes I have tried that because if you READ a little more attentively you would see that that's what I'm having to do because the bloody thing keeps conking out.

 

[Stevie Boy]

Have you tried turning the ignition off and on again?

without fail, nice one THPP, the problem sounds like your idle speed control valve. common problem on most fords inc fiestas, ka's

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Congratulations, you are the winner of the first to post the NSC cliche solution to the <insert problem here> thread.

On the plus side tho, I'm sadly proud of having done more than most to ESTABLISH that particular NSC cliche

 

[See-Goals]

without fail, nice one THPP, the problem sounds like your idle speed control valve. common problem on most fords inc fiestas, ka's

Consulting my Haines manual I would have thought that if my garage did a full electrics test (which I hope they did as they charged me £40 for it) this would have included the speed control valve?

 

[Stevie Boy]

dunno, but if i was you i wouldnt go there again,

 

[See-Goals]

dunno, but if i was you i wouldnt go there again,

They are normally very good and have used them for 3 years. But you're right, they screw up once and there is plenty more choice out there. I'll have to see what they're like about taking it back because I'm not paying much more after £100 on testing and diagnosis for them to basically shrug their shoulders at me!

I've been cursed the last fortnight, mobile provider refused to replace my faulty handsety until I shoved a copy of the contract in front of them and had to take my sodding bike back to the shop because they didn't service it properly

By the way - I'm not a moaning old git!

 

[dougdeep]

Check the fuel filters, you might have got some dodgy fuel somewhere.

 

[nail-Z]

I had this very problem with an Escort some years ago. On that occasion is was a problem with a perished diaphram on the carb resulting in the automatic choke not working as it should. At least that's what I remember them telling me.

It was quite a cheap fix if I remember rightly, although it was 10+ years ago.

 

[Dave the OAP]

my 7 months old Magane , done 8k miles and the clutch is shuddering when I pull away or holding on the bite.




and I damaged it this weekend in Churchill Square car park......caught a raised corner and put a 2 foot groove in my off side sill!!!!! £500+ damage

 

[dougdeep]

my 7 months old Magane , done 8k miles and the clutch is shuddering whne i pull of or holding on the bite.

Sounds like the gearbox mountings.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Sounds like the gearbox mountings.

realy!!! after 8K miles?