Duratorq Stalling problem

[The daddy]

Evening all,



I have use of a Fiesta in Spain and it’s a 1400 Duratorq engine. Great little car, but it stalls intermittently on low revs. Whilst I have checked out the forum for other questions like this I need a bit of help in sorting it - the weather in Spain is great, but the mechanics don't seem to be as pleasant! It’s been to Ford who claim to have checked for fault codes and have found none.



I see form another thread that the TDCi engine can stall if the engine dips below 750rpm and this seems like it could be the same fault. With the aircon on and I pull up at a junction it will stall 50% of the time, with the aircon off its more like 10%.

SO my questions are - Can I adjust the tickover revs of the car, or is it all computer based stuff?

and - Do you think the TDCi and duratorq engine work (or stall) in a similar way?

[R5Gttgaz]

Is it fly by wire throttle? We have had loads of problems with what you describe with our Transits.

[The daddy]

Yep - no cables I checked.

[R5Gttgaz]

It may be the case of the actual pedal failing? Thats what they have replaced when we have had bother. Is the car under warranty? I'm sure the throttle pedal perameters show on Ford diagnostics.

[The daddy]

I'm pretty sure there no warrenty left on it - I'll look into that though - ta. Anyone else had any other probs?

[Matthew-TMM]

AFAIK on modern Ford diesels (i.e. ones with dual mass flywheels) they design them to stall if the revs drop below a certain threshold, below which using more throttle has NO effect on what the engine does, it just cuts out. This is to prevent the dual mass flywheel resonating and shaking themselves to bits AFAIK. The solution is to make sure the revs don't drop too low when pulling away. HTH

[The daddy]

Sounds like what i've read so far - is there anything I can do or do I have to work out the Spanish for "Get it F8!Kin' sorted"?

[Matthew-TMM]

My understanding is that it's not a fault, but is designed in to protect the engine, therefore getting it eliminated might cause other serious problems. I think it's a case of using more revs when you pull away to solve the problem I'm afraid.

[The daddy]

I see where you are coming from, but its the engine dieing as I stop (or coast), not under load.

[Will2425]

The daddy said:

Sounds like what i've read so far - is there anything I can do or do I have to work out the Spanish for "Get it F8!Kin' sorted"?

Solo arregle la jodida cosa

or

Solo arregle la maldita cosa

[esselte]

Matthew-TMM said:

AFAIK on modern Ford diesels (i.e. ones with dual mass flywheels) they design them to stall if the revs drop below a certain threshold, below which using more throttle has NO effect on what the engine does, it just cuts out. This is to prevent the dual mass flywheel resonating and shaking themselves to bits AFAIK. The solution is to make sure the revs don't drop too low when pulling away. HTH

Yep,I have a company Mundano and as soon as the revs dip below about 800 the engine stops no matter what you do.It took a bit of getting used to and still catches me out every so often.....

[Trooper2]

The daddy said:

I see where you are coming from, but its the engine dieing as I stop (or coast), not under load.

Weak or bent fingers on the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate?

Maybe the clutch isn't disengaging from the flywheels?

Adjustment needed?

Edited by Trooper2 on Monday 21st May 22:09

[The daddy]

Thanks for the Spanish lesson Will2425 - I'm having it tattoo'd on the bottom of my foot tomorrow!



Is there really nothing I can do to sort it - raise the tick over or something?

[The daddy]

Trooper2 said:

The daddy said:

I see where you are coming from, but its the engine dieing as I stop (or coast), not under load.

Weak or bent fingers on the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate?

Maybe the clutch isn't disengaging from the flywheels?

Adjustment needed?

Edited by Trooper2 on Monday 21st May 22:09

Is that an external adjustment?

[Matthew-TMM]

Ah, ok. Dad's mentioned that occasionally his mondeo (petrol though) very rarely if he's been on overrun and then dips the clutch to change gear. A lot of modern engines cut the fuel under certain overrun conditions to save fuel and I think just occasionally he manages catches this out. However I think that's different to your problem by the sound of it.



I'd have thought the idle speed is controlled by the ECU and hence not adjustable.

Edited by Matthew-TMM on Monday 21st May 22:13

[King Herald]

esselte said:

Matthew-TMM said:

AFAIK on modern Ford diesels (i.e. ones with dual mass flywheels) they design them to stall if the revs drop below a certain threshold, below which using more throttle has NO effect on what the engine does, it just cuts out. This is to prevent the dual mass flywheel resonating and shaking themselves to bits AFAIK. The solution is to make sure the revs don't drop too low when pulling away. HTH

Yep,I have a company Mundano and as soon as the revs dip below about 800 the engine stops no matter what you do.It took a bit of getting used to and still catches me out every so often.....

My Rover 820 had the same problem for a while. It turned out to be a fault with the stepper motor that controls the idle. The throttle assembly should have a mechanical idle stop, which is a small screw, and also a motorised one, that is raised by the electric motor and a little knob thing on it, so when warming up it holds the rpm a bit higher. If the mechanical idle goes too low for any reason the stepper motor works a bit to try and bring the idle to where the computer thinks it should be.



So, when you are cruising along and take your foot of the throttle the revs drop down briefly, before the stepper motor has chance to react and drag them back up again. Sometimes it can die completely.



Anyway, a squirt of WD40 around all the throttle/motor/adjuster bits solved the problem



Find a forum that deals with such cars, and ask there.



Surprisingly there are several big fan clubs for Rover 820's, for some reason I can't fathom

[Trooper2]

King Herald said:

esselte said:

Matthew-TMM said:

AFAIK on modern Ford diesels (i.e. ones with dual mass flywheels) they design them to stall if the revs drop below a certain threshold, below which using more throttle has NO effect on what the engine does, it just cuts out. This is to prevent the dual mass flywheel resonating and shaking themselves to bits AFAIK. The solution is to make sure the revs don't drop too low when pulling away. HTH

Yep,I have a company Mundano and as soon as the revs dip below about 800 the engine stops no matter what you do.It took a bit of getting used to and still catches me out every so often.....

My Rover 820 had the same problem for a while. It turned out to be a fault with the stepper motor that controls the idle. The throttle assembly should have a mechanical idle stop, which is a small screw, and also a motorised one, that is raised by the electric motor and a little knob thing on it, so when warming up it holds the rpm a bit higher. If the mechanical idle goes too low for any reason the stepper motor works a bit to try and bring the idle to where the computer thinks it should be.



So, when you are cruising along and take your foot of the throttle the revs drop down briefly, before the stepper motor has chance to react and drag them back up again. Sometimes it can die completely.



Anyway, a squirt of WD40 around all the throttle/motor/adjuster bits solved the problem



Find a forum that deals with such cars, and ask there.



Surprisingly there are several big fan clubs for Rover 820's, for some reason I can't fathom

Was your 820 a Diesel? Diesels don't have throttles.

[Trooper2]

The daddy said:

Trooper2 said:

The daddy said:

I see where you are coming from, but its the engine dieing as I stop (or coast), not under load.

Weak or bent fingers on the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate?

Maybe the clutch isn't disengaging from the flywheels?

Adjustment needed?

Edited by Trooper2 on Monday 21st May 22:09

Is that an external adjustment?

If it's a newer Fiesta then it has a hydraulic clutch system so would need to be bled. Are you finding it hard to slip into gears without grinding? Does the clutch pedal feel "normal"?

[King Herald]

Trooper2 said:

King Herald said:

esselte said:

Matthew-TMM said:

AFAIK on modern Ford diesels (i.e. ones with dual mass flywheels) they design them to stall if the revs drop below a certain threshold, below which using more throttle has NO effect on what the engine does, it just cuts out. This is to prevent the dual mass flywheel resonating and shaking themselves to bits AFAIK. The solution is to make sure the revs don't drop too low when pulling away. HTH

Yep,I have a company Mundano and as soon as the revs dip below about 800 the engine stops no matter what you do.It took a bit of getting used to and still catches me out every so often.....

My Rover 820 had the same problem for a while. It turned out to --- loads of apparently irrelevent twaddle--- Anyway, a squirt of WD40 around all the throttle/motor/adjuster bits solved the problem



Find a forum that deals with such cars, and ask there.



Surprisingly there are several big fan clubs for Rover 820's, for some reason I can't fathom

Was your 820 a Diesel? Diesels don't have throttles.

Don't tell me, this Duratalk thing is a diesel? Doh!

[annodomini2]

While this is not an expert answer, best guess at this stage is the EGR valve is sticking letting too much air in choking the engine and allowing the revs to drop too much.