ford fiesta 1997 1.3 LX issue

Mushroom..

Hi I've the above car, and just lately her engine sounds rattly and just noisier than it has been. The noise resembles a tapping or knocking, she sounds very strained sometimes when she shouldn't.

Also she has started to feel 'wobbly' on the road (in fifth gear). the best way i can describe it is that she slips a little as in moving to the left on the road when you're not expecting it.. gives me a shock sometimes :-). also when in fifth gear the speedometer wobbles . She has 69000 on the clock.
I do tend to hit a lot of potholes:rolleyes:, unavoidable, but the tracking seems ok, she steers slightly to the left under her own steam, i.e if i let the steeering wheel go.

The only thing i've done so far is top up the oil, but it has been suggested she needs the valves tightened.
any advice very welcome please, and if it is valves does anyone know how much this costs to have done?im in kildare,
Thanks :-)

The Muppet

Sounds like you have more than one problem with the car, The engine noise is unlikely to be related to the handling problem, I think you would be well advised to get a mechanic to have look at it as sounds like it's dangerous to drive tbh.

Mushroom..

oh cripes, was thinking it might not be considered anything serious..

And to edit, when the car 'slips' she slips to the right, not the left.

She goes to the left under her own steam when i let the wheel go.

Anyone know a decent (cheap or reasonable) mechanic in North Kildare?

andyseadog

knowing those old fiestas i'd say adjusting the tappets it might cure the noise alright. i suppose if you were feeling brave you would try it yourself, but even if you should need to get a mechanic to do it, its a 45 minute job tops so it shouldnt cost the earth. it wont do the car any harm to keep driving it as it is though.

my old fiesta had a very wobbly speedo from the second it left 0 it was twitching constantly, i wouldnt worry over that either i suppose, mine went on for years.

when you say your in 5th (i asume on the motorway) your sure the slipping feeling you mention isint the strong wind were having lately throwing the car to one side? it can feel quite abrupt, just hit the car a bang and it will feel like it just slid in that direction.
i've owned my current car a little over half a year now, but the first time i felt it 'slip' from the wind was on the motorway a few days ago. just a thought.

pulling to the left a little too could just be caused by road camber (how the road is angled to the left) in most circumstances.

none of those things would have me too phased but if your concerned, seeing a mechanic would be no harm.

Esel

Females can be tempermental. Start thinking of your car as 'it' and these problems may go away.

taintabird

Mushroom.. wrote: »

Hi I've the above car, and just lately her engine sounds rattly and just noisier than it has been. The noise resembles a tapping or knocking, she sounds very strained sometimes when she shouldn't.

As another poster said have the tappets checked those old fiesta engines weren't the quietest anyway

Mushroom.. wrote: »

Also she has started to feel 'wobbly' on the road (in fifth gear). the best way i can describe it is that she slips a little as in moving to the left on the road when you're not expecting it.. gives me a shock sometimes :-). also when in fifth gear the speedometer wobbles . She has 69000 on the clock.
I do tend to hit a lot of potholes:rolleyes:, unavoidable, but the tracking seems ok, she steers slightly to the left under her own steam, i.e if i let the steeering wheel go.

TThanks :-)

I would safely say your wheel alignment is off, as you say yourself you hit a lot of pot holes so have that done also have them check the wishbone bushings common enough failure on a fiesta of that age, if they are gone that would account for the car having a mind of its own.If there is a problem there or with any other part of the steering these issues will have to be sorted before having the wheel alignment done or else it would be a total waste of time and money.