My mates '98 Escort Si, 1.6 Zetec has developed a rather annoying problem, can anyone offer some advice please?

When he starts the car from cold it ticks over horrible. When the temp comes up to normal, everything is o.k. But if he tries to drive the car before it's warmed up it's almost impossible to drive.

Last weekend we gave it an oil change, 5w 30, plus filters and changed the plugs but this has made no difference.

One last thing, the problem started just before all this white cold stuff fell on us, so don't think it's that?

Cheers in advance.

 

change the leads

 

maf as well!

 

What plugs are you using, zetecs hate BOSCH plugs, and kangaroo and generally bugger about on these, look for streak marks like lightening up the porcelain of the plugs to see if tracking has occured.
If not could well be a coilkpack going down, as they do this exact thing, any you can swap with just to try ?
tabetha

 

Cheers guys.

The plugs are NGK's.

As he's a little strapped for cash at the moment, we thought we might clean the idle speed valve and maf by soaking them in petrol. Or is this a waste of time?

I have got a maf from my old 1.8 gti, do ya reckon this will be o.k to swap with his?

Unfortunately, I haven't got another coilpack to swap over. Might be worth a visit to the scrappy for a look.

Lastly, he's been told by someone that it's the cold start valve. Personally, didn't know there was one on zetec.

 

I would look for air leaks first, no such thing as a cold start valve on a zetec, not needed as ecu control fuelling, don't put petrol in maf, use carb cleaner to spray the wires and shake out excess fluid, one wire will be grotty the other clean, especially if you use a K&N filter.
Have a good look at the "T" piece of hiose from the PCV system that lives at the conrner of the head area under the inlet manifold, this often splits and causes air leaks that weaken mixture, another thing to do is to make sure the pcv valve is not stuck open at idle, by clamping hose to T piece whilst running as this will weaken mix if open.
tabetha

 

Top tips tabetha, thanks a lot.