Ford Ka starts but then dies

My first bet would be a gummed up idle control valve; a more typical mileage for them to start getting sticky is around 60,000 but if it's only been used on short runs, it may have happened. Whatever you do, be very careful with the figure-of-eight seal that's in the ICV; that's vital. Ford only sell new units all in one, but quite often cleaning with petrol or similar will restore it (but probably for fewer miles or time).

It may also be the throttle position sensor.

if it will keep running if the key is kept in the start position then it would point to the fuel pump only running when trying to start (pump relay perhaps). the next thing that came to mind is a broken up cat, but you would usually hear that before it got that bad, or maybe a broken up back box, you could drop the exhaust and see if it goes then. The run for a moment thing is just what that Golf was doing to me, it turned out to be the internal filter in the fuel pump, I don't know if the KA is similar. She didn't put diesel in at the supermarket?

Mt bet would be a fuel pressure fault (lack of)

Update - having just returned from a meeting I tried again to start the car which by now is entirely cool. Battery turns engine easily but engine fails to start at all now.Grrrh!!

Peter

then go to normal fault finding, check for a spark, if there is a spark then check for fuel, if you have both then it gets much more involved.

I know this probably isn't the source of the problem, but check you have a silver calcium battery. Not having one in a ford with smart charge system can cause all sorts of issues. My sisters car ran like a dog. We realised the battery was wrong and swapped it for a silver calcuim and it's run a treat since.

My wife's focus behaved like this a couple of years ago.

Turned out to be the ignition coil ( replaced under warranty ).

So as has been said already: check for sparks, check for fuel.

I had this on a Moggy once. Turned out to be a blocked air filter.

Mini used to do that when the exhaust was blowing, same effect as full choke and got rapidly worse till it stopped. My neighbour had the run for a few seconds fault after he parked in a pub car park, he had backed into an earth bank that had blocked the exhaust.

Dear All,

Problem solved - the fuel pump fuse had blown - missed first time rouind because I did not realise there was a separate one for the pump not covered by the two engine management ones. Slightlt concerned why a fuse should suddenly blow after so many years though.

Peter

Cross your fingers and carry a spare fuse

I'd be more concerned if it didn't

In message , Mrcheerful writes

Spot on diagnosis it would seem.

Have you ever considered doing this sort of thing for a living?

;-)

it has crossed my mind once or twice

No, don't do it.

It wouldn't leave you enough time for Usenet!

Chris

I believe Mr Cheerful is somewhere on the M25 ? I have sometimes wish I lived closer, as there isn't such willing expertise locally. :-(

As an aside, my intermittently starting Rover 25 wasn't the fuel pump relay, but my impatience in not letting things 'fire up' for long enough. I never noticed this with my 200, but since giving it a few seconds for things to settle down, it's never failed to start. Presumably, the starter current was effectively killing the pump.

Andy C

Stretch my old ring out.

I Am Kirk Johnson. "Anal Stretching, Wrenching & Expanding Specialist"