Fiesta 1.25 Problems

Tesla

Tesla

Tesla

Soldato
Joined
19 Jan 2003
Posts
17,599
Location
Bristol, UK
Hi there,

My GF's Fiesta 1.25 has a few issues I am looking to sort for her.

It's a 2000 W reg, so that makes it a Mk5.

One of the rear brakes, a drum and shoe setup binds when not driven for 6 or more hours or so, it makes a clunk as soon as you pull away. I am thinking there could be moisture in the drum which is rusting the shoe and drum together? I have some brake parts cleaner but I failed at my last attempt to get the drum off, it just wouldn't budge!

My mechanic friend recommended to loosen the handbrake off. Where is the handbrake adjustment on the Fiesta? The handbrake is also quite high so I need to adjust it anyway.

The second issue is also brakes related and could be linked to the poor drum performance. The brake pedal feels very odd and doesn't give much confidence with stopping the car. The pedal will travel a fair bit with no response from the brakes. The pedal doesn't feel well connected to the brakes, it feels as if the brakes couldn't stop the car that well.

I have replaced the brake fluid as the existing stuff was disgusting. I bled the system out but perhaps not well enough and there is still air in the system? The problem existed before replacing the fluid. Perhaps the pads are cack but would this make much difference? So, suggestions on this problem please.

Third issue is water getting into the boot. I have taken off the light clusters and put a bead of silicone around them. I think the water could be getting in from around the boot lid seal. Is this a common problem or such? What's a good cure to try?

All input very much appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Re the drum, behind the back plate you will find 4 x 17mm bolts that secure the drum to the stub axle. they need to be removed before the drum will come off. The stub axle is attached to the drum and comes off with it.

*edit*
Oh and the hand brake has an auto adjuster inside each drum with the shoes.

Had the same with my Festa and the lining had come away from the brake shoe!
 
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Thanks, managed to get the drums off and it's disgustingly badly caked and the cylinders are weeping so just popped to the motor factors and now have a big spray can of brake cleaner and 2 new cylinders.

I will fix all this up and report back!
 
If i remember correctly the boot leak problem is a common problem with the MK4/MK5 Fiesta's & also older Escort/Orion models due to a design flaw. I remember reading up that the seals around the rear screen can crack slightly and also the seal / rubber around the boot edges and thats probably causing the leaks. The way to fix it is to replace the seals but i'm no expert with cars so i have no idea what to use to replace the seals lol good luck though!

Liam
 
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pattojones said:
Stop pretending to be a mechanic and get it booked into a garage to be looked at by a professional.

Brakes are important!
Click to expand...

They are easy to do with common sense, no need to pay a garage for such an easy job. The hardest thing is to remember where all the springs go if the shoes need to be removed. Obviously if you don't know the first thing about the mechanical workings of a car then don't mess but sounds like the OP is more than capable of doing it.
 
Have had some success today:

Here are some pics of the brakes.

BEFORE:



AFTER:





Just took the car for a spin and it's definately better.

After 2 heavy stops from 40-50mph the brakes wouldn't even lock the front wheels up so I am thinking the pads are pretty crap and need changing too?

Thoughts please.

Oh I forgot to mention that if your PC is broken take it to a PC shop as it's important.

Thanks for the above, help, it's been great!
 
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Dogbreath said:
Should have put new shoes in if they are contaminated by brake fluid.
Click to expand...

Why is this? Not questioning if you're right or wrong, just curious as to why?

The handbreak is now superb on the car, have to give it loads of revs to pull away with the handbreak on where as before it could do so with a bit of clutch control and no throttle.
 
Tesla said:
Why is this? Not questioning if you're right or wrong, just curious as to why?

The handbreak is now superb on the car, have to give it loads of revs to pull away with the handbreak on where as before it could do so with a bit of clutch control and no throttle.
Click to expand...

Contaminated brake shoe material basically don't work as well and is more likely to crumble and fall off of the metal back plate. My the same merit that you don't want to get brake fluid on your front pads either.

Certainly a marked improvement!
 
Ah right, I didn't realise that. Now that everything is clean and tidy it wouldn't be too much work to swap over for new shoes. How about cleaning the metal drum or should that be replaced too?
 
pattojones said:
Stop pretending to be a mechanic and get it booked into a garage to be looked at by a professional.

Brakes are important!
Click to expand...

And you're the reason no one knows how to work on their car these days. Fords from this era are like giant mechano sets, and are rediculously easy to work on.

Fair play to the OP, so many people put their cars in for the simplest of jobs.

Fluid on the braking material does indeed make it corrode, and makes for poorer breaking. The drums shouldn't need replacing as long as you can get them cleanish.

Ant :cool:
 
Spent all day in the sun working on the Fiesta. Replaced the rear shoes on the above advice. Also replaced the front discs and pads, did an oil and filter change too.

How long do new pads and discs generally take to bed in?
 
pattojones said:
Stop pretending to be a mechanic and get it booked into a garage to be looked at by a professional.

Brakes are important!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust any "professional" to work on the brakes on my car, thank you very much!

The only way that I know for sure that a job is done properly, to my own standards (which are very high) is if I do it myself - and i'm sure a lot of people posting in Motors would say the same about their own car.

Chris - another reason for replacing anything that's been contaminated with brake fluid, is that brake fluid is flammable IIRC.
 
I forgot to add that I have a small hunch that air is getting into the brake lines.

I flushed through loads of brake fluid yesterday to purge any crap out and bled all the brakes in the correct order.

I am going to bleed them again in a week or two and if there are air bubbles I know there is a further issue.

What I don't know is where the air is likely to be entering the system? Flexi hoses look a little dry.

I believe all of these issues are due to brake fluid looking like soup. My girlfriend has only had the car 6 months or so and I did change the brake fluid not long after she got it but the previous stuff started rotting components out I reckon.
 
what method have you been using to bleed the brakes? Pumping them or forcing the fluid through under pressure?
 
Think i might do this on mines soon. got myself a cracking little 1.25 Zetec R-reg and only done 30.000 miles and my gran was the only one to use it.

On the taking it to a garage note dont, i went to one of our local "REPUTABLE" ones for an MOT and they said it needed new brake lines on near side front, so with the rain falling heavy i said just do it.

Went back to get the car and the breaklight/warning light wouldnt go off, stoped poped the bonnet and low and behold a "PROFFESIONAL" hadnt even put the break resevouar cap back on,

Got home and my phone goes, garage saying they may have forgoten about it. Bags off abuse for them that day
 
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