Fiesta Blown Inlet Manifold

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20 Feb 2009
Messages
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Country
United Kingdom
Make Ford
Model Fiesta Zetec
Engine size/Type 1.4
Year 2007
Mileage 56,000

I have been having trouble with the starter motor sticking in the last few weeks. Last Thursday it stuck and on the third attempt to start the vehicle there was a large bang and a considerable amount of smoke that billowed out of the engine.
There is a hand sized piece of plastic that was discovered underneath the car. It is with a garage now who have told me that the intake manifold has blown but they do not understand the cause. They are currently investigating the vehicle for cause. They have said they could replace the inlet manifold but are unsure whether the same could happen again. I welcome any advice.

Thanks,

Daz
 
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I would say what has happened is that a cylinder has fired with an inlet valve open and the pressure has split the manifold. Backfiring 'through the carburetter' was a common problem a few years ago and occaisionally caused an engine fire but it rarely seem to happen now. It is probably related to your starting problem, fix that and I think its unlikely to happen again.

Peter
 
I agree - some stray fuel in there will surely have the same effect.... in fact its a lot more common on LPG fuelled vehicles.
The inlet manifold would have had a small crack for a while, and the resulting weak mixture causes a spit back through the manifold, rather than a back fire. The joys of plastic parts :p
John :)
 
Just signed up to reply to this (quite old!) thread to say EXACTLY the same thing happened to me this week (August 2016). Starter motor had been dodgy in my 2007 Mk6 Ford Fiesta for a while but had always started in the end. Only gave me a problem about once every 6 months or so. Last week it wouldn't start; on about the 3rd try, HUGE bang and mechanic told me it's blown a hole in the intake manifold, so my £50 starter motor fix became a £700 job. Not happy. Mechanic said it shouldn't even be able to happen? Surely this is a manufacturing error that Ford should pay for??
 
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A manufacturing error that takes 9 years to manifest itself and then only when the car owner allows a known fault (your dodgy starter) to go unaddressed "for a while". Yep... Ford should definitely pay for that... in fact they really ought to give you a brand new car and a large cheque for emotional distress :rolleyes:
 
Anyone remember Ford's Silver Fox paint from the 60's/70's. ? People's pride and joy loosing paint like a leprous scab:eek: Did the Blue Oval do owt - Did they ****.:unsure: So the 3 brand new cars we've had - never a Ford. That'll teach 'em.
 
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