My mates cars got the shakes

My mate has a 90,000 mile (K reg) 1.3 carb Fiesta which has been trouble free for the since he got (done 6000 miles in it) but now its ideling like mad, at traffic the engine really shakes.

Since this is an old engine what is likely to be cause? It runs ok and it dosn't seem to be using much fuel but I am sure that vibrating cannot be normal. The gear knob shakes like mad when at lights for example.

My dads car was hunting before it was serviced but this Fiesta is somthing else. The MOT is due next month so is likely to effect it?

 

Its a 1992 ford engine, probably a CVH if my memory serves me right with the pushrod valves, thats the problem.....sorry, serious; if the engine otherwise runs normal the engine mounts (metal things with black bushes sat in them) could well be the culprit. Worse case senario is the bodywork but usually its the bushes thats perished, and yes its an MOT failure. Usually cheap to put right if it the mounts and the bodywork is okay. Idle probs usually point to the carb, if its an auto choke check the butterfly valve (opens and shuts, you'll see it on the top of the carb) is opening and shutting freely as they can be right buggers on the Fords. Have a look at the smoke it chucks out and see what colour, also check the deposits on the exhaust pipe, heavy build-ups or a greyish colour all point to an inbalance somewhere. Of course could be many things but without hearing or seeing it thats a start, they are great engines to learn on though.

 

As said, could be engine mounts, but also its possible it could be the electrics maybe? Has he had the leads, distributor cap, plugs, filters changed recently? Maybe its time to do so, if not...

 

Yep it was serviced 6 months ago and they told him the car is in very good condition, I am not sure what the machanic did though and if he checked the engine mounts, I think all he died was listened to it, checked the plugs etc.

I've checked the HT leads myself and they look to be in good condition, its a manual choke as well. The only thing is it does run slow in the cold, my mate thinks thats normal from his dad (his dad had all the old BL classics) but certainly every car my dad has had in the last 8 years ran as well in the winter as the summer.

I think the car has electronic ignition as well which probably rules out damp points in the distributor.

He paid £250 for it so he said he is willing to spent £200 on it to get trough the MOT.
And yes this is a CVH Push Rod 8 valve, I know it has a chain instead of a belt to drive the camshaft as its noisy like all those old Fiestas.

The only other thing I have noticed with it smells of fuel when you get out the car, so maybe the fuel mixture is too rich - again the carb.

 

Could maybe an idle valve problem, i know my Golf has an idle valve, and these can go wrong, maybe another thing to check, especially if the car is running alright on the move.

 

If its auto choke Id start there, those valves on the ford carbs are pretty crap. Take the cover off the air filter box and have a play, it may well not be opening enough.