Maestro 1.6L teething probs

[joeygee]

I've just bought a 1.6L & I'm finding that the brake pedal takes a long time to go back to its normal position while the engine is running. I've conducted some standard checks on the servo with engine off & on and all seems ok. I copared the feel of the pedal with engine off with the Montego I have & its feels slightly different in that there is a slight change in resistance just after depressing the pedal. Has anyone dealt with similar kind of problem?

There is also a slight flat spot when accelerating hard almost as if the damper in the carb is sticking. I'm new to this engine so any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

J

[tezza SG1]

with regard to your brakes it sounds like you either have an airlock in the system or the brake fluid needs replacing

[G Force]

Hi.

Can you let us know how old your Maestro is and whether it is manual or auto transmission. It will help to point you in the right direction to fix your problems.

Cheers.

Gary:)

[joeygee]

Hi,

Its a 1988 model (E reg) & it is a manual 5 speed.

Thanks

Joe

[G Force]

Hi Joe, thanks for the extra info it helps a lot.

The flat spot you describe could be a number of things but it is best to start by looking at the more common causes and elliminating them before going further.

I suggest first you check the various vacuum pipes around the inlet manifold and carburettor for air leaks or blockages, and do the same with the engine breather hoses.

Check the general condition of the engine service items such as spark plugs, air filter, plug leads etc. Especially if you don't know the cars history.

One of the most common causes of flat spots and poor performance with your model is the overrun fuel cut off valve sticking open and I recommend you do check this valve.

You need to make sure the ORFCO valve is not stuck open. To do this, remove the valve by taking it off of the carb by undoing the three screws.

When you look at the valve body (the bit where the gasket goes) there is a small oval hole at the end furthest from solenoid (the bit that the two wires connect to). Suck on that hole to see if you can get it to stick to your tongue. (Yuk) J

If you can suck air through then the valve is stuck open and you need to close it. To do that, unscrew the solenoid from the body and free the plunger with WD40 then refit the solenoid and recheck the hole is now sealed.

Once you have refitted the valve do NOT reconnect it, as they are a constant source of unreliability. The best way is to just tape up the wires with insulation tape to make sure they cannot short out on the engine block, and just forget about them.

If you find that the valve is stuck open then you will notice a considerable difference in performance. On the other hand if you still have problems you could follow the S series tuning guide in the FAQ section. If you don't have any luck you only have to ask.:)

The brake pedal returning slowly only when the engine is running sounds most likely to be a problem within the servo its self. You should check round for anything obvious like the pedal fouling the car mats or broken return spring first though.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers.

Gary:)

[joeygee]

Hi,

Thanks for your in depth instructions. I will have a good look at all the things you suggested on Friday & hopefully sort it out.

Until then, happy motoring with the faithfull Maestro.:)

JOe