I have an old F reg FORD XR3i and it has a problem with warming up..>

Basically it starts perfectly when its cold but then during the warm up> phase (between cold and normal temp) it will cut out and will be very> difficult to start and thats if you can start it at all..>

What I have been doing is starting it and then just keeping the revs up> a little until it reaches normal temp before driving off but this is> really irritating and sometimes embarrassing when people come out and> complain..>

I took it in to get checked and was told that the start up regulator and> warm up valve need to be replaced and that these parts would cost over> Ј350..>

My problem is that I don't really want to be spending that kind of money> right now but need the car to get around.. I have been to the breakers> yard but they didn't have the part and the guy who looked at it said he> would not recommend a part from the breaker because these parts were> something that failed often when there were lots of these cars around..>

Can these parts be fixed or is replacing the only option?> Is it possible to get non-Ford replacement parts for less money?> Anyone got any other suggestions?

Does the engine suddenly appear to run very rich or very weak at the> troublesome temperature? There are many things that will cause poor warm up> /cutting out not least the warm up reg on this engine.>

Disconnect the multiplug on the warmup reg and see what difference it makes.> You should find that it runs rich for longer than usual. The warm up reg> responds to both heat from the internal heater via the temp sensor under the> inlet manifold and from actual engine heat, which is why its where it is.> The electrical conenction does the first bit of heating (and thus leans off> the mixture) and the heat of the engine does the last bit.>

Tim..>

Thanks for the suggestion Tim.. Unfortunately it didn't make much> difference..>

Basically what I did was disconnect the plug located on the top of the> warm up regulator then start the car from cold (had been left over> night) and let it idle.. About 5 - 7 min the idle starts to become> erratic, it splutters a little then the revs pickup a little then it> splutters again and the revs pick up again.. This continues and> gradually becomes worse and worse until the engine dies..>

Then it is very difficult to get it started again (if at all).

makes.>

is.>

Right.>

Swap out the tachometric relay first (above brake pedal, colours blue or> pink, about 6 or 7 wires) with a known good one.>

This sounds your problem.>

(it keeps the fuel pump engaged via a signal from the LT side of the coil,> if pulses fall below 300rpm it cuts the pump- they often go wonky)>

Tim..>

Once the engine is warm it has no problems idling or starting its only> during the cold to warm transition.. The reason we were pointed to the> warm up regulator is because the car runs fine one its warm..>

Would the tachometric relay be the cause of this behavior during warm up> or would it always cause there to be an erratic idle (even at normal

over>

money>

around..>

warm>

under>

coil,>

temp)?>

The relays fail in all sorts of states, though it is certainly co-incidence> that it causes problems when the engine is warming up. usually a dry joint> which opens up as it warms up and causes the problem.>

Anyway to be sure its at fault, rig up a bulb to the fuel pump and check its> lit brightly all the time the engine is running.>

Tim..>