Two classic repairs for the Ford Ka with the Endura engine: cleaning the rocker arms (which reduces valve tapping) and repairing the wiring harness, a chronic issue on these engines.
Rocker arm cleaning (valve noise)
Ever since it was purchased, the Ka had a loud valve tapping noise. Disassembly revealed two causes:
- Lots of dirt and excessive clearance between the adjusting screw and valve stem (the valves needed adjustment).
- All the rocker arms had blocked oil passages, making the noise even louder.
Solution: disassemble the assembly, clean all the parts with PU thinner, clear every oil passage, and reassemble the rocker arm assembly. The result was very good — the noise decreased considerably.
Wiring harness repair (a chronic Endura issue)
The Ford Ka and Fiesta with the Endura engine have a chronic wiring harness problem in the engine bay: the wire insulation comes loose, causing electrical/electronic shorts.
Repair:
- Remove all the tape wrapped around the harness.
- Inspect the wires one by one, cutting out the damaged section and replacing it with new wire.
- Rewrap the harness with electrical tape and split loom tubing to protect it from heat, water, and the like.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Ford Ka Endura have valve tapping noise?
Usually it is caused by valve-clearance adjustment being out, combined with dirt and blocked rocker-arm oil passages. Cleaning the rocker arms and adjusting the valves greatly reduces the noise.
My Ka/Fiesta Endura has intermittent electrical problems. Could it be the harness?
Yes. This is a chronic Endura issue: wire insulation in the engine-bay harness comes loose and causes shorts. The fix is to inspect each wire and rewrap the harness with electrical tape and split loom tubing.