Ford Ecoboost Engine Failure (TWICE)

Ford Ecoboost Engine Failure (TWICE)

Author
Discussion

skyrover

12,674 posts

205 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
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Ford ecobang

RJP001

1,128 posts

151 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
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Is there not a Formula Ford series running these Ecoboost engines? If there were to be any weaknesses, surely they would likely pick them up?

XJ Flyer

5,526 posts

131 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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skyrover said:
ecobang
Probably more a case of pop.It is too small to go bang.If it is going to blow up at least it will do it in the most environmentally friendly way.

powerstroke

10,283 posts

161 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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xxChrisxx said:
My spider sense is tingling! Something doesn't feel quite right about this.
How did the coolant hose fail? Was the coolant hose the cause of the 1st engine too?

Out of interest, and I understand this isn't helpful in any way, why did you buy a small 1L petrol for what is 35k miles a year, which must be dominated by motorway miles. It just seems ill suited to the task.
Yes this !!! Wrong engine!! Perfect for short urban journeys and some longer trips and a low annual milage, the dealer should have advised a diesel, perfect for higher milage and better economy on long motorway runs..

mad4amanda

2,410 posts

165 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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RJP001 said:
Is there not a Formula Ford series running these Ecoboost engines? If there were to be any weaknesses, surely they would likely pick them up?
When they first came out they did shockingly unreliable until correctly re engineered

Megaflow

9,434 posts

226 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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RJP001 said:
Is there not a Formula Ford series running these Ecoboost engines? If there were to be any weaknesses, surely they would likely pick them up?
Yes, but they wouldn't use the radiator and hoses from the pass car though.

The failure mode of coolant lose on an integral exhaust manifold is an interesting one.

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

149 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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powerstroke said:
Yes this !!! Wrong engine!! Perfect for short urban journeys and some longer trips and a low annual milage, the dealer should have advised a diesel, perfect for higher milage and better economy on long motorway runs..
Blame government. I now have one as a company car because the P11D values and BIK are far lower than the diseasal models.

226bhp

10,203 posts

129 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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xxChrisxx said:
Out of interest, and I understand this isn't helpful in any way, why did you buy a small 1L petrol for what is 35k miles a year, which must be dominated by motorway miles. It just seems ill suited to the task.
So you're saying that it's ok for a car engine to fail at 31k and we should expect it?

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

149 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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226bhp said:
So you're saying that it's ok for a car engine to fail at 31k and we should expect it?
xxChrisxx doesn't understand company car taxation at a guess ?

226bhp

10,203 posts

129 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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53catalina said:
Stuff
I would be asking to see this hose and get a picture and explanation of it.

226bhp

10,203 posts

129 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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BFG TERRANO said:
226bhp said:
So you're saying that it's ok for a car engine to fail at 31k and we should expect it?
xxChrisxx doesn't understand company car taxation at a guess ?
I don't think he understands car engines either. This car is perfect for the job for which it was bought and applied to.

stevesingo

4,858 posts

223 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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powerstroke said:
xxChrisxx said:
My spider sense is tingling! Something doesn't feel quite right about this.
How did the coolant hose fail? Was the coolant hose the cause of the 1st engine too?

Out of interest, and I understand this isn't helpful in any way, why did you buy a small 1L petrol for what is 35k miles a year, which must be dominated by motorway miles. It just seems ill suited to the task.
Yes this !!! Wrong engine!! Perfect for short urban journeys and some longer trips and a low annual milage, the dealer should have advised a diesel, perfect for higher milage and better economy on long motorway runs..
If you said to anyone that you had a C segment car with 125hp and 125lbft for use on the Mway, no one would bat an eyelid. Completely reasonable and fit for purpose.

The fact it is a 1.0lt 3 cylinder has the luddites screaming that a 1.0 is not fit for the Mway, just like they did with the Morris 1000.

At 70mph, you need about 35-40hp to maintain that speed turning less than 2800rpm in the Focus. Hardly a huge stress, and the engine is likely to get an easier time than say a new M3/4, AMG45 and any other performance orientated forced induction engine.

skyrover

12,674 posts

205 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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At the end of the day, turbo motors will never match the equivalent N/A motor in the reliability stakes.

More moving parts = more to go wrong. Sods law states this will be the case.

The fact that engines are coming from the factory in an ever higher state of tune only add's to the risk.

heners54

286 posts

140 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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Playing devils advocate somewhat, as this doesn't directly link to this particular scenario from what has been said; your average 2.0tdi vag lump gets serviced every 10k (well 9600 miles) or annually; variable servicing on average is 18 k miles from what I've seen on t'internet. Think of the oil capacity for a tdi lump, the low rpm and boost the turbo runs and compared to that of the ecoboost, 12k miles seems ludicrous for a service interval for that engine. Good for company car owners maybe, but for the bhp/L, it wouldn't be that silly to say 5/6k oil change intervals like other brands have used.

Andyjc86

1,149 posts

150 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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OP, in no way should you be paying for this. Whilst the warranty maybe 60k, complete failure at 62k (even though it's technically 31k) is not acceptable. Find out the cause of the broken hose then speak to ford HQ. if no luck there, then start with the press. Twitter always gets a good response.

Will be interesting to see the outcome of this. I assume, as with most small engined fords, there is no temp gauge?

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

149 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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heners54 said:
Playing devils advocate somewhat, as this doesn't directly link to this particular scenario from what has been said; your average 2.0tdi vag lump gets serviced every 10k (well 9600 miles) or annually; variable servicing on average is 18 k miles from what I've seen on t'internet. Think of the oil capacity for a tdi lump, the low rpm and boost the turbo runs and compared to that of the ecoboost, 12k miles seems ludicrous for a service interval for that engine. Good for company car owners maybe, but for the bhp/L, it wouldn't be that silly to say 5/6k oil change intervals like other brands have used.
Agree on the servicing comment. However, for myself and many others that would mean servicing a 6 weekly event. Not ideal.

Also without wishing to go off piste a good friend who is manager at a vag dealer said service intervals are pushed out to manipulate "cost per mile" figures. If it were my own Eco boost I'd drop the oil myself every 6 weeks, company car? Nah, let it pop.

xxChrisxx

538 posts

122 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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226bhp said:
So you're saying that it's ok for a car engine to fail at 31k and we should expect it?
It's not ok, but each time an engine is pushed in terms of technology and architecture, you get a spike in unreliability. I'm just interested in why there were two failures in very similar circumstances.

It just seemed that an oil burner would be more suited to the drivers needs of 35k a year motorway work. Exactly the same way that buying an diesel to drive to the shops is ill suited.

if you'll notice this was before it was clear that it was a company car.

He chose it for low BIK, which is a perfectly understandable and valid reason.

Edited by xxChrisxx on Wednesday 24th September 10:43

226bhp

10,203 posts

129 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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xxChrisxx said:
226bhp said:
So you're saying that it's ok for a car engine to fail at 31k and we should expect it?
It's not ok, but each time an engine is pushed in terms of technology and architecture, you get a spike in unreliability. I'm just interested in why there were two failures in very similar circumstances.

It just seemed that an oil burner would be more suited to the drivers needs of 35k a year motorway work. Exactly the same way that buying an diesel to drive to the shops is ill suited.

if you'll notice this was before it was clear that it was a company car.

He chose it for low BIK, which is a perfectly understandable and valid reason.

Edited by xxChrisxx on Wednesday 24th September 10:43
You said it was 'ill suited to the task', which it isn't, you are also insinuating that the usage (which is normal) has killed it which it isn't.
Find the specs of the car you propose and compare them to this one, the Fester has an average MPG of 65.7.

I am also interested in the failure, if it is (as has been quoted in the thread) a hose which can be replaced and has been superseded then it's no great disaster.

53catalina

Original Poster:

23 posts

199 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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UPDATE

Just been to view the car and looked at the offending PLASTIC PIPE that burst. It was incredibly brittle. See below.




I then went into the showroom, open the bonnet of a new EcoBoost car and found the plastic pipe has been replaced by a RUBBER HOSE See Below.




Whilst talking to the technicians it seems this is a common problem. Last week they changed a similar engine, and currently have a car needing a new cylinder head, and another fully stripped down for investigation.

I am still waiting for the Ford Customer Care line to call me back.

I will keep you updated.

gareth3685

190 posts

118 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
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I've just checked and it seems the Fiesta has this modification also, car this picture is taken from is a 62 plate so assume its been the rubber part since introduction.