Issues with 1.8 TDCI on start up

[Hellboy1980]

Hi all

Car is 2006 Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Zetec on 90k miles.

I have noticed recently on the first start up of the day I get a puff of blue smoke smells like burning to and has a rough idle for no more then 10 seconds. I started to have a look online and saw a few people having the same issue. Got some people saying they had it for a while and seems to be normal and some saying its the stem valves that need changing.

I got a feeling its the stem valves though as my oil level has dropped. I only had the car since October 2016 and it was full when I got it. It was just above empty when I checked this morning so I am sure this is excessive use. Done about 2.5k in that time.

Would like to point out once the blue smoke happens its fine. Drives fine, pulls away fine, MPG is fine, can't see any other smoke other then when I gun it and can only really see that in car headlights at night.

1. Is it ok to use the car still until I get it sorted. No car means no job for me as its a 25 mile drive sometimes at 4am?

2. What sort of cost is it to replace the valves. I understand the head has to come off so what am I looking at in total?

3. Is there anyway to test what the issue is without taking the engine apart just in case its not the valves?

4. Anyone have the same symptoms and what was the issue/solutions?

Many thanks

[stevieturbo]

It probably isnt anything to do with the valves, and more to do with glow plugs.

But it will probably go for many thousands of miles like that

[Hellboy1980]

What about the oil though? It seems to of dropped quite quickly

[zedx19]

This happened to a 2005 Focus I had as a company car, on similar mileage. Lasted for months and progressively got worse, resulting in limp home mode. Turned out to be the glow plugs, car was fine again after that and I took it 120k without issue, then went to car auctions. Glow plugs and a single boost pipe splitting is all that went wrong in that 120k, ultra reliable.

[S0 What]

Hellboy1980 said:

What about the oil though? It seems to of dropped quite quickly

top it up ?
max to min is about 1L and 1ltr in 2500 miles is pretty good TBH, if it were glow plugs i would exspect the smoke to be white and TBH common rail engines rarely use the glow plugs on start up they use them more for emmisions and if they failed it would throw a code.
Valve stem oil seals are not a huge worry, i'd just put up with the oil use but i would be concerned about the misfiring at start up, 1st thing it'd do is get it code read then add some injector cleaner to the tank and see how that goes.

[stevieturbo]

Glow plugs are used at startup and other times and no, faulty ones will not always throw a code.

[annodomini2]

S0 What said:

...TBH, if it were glow plugs i would exspect the smoke to be white and TBH common rail engines rarely use the glow plugs on start up they use them more for emmisions and if they failed it would throw a code...

Depends on the engine, some do some don't.

e.g.

Renault 1.5 dci with 2 plugs out, -5 degC outside, still started on the button.

Audi 3.0 TDI smokes like a bd if you don't allow the plugs to heat up.

[BGarside]

I had cold starting issues with my old '03 1.8TDCI Focus and the ECU was reflashed by Ford to sort the problem, but since your is a later car I assume it won't be affected.

If the starting issue coincides with the onset of these freezing nights then could well be the glowplugs. Try double pre-heat (turn ignition to glow plug position, wait for light to go out, then turn again and wait for light to go out before starting the engine. Does it improve the initial running? Is the exhaust smoke blue or white - unburned diesel is more white I believe.

Is the engine oil grade correct and was it replaced recently? Might be worth a precautionary oil and filter change with the correct oil grade just in case the old stuff is old or degraded? Cheap enough.

Glow plug replacement wouldn't be too expensive surely? The plugs are fairly accessible ISTR.