Ford Duratec V6

[Alex]

Can anyone recommend a Ford specialist in the South East with experience of the Duratec V6? The headgasket as gone in my Mondeo and the dealer wants a fortune to fix it.

Cheers,

Alex.

[FlamingM0]

Although I don't have an answer to your question (sorry!), I'm interested in the circumstances surrounding your experience, as I have a Mondeo V6 also. I am led to believe that these are pretty reliable engines and good for high mileages (not that I'm any expert!). However, I know from first hand experience that water pump failure is quite common and if not reacted to quickly I guess can result in head gasket failure. Has this been the case for you? What mileage has your motor done and how old is it? I'd be interested to know how you get on.

Thanks...

[Justin s]

One of my directors at work had a Duratec V6 mondeo and after 3 engines,driven not thrashed was given a refund by Ford.......

[Steve W.]

The Duratec V6 engines are not the best it has to be said.

The most common problems are head gaskets, piston slap and bore wear, and big end/ main bearing failure. In the last year we (I work for a Ford dealer) have replaced nine or ten engines, and they aren't that common an engine.

>> Edited by Steve W. on Saturday 13th December 22:14

[HarryW]

Steve W. said:

The Duratec V6 engines are not the best it has to be said. The most common problems are head gaskets, piston slap and bore wear, and big end/ main bearing failure. In the last year we (I work for a Ford dealer) have replaced nine or ten engines, and they aren't that common an engine. >> Edited by Steve W. on Saturday 13th December 22:14

After that little list, whats right with the engine then , imagine the shitt people would give TVR for producing an engine like that. Wereas the Vx/GM V6 goes on forever, he hopes

Harry

[Justin s]

watch out with those VX 24 valve v6's.They have lovely little plastic water pump impellors which are reknown to disintegrate and are a bastard to change.My mate runs a garage and there was no toys any where near the pram when he was doing one.And he's got 'all' the tools for the job too.....

[HarryW]

Justin s said:

watch out with those VX 24 valve v6's.They have lovely little plastic water pump impellors which are reknown to disintegrate and are a bastard to change.My mate runs a garage and there was no toys any where near the pram when he was doing one.And he's got 'all' the tools for the job too.....

Not forgetting the nasty little plastic roller guides for the cam belt as well these really must be changed at the same time as the belt.
Asides from that I think it is a small list in comparasom. Alternators go at about 120K, will pull along at tickover (450rpm) in 4th gear without groaning, all in all a sweet engine, dual air intake system comes in at around 4K rpm I really don't know why the lump is not more widely used .

Harry

[theusualsuspect]

I'm nervous now. Just bought what I'd presumed to be a bargain on eBay, 97 P reg Duratec hatch 57k, £2000. Can I guarantee greater engine longevity by careful use and reduced service intervals?

Andy

[dern]

theusualsuspect said:

I'm nervous now. Just bought what I'd presumed to be a bargain on eBay, 97 P reg Duratec hatch 57k, £2000. Can I guarantee greater engine longevity by careful use and reduced service intervals?

Make sure you change the water pump and service it regularly, it should be fine. Lots of information here www.fordmondeo.org/.

I changed my water pump when I first got it at about 45k miles as it was seeping water and will change it again pretty soon as they are a weak point and can cause the overheating problem leading to an expensive head gasket failure. The pump is about 50 quid and while it's a bit of a b*gger to do it isn't too bad. My car has done about 85k now and there are a fair few with a load more miles on than that.

Mark

[V6GTO]

The Duratech V6 (admittedly after a lot of work) seems to be working fine at 352bhp in the Noble!

[HairyGit]

I had a Mondeo with the Duratec V6 - it went quite happily to 170k miles - never touched a Ford dealer after they diagnosed a problem with the traction control unit (at 52k) and said I needed a new TC unit @£650, ("its a sealed unit, can't be fixed") - my friendly local backstreet mechanic charged me £50 ( and said "its a glorified wiper motor")and no problems after that - had it serviced every 10k

[anonymous-user]

Anyone know of companies involved in tuning these engines? Maybe adding a turbo or two, or supercharging. I realise quite a few components would need to be strengthened/upgraded along the way. The company doing the work for Noble are a closed shop and not prepared to supply engines.

[V6GTO]

dod said:

Anyone know of companies involved in tuning these engines? Maybe adding a turbo or two, or supercharging. I realise quite a few components would need to be strengthened/upgraded along the way. The company doing the work for Noble are a closed shop and not prepared to supply engines.

I'm suprised anyone can turn away work, even someone so good as John Noble Motorsport. Maybe they have a contract with Noble to stop people getting engines "on the cheap" Martin.

[zzr1200]

dod

I have been looking at what is available for these engines (I have a 1995 24v model), there is next to nothing in this country apart from exhausts and induction kits. In America though it is a different story..

Enlarged air mass sensors
Enlarged throttle bodies
Supercharger kits giving nearly 300hp ($3000 for the kit!)
Catless manifolds
Modified Y pieces

etc. etc.

There is a website for Contour owners which has some useful links.

I'm looking for a Duratec V6 to tune and put in a Mk1 Fiesta, it will fit as I measured it!

As for reliability mine has given a few problem over the years, my father owned the car before me.

It was moussing from new and had to have the pipework modification carried out to the idle control

Next the secondary throttle butterfly control valve was sticking open, this makes the low end power improve when it's working, the Ford dealer in Chelmsford couldn't diagnose it and I worked it out for myself and it cost about £15 to replace.

Next the rear head gasket went @90,000 miles, a friends did the same. Dealer wanted £1000 to repair so I did it myself, engine out, both heads off etc.

Now the gearbox is groaning so that's the next job.

Paul

[V6GTO]

Noble are running 340bhp on the 2.5 litre cars so woult the twin Garrett T25's not be a better way to go?

[dern]

zzr1200 said:

Next the rear head gasket went @90,000 miles, a friends did the same. Dealer wanted £1000 to repair so I did it myself, engine out, both heads off etc.

When you did this did you need any special equipment to get the engine out or did you just drop it out of the bottom with a crane having removed the subframe? Did you have any trouble realigning the subframe on reassembly?

You mention the idle... mine has just started dropping it's idle speed from 750 to 500 occasionally when sitting at the lights. It feels like it's about to stall and then recovers... is this the problem you had and, if so, what was the problem and how did you fix it?

Thanks,

Mark

[zzr1200]

dern said:

zzr1200 said: Next the rear head gasket went @90,000 miles, a friends did the same. Dealer wanted £1000 to repair so I did it myself, engine out, both heads off etc. When you did this did you need any special equipment to get the engine out or did you just drop it out of the bottom with a crane having removed the subframe? Did you have any trouble realigning the subframe on reassembly? You mention the idle... mine has just started dropping it's idle speed from 750 to 500 occasionally when sitting at the lights. It feels like it's about to stall and then recovers... is this the problem you had and, if so, what was the problem and how did you fix it? Thanks, Mark

I marked around the subframe and dropped the whole lot out in one go, didn't have a crane so lowered the car down as far as possible, blocked the engine up with a home made trolley and unbolted the subframe etc, then lifted the car up high enough to pull the engine out, I didn't need any special tooling, just make sure the subframe lines up with your marks on reassembly, use of a stiff bar makes the job easier!

I sometimes have the low idle problem and it was bad after I had the engine out and not run it for a long time, so it is probably a sticky idle control valve.

Paul

[dern]

zzr1200 said:

I marked around the subframe and dropped the whole lot out in one go, didn't have a crane so lowered the car down as far as possible, blocked the engine up with a home made trolley and unbolted the subframe etc, then lifted the car up high enough to pull the engine out, I didn't need any special tooling, just make sure the subframe lines up with your marks on reassembly, use of a stiff bar makes the job easier! I sometimes have the low idle problem and it was bad after I had the engine out and not run it for a long time, so it is probably a sticky idle control valve.

Thanks for getting back to me. I gave the idle control valve a blast of carb cleaner yesterday and it seems much better.

I have a crane so given than I don't need special tools for the alignment I'll get busy when the head gaskets go. I have read on www.fordmondeo.org/ that one guy did it with the engine in but he must have pretty small hands. I think I'd rather attempt it with the engine out and see what's what.

Did you do any machining to the head gasket face or was it straight? Did you do any reconditioning to the valves or were they all in pretty good shape?

Sorry for all the questions... can't help feeling I'll have to do this one day no matter how many times I change the water pump

Cheers,

Mark

[zzr1200]

dern said:

zzr1200 said: I marked around the subframe and dropped the whole lot out in one go, didn't have a crane so lowered the car down as far as possible, blocked the engine up with a home made trolley and unbolted the subframe etc, then lifted the car up high enough to pull the engine out, I didn't need any special tooling, just make sure the subframe lines up with your marks on reassembly, use of a stiff bar makes the job easier! I sometimes have the low idle problem and it was bad after I had the engine out and not run it for a long time, so it is probably a sticky idle control valve. Thanks for getting back to me. I gave the idle control valve a blast of carb cleaner yesterday and it seems much better. I have a crane so given than I don't need special tools for the alignment I'll get busy when the head gaskets go. I have read on www.fordmondeo.org/ that one guy did it with the engine in but he must have pretty small hands. I think I'd rather attempt it with the engine out and see what's what. Did you do any machining to the head gasket face or was it straight? Did you do any reconditioning to the valves or were they all in pretty good shape? Sorry for all the questions... can't help feeling I'll have to do this one day no matter how many times I change the water pump Cheers, Mark

Glad you've got the idle sorted, in the story you mention, did he do noth head gaskets? because you can do the front head only with the engine in.

Anyway, I checked the head straightness and it was OK, the gaskets used are mainly steel so its only a smal area that goes when it does and it just lets by rather than completely fails. The valves were very clean and in good order so I didn't touch them, better to leave them alone than try and find a problem IYKWIM.

Hope this helps,

Paul

[alfa dave]

If you want serious Duratec V6 tuning talk to Mountune Racing - they build a 330bhp version - based on the Jaguar engine....

01277 226666 speak to Roger Allen