Aa agh! Broken my car and totally my own fault...

[Boobonman]

I've got a 2002 Mondeo TDCI, and I've been running dirty diesel out of jerry cans through it. Now, when I give it WOT in 4th or 5th, it coughs and then goes in to limp mode. If you switch it off, all is well until you WOT again. So far I've changed the cylinder fuel filter under the bonnet, and I'm about to run some injector cleaner through it.

If that fails to resolve it, what should I be looking at next? Injector refurb? I need to sell it so this couldn't really happen at a more annoying time.

Any thoughts?

[v8will]

Drain the tank and clean the fuel pickup.

Filters will be doing their job and stopping crud getting to the injectors

[Boobonman]

How do clean the fuel pickup? Isn't that inside the tank?

[juan king]

Boobonman said:

How do clean the fuel pickup? Isn't that inside the tank?

Should be accesible by removing the rear seat i would imagine

[the stigs dad]

Why were you using "dirty diesel" from jerry cans?

[carmadgaz]

Mum has an '03 TDCi with the same problem. Seems quite a common fault after having a google.

[4key]

Some of them have a duel fuel pump, there is another one that is underside infront of the tank. They really dont like bio diesel, especially if its the type that comes out of an ibc in a dodgy yard

[wiliferus]

the stigs dad said:

Why were you using "dirty diesel" from jerry cans?

Red?

[HustleRussell]

OP, you can't run any old crap through a modern common rail engine especially a TDCI. Furthermore fixing it is going to get very costly if you just start randomly replacing/refurbishing parts. You've done the sensible thing and tried the fuel filter, now it's time to get it plugged in and the codes read. Injectors on these engines are upwards of £250 each once fitted, the high pressure pump on the engine is expensive and even the lift pump in the tank is several hundred.

[23rdian]

Heating Oil?

Oh well, you broke it now, as it's ten years old, I'd just carry on using it as you have been and avoid WOT (whatever that is)

[98elise]

juan king said:

Boobonman said:

How do clean the fuel pickup? Isn't that inside the tank?

Should be accesible by removing the rear seat i would imagine

Not always possible. My pump went on my mondeo, and while there is a big hole in the floor under the seat, its made to small to let fuel pump come out.

The mechanic ended up having to empty the fuel and drop the tank. Not easy when he was doing it on my sloped drive.

I would guess it was originally designed around one type of pump, then the pump, or tank design changed.

[HustleRussell]

23rdian said:

just carry on using it as you have been and avoid WOT (whatever that is)

Wide Open Throttle