Ford TDDi/TDCi engines
Discussion
Does anyone here experience of the Ford TDDi and TDCi engines?
I'm looking for a new daily driver to tackle a lot of motorway miles and I'm considering (amongst other things) a mk1 Focus or a mk3 Mondeo. My minimal budget means both are on the cusp between the TDDi (I think sometimes simply written TDi) engine and the later common rail TDCi.
I know the TDCi engine is much more pleasant to use and some reports suggest it's more economical too (despite the extra power) but there seem to be a lot more tales of mechanical woe. Does anyone have experience of both?
I'm looking for a new daily driver to tackle a lot of motorway miles and I'm considering (amongst other things) a mk1 Focus or a mk3 Mondeo. My minimal budget means both are on the cusp between the TDDi (I think sometimes simply written TDi) engine and the later common rail TDCi.
I know the TDCi engine is much more pleasant to use and some reports suggest it's more economical too (despite the extra power) but there seem to be a lot more tales of mechanical woe. Does anyone have experience of both?
I don't have experience of both, but I have owned a mk3 Mondeo TDCI and done some reading around on the subject.
At shed money you're probably better off with TDDI, it is pre-common rail so the injectors and diesel pumps aren't quite so prone to failure. You still have the DMF and EGR valve to worry about though.
At shed money you're probably better off with TDDI, it is pre-common rail so the injectors and diesel pumps aren't quite so prone to failure. You still have the DMF and EGR valve to worry about though.
1600tdci in focus was gutless and started getting injector leak by 5year old and 140k miles.
TDDI lump in 2008 focus was gutless, heavy and agricultural.
Mates father has a 2007 Mondeo, last of the mk3/4s and its seals have gone.
Another mate is on his 3rd of the mk3 shape in 8years. Looks after them. Never has any drama.
If you're doing sub 15k miles a year, mk3 petrol are cheaper to buy, piss simple to maintain and lighter on their feet
TDDI lump in 2008 focus was gutless, heavy and agricultural.
Mates father has a 2007 Mondeo, last of the mk3/4s and its seals have gone.
Another mate is on his 3rd of the mk3 shape in 8years. Looks after them. Never has any drama.
If you're doing sub 15k miles a year, mk3 petrol are cheaper to buy, piss simple to maintain and lighter on their feet
My dailer driver is a 2005 TDCI 130. It's been a good car over the 6.5 years I have owned it. 48 mpg average and low servicing costs. I haven't experienced any real problems although I'm only too aware of the potential issues with injectors, DMF's breaking up, EGR's valves getting clogged up, etc.
I do have one issue. The car judders at low revs like it has a miss fire (The engine is not labouring). I installed a blanking plate before the EGR valve and whlst this has helped it hasn't cured the problem completely.
We recently had to scrap my girlfriends Renault Modus when the fuel pump disintegrated and knackered 3 of the injectors. The quote to fix was around £4k and involved new injectors, fuel pump, fuel lines, filters and potentially a new tank. All common rail diesel engines can have potentially high bills but if you getting the car cheap anmyway it's probably worth the risk.
I do have one issue. The car judders at low revs like it has a miss fire (The engine is not labouring). I installed a blanking plate before the EGR valve and whlst this has helped it hasn't cured the problem completely.
We recently had to scrap my girlfriends Renault Modus when the fuel pump disintegrated and knackered 3 of the injectors. The quote to fix was around £4k and involved new injectors, fuel pump, fuel lines, filters and potentially a new tank. All common rail diesel engines can have potentially high bills but if you getting the car cheap anmyway it's probably worth the risk.
NotDave said:
TDDI lump in 2008 focus was gutless, heavy and agricultural.
TDDI engines were phased out around 2002 for the TDCi engines.I had an 1800 TDCi focus, and it was fine, had a bit of poke, was 122hp standard (115 quoted) and was mapped to just shy of 150hp.
Only problem I had was with a split I/C hose. Averaged high 50's in the focus with motorway driving.
DMF are a weak spot though across the range, at around 80 - 100k miles, depending on how its been used, I'd want to see it having being changed in the history.
TDDi are more reliable than TDCi. I ran the latter for about 90k and it had a few big bills, all the common faults e.g. dual-mass flywheel fault, couple of clutches (due to same), injectors etc. The injectors can be £1200 with ease. They are not bad as such, but equally they are not problem free.
16v stretch said:
TDDI engines were phased out around 2002 for the TDCi engines.
It weren't TDCI. Remember giving the reg to one of the PH regulars who works at Ford.Checked and proudly informed me it was the Transit Connect engine, all 90 odd bhp of fury and ste.
Perhaps not TDDI but definitely not TDCI. Lynx engine?
Thanks. Some good points, and I'll definitely look for a DMF change in the history.
I'm looking at spending around £1,500, which judging from Autotrader is likely to involve something with maybe 120,000 miles on the clock.
The whole petrol versus diesel debate is a topic in itself. I'm likely to be doing very high daily/weekly mileages for three or four months, but below average mileage thereafter. There's a good chance I'll swap whatever I get now for something a bit more stimulating come the autumn, but I need something with half decent motorway cruising and load carrying ability.
I'm looking at spending around £1,500, which judging from Autotrader is likely to involve something with maybe 120,000 miles on the clock.
The whole petrol versus diesel debate is a topic in itself. I'm likely to be doing very high daily/weekly mileages for three or four months, but below average mileage thereafter. There's a good chance I'll swap whatever I get now for something a bit more stimulating come the autumn, but I need something with half decent motorway cruising and load carrying ability.
Get a Petrol car if you can stomach the increased fuel costs for the 5 months where you are doing high miles. Far less to go wrong which at the shed end of the market is important. You are unlikely to get much history on that budget, especially with a Ford, so checking if the DMF etc has been replaced is going to be difficult.
Focus 1.6/1.8 Petrol. Should do 40 mpg on a run if you take it steady and it will be more fun to drive. The Mk1 Focus has a lovely chassis and pin sharp steering and a big old diesel lump does it's best to blunt these.
Focus 1.6/1.8 Petrol. Should do 40 mpg on a run if you take it steady and it will be more fun to drive. The Mk1 Focus has a lovely chassis and pin sharp steering and a big old diesel lump does it's best to blunt these.
NotDave said:
It weren't TDCI. Remember giving the reg to one of the PH regulars who works at Ford.
Checked and proudly informed me it was the Transit Connect engine, all 90 odd bhp of fury and ste.
Perhaps not TDDI but definitely not TDCI. Lynx engine?
The 1.6 diesel Focus came in 88 and 108 BHP forms. Both were TDCI engines.Checked and proudly informed me it was the Transit Connect engine, all 90 odd bhp of fury and ste.
Perhaps not TDDI but definitely not TDCI. Lynx engine?
The TDDI was a 1.8 and didn't make it into the Mk2 Focus. The older 1.8 TDCI however did.
The Ford 1.8 diesel engine, in TDDI or TDCI guise, is one of the most rough and agricultural engines you will ever experience. Unless you like driving dumper trucks, avoid.
As others have said, unless you are doing a very high mileage, go or a petrol engine. If you do go down the diesel route, get the 2.0 or 2.2.
As others have said, unless you are doing a very high mileage, go or a petrol engine. If you do go down the diesel route, get the 2.0 or 2.2.
Devil2575 said:
The 1.6 diesel Focus came in 88 and 108 BHP forms. Both were TDCI engines.
The TDDI was a 1.8 and didn't make it into the Mk2 Focus. The older 1.8 TDCI however did.
My 2005 was a 88bhp snail.The TDDI was a 1.8 and didn't make it into the Mk2 Focus. The older 1.8 TDCI however did.
The 2008 thing was not mine, company, and a pool car. Used it plenty mind, and even on a day where 500 motorway miles were covered it felt heavy, slow and was only returning low 40mpgs
I've just bought an '02 Focus 1.8 TDDI, cost £1.1k. For the money I find it a decent motor, though less refined than my previous mk4 Golf TDI it is quieter than some others (I went to look at a diesel Saab, my what a row!) Decent ride, decent handling, nice gear change. At 90 horse the performance is just about acceptable, being diesel it's effortless to deploy all of it.
So far I've done an engine oil and filter serviced which was straight forward enough. I see the fact it's not the common rail TDCI as a bonus at this age/mileage, less tech to go wrong!
So far I've done an engine oil and filter serviced which was straight forward enough. I see the fact it's not the common rail TDCI as a bonus at this age/mileage, less tech to go wrong!
FarmerJim said:
The Ford 1.8 diesel engine, in TDDI or TDCI guise, is one of the most rough and agricultural engines you will ever experience. Unless you like driving dumper trucks, avoid.
Not the most refined I agree but I don't think it's all that bad, it does a job at the right price.Devil2575 said:
Get a Petrol car if you can stomach the increased fuel costs for the 5 months where you are doing high miles. Far less to go wrong which at the shed end of the market is important. You are unlikely to get much history on that budget, especially with a Ford, so checking if the DMF etc has been replaced is going to be difficult.
Focus 1.6/1.8 Petrol. Should do 40 mpg on a run if you take it steady and it will be more fun to drive. The Mk1 Focus has a lovely chassis and pin sharp steering and a big old diesel lump does it's best to blunt these.
The thing is, I'll probably dump this lumbering estate car (whatever it is) for something smaller and more entertaining, so it's those first few months that count.Focus 1.6/1.8 Petrol. Should do 40 mpg on a run if you take it steady and it will be more fun to drive. The Mk1 Focus has a lovely chassis and pin sharp steering and a big old diesel lump does it's best to blunt these.
Funnily enough my outgoing car is/was a 1.6 mk1 Focus. Good chassis, but I always thought the economy was rather poor for the mediocre performance.
TDDi in the Focus Mk1 doesn't have a DMF to worry about whereas I'm sure all the TDCis did. I have a 2001 TDDi. On my commute during summer (40 miles each way) it would return early-to-mid 50s MPG at around 65-70 MPH. On a ~300 mile journey, 4 up with luggage, cruising at around 85 it returned 44 MPG.
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