Mk2 Focus Engine Issues Help/advice

[TankRS]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been having issues with the engine lately, it’s an 05 TDCI. I had to have 2 injectors changed recently after a strong smell of fuel was making its way into the cabin. Turned out one or two seals were knackered. One injector disintegrated on removal, the other had another issue requiring both to be changed.

At the same time I was having an issue where the car would go into Limp mode, this fault was neigh on impossible to replicate, but would mainly affect the car on steep inclines, but not every time. Happened twice on different occasions before i put it in the garage. The car was put on a fault code reader but I forget now exactly what the faults were (I can update with them later). Typically it was really bad coming home over the mountains last night, to the point where the car felt as if it was going to cut out, but it didn’t go to limp mode this time.

I did a bit of googling on the hesitation/power loss issue and found all different reasons from dirty fuel filter to a turbo showing signs of its way out.
Paperwork with the car showed the fuel filter was changed about 5,000 miles ago, so it’s unlikely to be a fuelling issue, no?

The posts about the turbo about to go mentions loss of power, and smoking a fair bit from it, but my car isn’t smoking at all! and its more of a hesitation for a second before power kicks back in than total power/boost drop.

The garage that did the injectors said that my car had the Peugeot engine in and he had lost count of the amount he’d seen with the turbo issue, but he wasn’t convinced that was what I was experiencing, but didn’t rule it out.

It has to go back to them on Friday to have the MAF sensor checked as when they checked it there was Oil on it, and apparently there shouldn’t be any oil getting close to that sensor!? It’s also been idling quite rough once or twice since I had it back so I need them to have a look at that too.

Anyone have experience of similar problem that can shed some light on what I may be experiencing?

Or do I follow a few posts on other threads and get rid of the car now before it gets expensive!!


Thanks in advance for any help!

[elliotff]

TankRS said:

I did a bit of googling on the hesitation/power loss issue and found all different reasons from dirty fuel filter to a turbo showing signs of its way out.
Paperwork with the car showed the fuel filter was changed about 5,000 miles ago, so it’s unlikely to be a fuelling issue, no?

I would change the fuel filter as i has the exact same issue with my 58 plate 1.8tcdi focus. I had also only changed the fuel filter within 4000 or so miles but i changed the filter and the car was back to normal!

Plus its a cheap part to eliminate......

[TankRS]

elliotff said:

I would change the fuel filter as i has the exact same issue with my 58 plate 1.8tcdi focus. I had also only changed the fuel filter within 4000 or so miles but i changed the filter and the car was back to normal!

Plus its a cheap part to eliminate......

I had thought of getting it done anyway.
Like you said, it's a cheap part to change to try and eliminate the fault.
I'll ask the garage how much it'll cost when it goes in Friday.

Cheers mate.

[TankRS]

If it helps here’s the report on the work and the fault codes.

Will also try the fuel filter change anyway as it’s the cheaper option to start.




Noise from engine – found injector seals leaking. On removal found no 1+4 injector to be seized in cylinder head. Removed following severe soaking with appropriate fluids using injector puller.

Unavoidable damage caused to union on number 2 injector whilst removing using puller. Replaced union. Re-cut injector seats, rebuild using new washers, seals and retainers. Run engine to find no1 injector will not seal due to injector base wear. Replaced no1 injector and programmed. Run engine to find poor idle. Carried out injector leak off test to find no4 injector to have excess leak off. Replaced injector and re-coded. Test – ok.



Carried out Diagnostic test – reported loss of power.

Fault codes read as –

P138B – Glow plugs control module system voltage below min threshold

P0299 – Turbocharge under boost above max threshold

P0101 – Mass Air Flow range out of range or perfance

P0234 – Engine overboost condition below threshold

Cleaned Oil From MAF.

[JU5T1N]

I know its not any help but my mate had similiar problems with his, ended up part exchanging it for a Mini Cooper in the end.

[elliotff]

JU5T1N said:

I know its not any help but my mate had similiar problems with his, ended up part exchanging it for a Mini Cooper in the end.

Yes not the most helpful reply.

[TankRS]

elliotff said:

JU5T1N said:

I know its not any help but my mate had similiar problems with his, ended up part exchanging it for a Mini Cooper in the end.

Yes not the most helpful reply.

took it back to the garage yesterday. he checked the MAF pipe again and found oil there again. except its not a bit as i thought, but is pooling up in the pipe.

i really appreciate his honesty now. He told me he's recently carried out a turbo change/engine recon after one went, at a cost of 'about £750'.

But if it were his car, he'd sell it before it got to that.


looks like one of these cash for cars companies could be my answer.
i'll more than likely, guaranteed, make a loss on the sale. But i'd rather not drive about in a ticking time bomb.

cheers anyway for the advice that has been offered.

[dfen5]

Is it the old shape or the new shape focus? The cam sensor causes a lot of the issues you mentioned, if it's grey and the older shape focus it will need changing. Costs about £30 from fors and is a POP to fit.

P.s I'll never touch another Ford TDCi, they're utterly, completely, bd unreliable.

[TankRS]

dfen5 said:

Is it the old shape or the new shape focus? The cam sensor causes a lot of the issues you mentioned, if it's grey and the older shape focus it will need changing. Costs about £30 from fors and is a POP to fit.

P.s I'll never touch another Ford TDCi, they're utterly, completely, bd unreliable.

its the Mk2. the last model before they changed it in 2011

I've had so many 'it could be this, it could be that' that I have had enough now and just want rid of it tbh.
and the garage that has done any work to it over the last 4 years so knows its history pretty well says there's play in the turbo and having had a few TDCI's in with the same fault, leads me to believe them.


thanks for the advice tho.
and yeah , a TDCI Ford will never be a car I pick up again, unless I get it brand new and don't hold on to it long enough for things to start going.

tbh its put me of Turbo Diesels all together especially when 'reliable' ones like BMW & VAG motors are still commanding big cash for motors pushing over 150k!

[dazwalsh]

I dont know if it helps or not but as far as i can remember only the 1.8tdci is a ford lump, the 1.6 and 2.0 are PSA engines and so may have differing levels of reliability. Im running a 1.8tdci focus and its been solid. Its just passed 80k no problems.

[elliotff]

dazwalsh said:

I dont know if it helps or not but as far as i can remember only the 1.8tdci is a ford lump, the 1.6 and 2.0 are PSA engines and so may have differing levels of reliability. Im running a 1.8tdci focus and its been solid. Its just passed 80k no problems.

I agree, I also have a 1.8tdci(58) which not long ago hit 70k i have had no issues apart from a clogged fuel filter...

[Shadow R1]

Dad has a 08 1.8 tdci 50,000 miles i have an 07 same engine 75,000 miles, they are both fine.