Loss Of Power

[suddste]

Hi,

Ive noticed since about 6 months ago when it had a service that ive lost power on my 2004 1.6L petrol focus. When it had a service, the problem seems to have been amplified. I believe it is or has got slightly worse.

I have posted before in another thread but it got no replies.

Would someone please at least point me in the right direction as im stumped.

Possible symptoms include:

-Engine vibrating also making the exhaust vibrate at idle

-it doesnt seem like a misfire

-When going at about 10mph when cold it jerks forward and backward but not when warm.

-There are no fault codes, ive checked

Thanks,

Please reply!

[suddste]

I'm thinking throttle position sensor? Is it easy to replace?

[H3lly]

It might be as simple as changing the spark plugs and renewing the oil and filters. The coil pack is a common part to fail in the focus. It can be diagnosed with a multimetre to check the voltage is correct at each terminal.

[suddste]

It might be as simple as changing the spark

plugs and renewing the oil and filters. The coil pack is a common part to fail in the focus. It can be diagnosed with a multimetre to check the voltage is correct at each terminal.

the spark plugs were changed as part of the service along with the fuel and oil filters so I dont know if it could be those?

[wokeye]

Sorry to hijack this thread. I have a 52 reg Focus auto that suffers from power loss also, it will just loose all power start juddering but it will not cutout. It will then sort itself out. The MIL light also comes on. I took it to a local independant garage and it was not displaying any codes. I also checked it with my cheapo eBay handheld and it was showing a DTC but no codes were evident. It let me reset the MIL, which maybe I should not have done and took it to a main stealer to see if they could read anything. It has not done it for a few days now. H3lly refers to a procedure to checkout the coilpack with a multi-meter. I was wondering what is this procedure and what reading am I looking for please?

[H3lly]

@Wokeye: If you know someone with a spare focus you could test the coil pack on their's :). If you are unfamiliar or anyway unsure doing a job like this then leave it with a reputable mechanic to do the job.

[jeebowhite]

Hi JohnS, theres every chance that the filters were put in back to front, that does cause a loss of power :(

[suddste]

Hi JohnS, theres every chance that the filters were put in back to front, that does cause a loss of power :(

I dont know though, surely it would be a loss of power but no change in the power, I think it's changed, slightly. And it seems to rev properly out of gear so :/

[soulman123]

Sounds like the coil or possibly the MAF/AFM (air flow meter) ... You could disconnect it and see how it runs. Its on the air pipe from the air filter box doodah (very techy aren't I). Drive it around see how it runs if better with then thats the source if not rules it out I guess.

The jerking bit is making me think coil pack as thats a tell tale sign of coil woes..

Make sure the leads are in tact and on properly aswell on the spark plug side and coil side.

I'm not sure how to check the coil pack with a multimeter or what voltage they are supposed to chuck out, someone more insightful than me will be able to help hopefully :)

[suddste]

Sounds like the coil or possibly the MAF/AFM (air flow meter) ... You could disconnect it and see how it runs. Its on the air pipe from the air filter box doodah (very techy aren't I). Drive it around see how it runs if better with then thats the source if not rules it out I guess.

The jerking bit is making me think coil pack as thats a tell tale sign of coil woes..

Make sure the leads are in tact and on properly aswell on the spark plug side and coil side.

I'm not sure how to check the coil pack with a multimeter or what voltage they are supposed to chuck out, someone more insightful than me will be able to help hopefully :)

Thanks mate.

Although I know I do not have a MAF sensor, I have a MAP sensor, located on the throttle body, not sure if it's good I have a MAP sensor rahther than a MAF sensor. I could try unplugging that although I herd this pulls up the check engine light

[soulman123]

Ahhh I just assumed the 1.6 (mk 1.5) was a similar engine to the 1.8 mk 1.5. I'm not up on MAP sensors, although could be worth a try. If it does put a engine check light up you can use a cheap and cheerful diagnostic gizmo to remove it. I got one for £15 maybe less if you get a elm gizmo as the software installs on your laptop and you use that.

Sorry I couldn't be much help.

Good luck with the hunt, I know how frustrating it can be! chased my fair share of annoyances.

[suddste]

Ahhh I just assumed the 1.6 (mk 1.5) was a similar engine to the 1.8 mk 1.5. I'm not up on MAP sensors, although could be worth a try. If it does put a engine check light up you can use a cheap and cheerful diagnostic gizmo to remove it. I got one for £15 maybe less if you get a elm gizmo as the software installs on your laptop and you use that.

Sorry I couldn't be much help.

Good luck with the hunt, I know how frustrating it can be! chased my fair share of annoyances.

Thank you. I do have a cheap OBD scanner so i'm well equiped haha.

I take it you've had a similar problem then?

[soulman123]

Hehehe

Have I ever mate!!

On my previous car a mk4 golf I spent a lifetime hunting a similar kind of issue twice first time was easy turned out to be a coil pack. On that engine it had individual ones about each spark plug. It misfired aswell and a changed of coil packs cured that. Sencond that was the idle would shoot up to silly amount when in neutral, it went to a vw specialist who could not find any thing wrong with it to cause that. I spent 8 months of my life! on and off hunting it and it was the smallest hair line crack in the plastic pipe from the airbox!!!!! on the backside of it to I might add. So once replaced it disappeared. It was annoying beyong belief as when stuck at long traffic lights I stuck it in neutal once and was along side this elderly lady who thought I was a boy racer I guess and she said on the count of 3 I was confused at this point till she started revving her fiesta!!! She took off like a rocket before I even dipped the clutch!!! from that day onwards I left it in gear as my low ego could not take a brutal bashing like that, to add my 13 year old daughter in the back could not stop laughing and still makes fun of me calling me various F1 drivers,,, ahem moving on so yeah had a few ghosts hunting expeditions in the past. It does drive you cuckoooo!! but keep at it and eventually you find it, hopefully.

I did read somewhere that fords do like genuine parts like plugs, leads etc so might be worth making sure its all stock. Might not be a cause but just something that popped in to my mind.

Good luck with it John.

[suddste]

Hehehe

Have I ever mate!!

On my previous car a mk4 golf I spent a lifetime hunting a similar kind of issue twice first time was easy turned out to be a coil pack. On that engine it had individual ones about each spark plug. It misfired aswell and a changed of coil packs cured that. Sencond that was the idle would shoot up to silly amount when in neutral, it went to a vw specialist who could not find any thing wrong with it to cause that. I spent 8 months of my life! on and off hunting it and it was the smallest hair line crack in the plastic pipe from the airbox!!!!! on the backside of it to I might add. So once replaced it disappeared. It was annoying beyong belief as when stuck at long traffic lights I stuck it in neutal once and was along side this elderly lady who thought I was a boy racer I guess and she said on the count of 3 I was confused at this point till she started revving her fiesta!!! She took off like a rocket before I even dipped the clutch!!! from that day onwards I left it in gear as my low ego could not take a brutal bashing like that, to add my 13 year old daughter in the back could not stop laughing and still makes fun of me calling me various F1 drivers,,, ahem moving on so yeah had a few ghosts hunting expeditions in the past. It does drive you cuckoooo!! but keep at it and eventually you find it, hopefully.

I did read somewhere that fords do like genuine parts like plugs, leads etc so might be worth making sure its all stock. Might not be a cause but just something that popped in to my mind.

Good luck with it John.

LMAO! That is a truely epic story there.

It is all stock yeah. Motorcraft coil pack and everything. There would be about 45,00mls on that coilpack along with everything else.

[btmaldon]

If the plugs were changed (which isnt very often these days) the leads should be changed at the same time as they do not like being pulled about when they have been in place for a few years.

[suddste]

If the plugs were changed (which isnt very often these days) the leads should be changed at the same time as they do not like being pulled about when they have been in place for a few years.

That sounds like a good idea, never thought of it. Anyone have the part number or reccomend me a link? If thier cheap i'll buy some and see if it fixes it

[soulman123]

Might be worth getting genuine ones or if thats a bit costly then euro car parts should be fine. If you put you registration in the eurocarparts site search leads the right one will pop up also enter promo code winter25 and you get 25% off which helps. For my focus the 1.8 the leads are £24.60 without discount and with £18.45, I recall asking ford about them some time back it was something like £11 quid each may be wrong though. But aparantly fords like genuine parts come ignition systems so may worth spending the extra for the genuine bits.

http://www.eurocarparts.com/

[suddste]

just changed the coil pack and it's a bit different but power is still not the same

[H3lly]

Have you changed the crank shaft position sensor? sits on the rear of the top left of the engine. I think it's a 10mm to bolt off.

[Andy 1965]

just changed the coil pack and it's a bit different but power is still not the same

Hi John. Try unplugging the throttle position sensor and see how it runs. I had similar symptoms and changed the TPS which cured the problem. It is an easy job with two torx screws. Also check for any vacuum leaks, particularly at the PCV hose which sits behind the manifold. These are prone to split at the elbow as mine done and will cause an erratic idle.

[suddste]

Hi, thanks for the replies, not sure if it's the crankshaft position sensor, even if it was, I probably wouldnt be able to change myself anyway

and I dont think it's a vaccum leak...I dont hear any hissing sound comming from the engien bay.

Other symptoms are: higher engine sound, jerky (especially when cold) at low speeds

[suddste]

anyone? it's really bothering me now!

One other symptom...I hear a whining sound at almost exactly 40mph, no other speed does it do this, it's not gear damage as if I go WOT the sound will go, it's only at partial throttle.