Winter Diesel Additives, 1.6Tdci Blocked Fuel Filter

[jst008]

Hi Guys, thought I would try & bring this back to the original thread.

I'm not trying to say one brand is better than others it's about why the fuel waxes in the filter on the 1.6tdci Econetic at low temperatures (albeit not very cold).

I've looked at virtually every other thread & on one there is a guy with exactly the same problem with the same car. He has taken it further than me & has posted pictures of the fuel from the filter which has waxed & fuel from the tank etc etc.

I've learn't a lot recently about the cloud points of fuel, CFPP's, when the switch over to summer fuel is - BP say it's the 15th March, but can not say if the date is flexible due to local weather conditions. Also the lower the micron number is on a filter the lower the CFPP figure is, anybody know how fine the Econetic fuel filter is? And it's not only Fords - but maybe it's the Ford/PSA engine that is also in Peugots & Citroens AND Range Rover Evoques as on their thread there is someone who also had a blocked filter in the cold due to waxing of fuel & has been told it's a common problem. His RAC man even carries more fuel filters in his van when the weather is cold.

There is something specific such as a design flaw or just a collection of a few events that when combined cause this problem. Is it the route the fuel pipe takes from the tank to the filter, is it subjected to ....something?? Is it the increased levels of biodiesel in the fuel (which don't like the winter & don't react the same way to the winter additives), by increased levels of biodiesel I mean more than the minimum required by law. Is it the Econetic engine & it's supersensitive design (finer fuel filter, increased injector pressure). Is it condensation in a half fill tank (but this would happen to all models - but the Econetic filter is finer!).

We need a Ford CSI team to sort this out as it is way above the supermarket versus big brand fuel debate.

By the way if you are interested the link to that other forum is: http://www.talkford.com/topic/212419-diesel-fuel-filter-waxing-every-time-there-is-cold-weather/ only look once though & then back to this one.

[ScotsFocus]

Jst008, I hope you get this problem solved soon. Have you complained to directly to Ford about it.... Personally I'd give them the feedback you've got via the Facebook page under Ford UK. All customer care departments need a good old nudge from a post on Facebook!

It would be interesting how Volvo deal with this problem, given the climate in Sweden. I think they use this engine in the C30, C70, S40, V40, V50, (Focus platform) S60, S60, V70 (Mondeo platform)... know as the D3... I wonder what the spec is for the filters on them!

[FOCA]

J

It would be interesting how Volvo deal with this problem, given the climate in Sweden. I think they use this engine in the C30, C70, S40, V40, V50, (Focus platform) S60, S60, V70 (Mondeo platform)... know as the D3... I wonder what the spec is for the filters on them!

Artic countries have different diesel with a lower freezing (solidifiing or waxing) point

So exactly the same cars/ engines with the same filters may not have the same problem/s because the artic diesel stays liquid at a lower temprature

Germany has 3 specs - Summer (0 degree C) Spring/ autum (-10 degrees C) Winter (-20 degrees C)

UK appears to have only 2 (summer and winter)

Remember winter diesel has a lower calorific value than summer diesel

UK pump diesel needs to contain at least 5% bio-diesel some has 7% - it has to comply to minimum freezing/ waxing/ solidifing points though

Since 2006/7 we have been supplied with ULSD - ultra low sulphor diesel - the sulphor was an exellent lubricant, this was replaced with the bio-diesel (5-7%) the diesel we get now is very different from the diesel in or before 2005

Diesel supplied in the UK has minimum specs (one for summer/ one for winter) "supermarket" diesel has the same min. spec as as the big oil companies supply in their filling stations

[FOCA]

Hi Guys, thought I would try & bring this back to the original thread.

By the way if you are interested the link to that other forum is: http://www.talkford.com/topic/212419-diesel-fuel-filter-waxing-every-time-there-is-cold-weather/ only look once though & then back to this one.

Stick a link on Talkford to FOC, i bet they would remove it or reprimand you (they are not as enlightened as us, unfortunately)

[bladeage]

OK!

.....Lets get down to the great debate of red diesel and its properties, how and why you should not use it in modern vehicles ??

Please before that discussion starts then do a proper search on the internet regarding sulphur content for grades of diesel and deposits etc.

I thought I might just add this into the mix ....just in case anyone out there thinks they can use red diesel in there new cars (2001-ish onwards).

How many of you know/think that red diesel is just normal diesel with a red dye added so tax/customs can catch you out?

That was (20 yrs ago/still is!) how they used to catch fuel cheats out, they dont need to now as we all have alloy cylinder heads, shimmed valve seats,DPF's and so on.

.....so it continues! lol....summat to talk about !

[jst008]

Probably the last word on this subject, I have received an official reply from Ford Technical Information Centre who state...

“…..This concern is being investigated by all vehicle manufactures at present, not just Ford.

The concern is noted to occur in cold weather conditions. It is suspected to be caused by a differing bio fuel composition between different fuel manufactures. When the differing bio compositions are mixed in a tank, a reaction appears to be happening under cold weather conditions, forming a jelly like substance, which produces a restriction in the fuel filter.

However this is still being investigated & we are unable to provide a definitive answer. The above explanation is what we believe to be happening at this stage of the investigations. It has been confirmed however to be a fuel issue, rather than an engine of duel fuel system design concern.

I can also assure you that all vehicle manufactures appear to be reporting the same concern this winter, not just Ford…….”

[turnbulldr]

I also have this 1.6d mondeo and living north of Herts, in Scotland where the average temp is 5 degrees colder I have not had this issue. However, I have always been somewhat disappointed at MPG and the car was stuck at 48.6 regardless of what I did or however I drove. A couple of months ago I dropped into an Esso garage and mistakenly filled up with premium deisel which at 14p per litre more was a tad expensive. Whatever was in the fuel, be it cleaners, detergents or cetane boosters, I noticed the car was more responsive right away and after about 300 miles the MPG started creeping up. It is currently at 50.5, despite using plain old supermarket fuel since then, so if you are having fuel/filter issues it might be an idea to pay the extra £12 and fill up with this fuel to see if it sorts out the problem (far cheaper than another fuel filter). Currently I intend not to use any redex/millers or other additives but to use cheapest fuel all year but once every six months, to get a tank of the premium fuel. As this car is Euro 5 and has the cat I also spend 20 mins running it at 70mph in 4th gear (thus acheiving the 3k revs) on cruise control either very early on (around 2am) or late at night (11pm) on the motorway so. The car is noticeably better for the next week or so and it should prolong the cat's life. let me know if this works for you.

[jeebowhite]

Not sure how this thread skipped me by, but that is an excellent post by John!

It seems to make more sense now!

[bry0586]

just been reading through this and did what i read is right, diesels like umm injectors pressure etc is 1,800 bar????

[jeebowhite]

Yeah they are high pressure systems

Sent from my MY SAGA C2 using Ford OC mobile app

[bry0586]

Wow.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Ford OC mobile app

[SandyCat]

When I had my Mk3 TDCI I had terrible cold weather lumpiness and cutting out.

A bottle of BG244 in a full tank of Shell cured it and I just repeated it every 12 months and never had any more problems.