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1.6 Tdci Warm Up Times...?


TomsFocus
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Hi guys,

I know its cold atm, between 2-4c most of the time I'm in the car. But it's taking a long while to warm up, which is obviously reducing the economy, plus I'm getting chlly while waiting for the heaters lol. I also find that the temp drops off on a steady drive at 30-45mph or at idle, it's not getting up to temp on my whole 15 mile drive to town. Now I know its an economical engine but even for a diesel I've never had the same scenario!!

It does eventually reach the middle of the gauge, presumably where the stat opens and it drops just under the mid mark where it stays unless I park up and idle for a few minutes (noticed after warming engine for an oil change).

I know cars do run at different temps, I've owned a Vectra CDTi which had a broken stat and the guage didn't move, then I replaced the stat and it stayed at a solid 90 after about 5 minutes. My Golf TDi's stayed at a solid 90 but cant remember how quick it got there. And my 306 HDi's only ever hit 75c but they're known for running cold. The petrol would bounce the temp gauge all over the place lol. So I just want to know if this is normal for the DV6 Focus, or if there is a fault somewhere?

Cheers

Tom

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have you checked radiator hose to see if its warm after that 15 mile drive

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15 miles in a diesel with heaters on hot will take a while and the gauge is showing coolant temp not engine temp .you must remember that using the heater draws heat away from the engine so this increases the time it takes for the coolant to heat up the engine itself will be up to temp though

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Doesn't having the EGR valve blocked also increase time to warm up? I know mine takes from between 5 and 10 miles to heat up fully but is noticeable after a couple of miles.

I don't have the heaters set to extremes though, usually within 45 degrees of the centre line, I figured that metal doesn't react to well to extreme temperature differentials, its probably nothing to do with it but Ive always kept that in mind for the cabin heater system, broken pipes and leaks in the foot well, that kinda thing, I cant see rapidly expanding and contracting metal can be good for any of it.

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have you checked radiator hose to see if its warm after that 15 mile drive

Nope, good idea.

15 miles in a diesel with heaters on hot will take a while and the gauge is showing coolant temp not engine temp .you must remember that using the heater draws heat away from the engine so this increases the time it takes for the coolant to heat up the engine itself will be up to temp though

Yeah I understand that, but usually oil is up to temp around the same point that the coolant is, that's when you'd take an emissions reading for example. If the coolant is too cold it's always taking heat away from the engine reducing it's efficiency. I still don't see that it should take that long even with heaters on though?

Doesn't having the EGR valve blocked also increase time to warm up? I know mine takes from between 5 and 10 miles to heat up fully but is noticeable after a couple of miles.

I don't have the heaters set to extremes though, usually within 45 degrees of the centre line, I figured that metal doesn't react to well to extreme temperature differentials, its probably nothing to do with it but Ive always kept that in mind for the cabin heater system, broken pipes and leaks in the foot well, that kinda thing, I cant see rapidly expanding and contracting metal can be good for any of it.

I never blocked my EGR afterall. But yeah, the EGR cooler also acts as a coolant warmer for a short while.

The heater runs at the same temp whatever you have the gauge set to, it just uses flaps to add more or less cold with the heat from the matrix, so you can stick the knob where you like lol. I find the heating system in the Focus pretty poor anyway tbh, its not even climatic in a Titanium, and I know electronic climate was an expensive otpion! Find I'm always fiddling with the knob trying to find a comfortable temperature. :(

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I find fiddling with one's knob whilst driving can be very distracting . . . . :D

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there you go, learn something new every day, should really have thought about that before, no more luke warm cars for me! lol

So Engine > Heat > Matrix> mixed with cool air if needed > toasty feet. Take the heat out of the Matrix will draw heat from the engine, I presume the AC feeds in to the cool air supply.

The less heat exchanged from the matrix to the cabin will keep more heat in the engine, (as already pointed out above)

But youll be better off having the temp in the middle anyway until you get warmed up or youll freeze your nuts off.... so im kinda right!

Theres also something very geeky talking about heat exchanges!

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I've noticed the same thing happening with mine , when I had my defender I use to cover the front grille in winter to help it warm up might try it out on me focus

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Strictly speaking, if the thermostat's doing its job that shouldn't be necessary.

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Mine (2008 1.6 TDCI Zebec) takes ages (15 mins at least) for the temp gauge to reach 90. Luckily I seem to have that pre-heater thing, and warm air comes from the vents straight away if I whack it unto full temp.

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Mines also a 2008 1.6 TDCi but I don't seem to get instant heat, takes about 5 miles at 40mph before getting heat from the vents. I'm sure there should be some sort of extra heater though, any idea how it's triggered? The handbook isn't clear on which models got them or when they come on.

On my Peugeots they had a coolant heater which was basically 4 glowplugs stuck in a heater hose, just worked under a certain temp and would heat up the cabin heater much quicker than the Focus, despite being twice as old lol.

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According to www.etis.ford.com for my car -

  • With Supplemental Air Heater

Not entirely sure if this is it though. Perhaps there's a fuse you can check the absence/presence of?

​Warm air comes from my vents straight away, even from cold. If I don't take the motorway to work the coolant doesn't ever get to 90 before the end of my journey.

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With Supplemental Air Heater

mines listed as having it too, but it doesn't appear to give heat straight away, ill have a hunt in the fuse box, is there something physical we could check to see if its present?

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Mine has it too listed on ETIS.

Have been doing a bit more research and it seems the extra heater only comes on when temp is set to max. Don't think theres a 'max' written on the dial so I'll put mine as far into the red as it'll go and see if that makes a difference.

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Also depends how you drive. As its been very cold I've driven far more leisurely so that the engine gets a gentle run in, rather than going from frost bitten too hellfire in a 2 minutes... That of course has affected the speed in which it heats up... Giving it beans will warm it... But also possibly break it.

Pack a hot water bottle..

Sent via carrier pigeon using Ford OC

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I had a wee look on microcat and its definitely listed as a part for my car, but it didn't appear to do anything this morning when sub zero and heat set to max, had a quick scan through the fuses without much luck either

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I always drive carefully until the temp needle is past about 75c - I've popped more than one headgasket in the past and don't really want to make a habit of it! :lol: Always cringe if I have to overtake something when the engines still cold lol.

Don't need a hot water bottle with my lovely heated leather seats. :P Shame they only heat your backside though, could do with a heater in the backrest as well tbh.

I didn't go out today afterall, Dee, so never tried mine. Not looking good if it didn't make a difference on yours though.

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For into mine this morning wishing I had one of those heated steering wheels I laughed at when BMW had them standard...

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Although my Focus is the 1.8 tdci it also takes ages to heat up. Even when it has heat up the heater is not that great. Gave my mate a lift this evening and I was waiting for him in the car with heater on for about 20 minutes. Heater on as hot as it could go and the hot air coming out was pants.

I would go as far as to say the Focus must have one of the worse heaters I have ever had in a car.

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Although my Focus is the 1.8 tdci it also takes ages to heat up. Even when it has heat up the heater is not that great. Gave my mate a lift this evening and I was waiting for him in the car with heater on for about 20 minutes. Heater on as hot as it could go and the hot air coming out was pants.

I would go as far as to say the Focus must have one of the worse heaters I have ever had in a car.

Same here, on the same engine...but I would say it's because of diesel engine, not Ford's heaters...don't have this issue on mom's little 1,25l Fiesta...

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Same here, on the same engine...but I would say it's because of diesel engine, not Ford's heaters...don't have this issue on mom's little 1,25l Fiesta...

My Focus ST is a bit better but I wouldnt say much.

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Same here, on the same engine...but I would say it's because of diesel engine, not Ford's heaters...don't have this issue on mom's little 1,25l Fiesta...

Yeh, but any car you drive like it's stolen tends to heat up pretty quick... :lol:

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I can jump in my focus get about half a mile down the road and the temp gage moves round to just before the centre then about 5-10minutes later I get hot air then really hot air! Can never seem to get the right temp. Either too hot or too cold.

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