Just Had My Mk1 Focus Checked At Ford Service Center - Need Some Advice

[Paladine]

So I just had my MK1 Ford Focus 1.8 TDDi checked at the Ford service center and they gave me this huge list of repairs with a whopping quote of around £2000.

Brake fluid leak right rear wheel

Leaking Turbo

Leaking Top Sump

Leaking A/C Compressor

Dented Sump

Front Disks and Pads

I am presuming leaking turbo, compressor and top sump are all gaskets based on what they said but they said to change the top sump gasket requires removing the gear box.

Dented Sump I presume is a nothing issue and them just trying to get more money from me (I have no leaks on my driveway)

I also presume I can fix the rear brake fluid leak by simply replacing the cylinder?

Anyone have any idea how much the parts should cost and approximate labour charges I could expect from an independent for the work? Also does the gearbox really have to be removed to change the top sump gasket?

He also said the entire rear suspension needs replacing but didn't include it on the quote - I am not noticing any suspension issues when I am driving so I suspect again he might have been trying to pull a fast one.

He talks about a lot of leaking fluids but I have zero, and I mean zero fluids on my driveway.

I asked them to take a look because I am blowing some white smoke when I first start the car in the morning (only for the first couple of minutes) so I presume this white smoke is being caused by the gasket issue in the top sump (although they failed to clarify this to me when they gave me the quote).

This is why I hate going to dealers because in my experience they always try to pull a fast one. 2k for changing some disks and gaskets seems incredibly excessive to me. If the sump is dented is this really an issue (it isn't leaking)?

Thanks in advance for any advice which may be forthcoming.

[biff55]

get another inspection by a recommended independent garage and compare the reports

i wouldnt be surprised if 50% of the defects were "exaggerated" and the other 50% over-priced........

[Paladine]

OK so I have just watched some instructional videos on replacing the disks / pads on the front and the entire brake assembly (cylinders, drums, shoes etc) on the back and I think I can manage to do those myself which will save me some money.

The A/C is not a huge priority but I will do the soapy water test to make sure it isn't just bad hoses.

The turbo - I don't have a clue where to start with the turbo - so any advice here would be really great.

The top sump sealant I will have to get an independent to do because I simply don't have the time or the competence to do that myself - is it true the gear box has to be removed for this? If I am having the sump seal done is it worth replacing all the other engine gaskets at the same time - it seems to make sense to me since the block will need to be dismantled to replace the sump seal? Are there any other recommended repairs or maintenance if I am taking the block apart - removing the gear box which might save me some trouble down the road?

Given the age of the car would it be sensible to replace things like the injector seals as well? Maybe replace the belts?

Thanks again for any responses.

[williamweb]

I feel your pain buddy.Get a second opinion and take it to a reputable independent.

Sent from my iPad using Ford OC

[TomsFocus]

oil leaks are normal on old cars, would ignore them all myself.

Brake fluid leak is an issue that needs to be sorted. As are low pads and discs.

Air con compressor is up to you, it won't work if it's leaking but if it is the compressor that'll be easy to swap for a used one, it's 4 bolts and 2 pipes. You will need the system pressure tested for any further leaks and re-filled at cost of around £50 though.

Turbo leak needs to be much more specific, is it the turbo itself or just a pipe? oil leak or air leak?

[Paladine]

Oil leaks are normal on old cars, would ignore them all myself.

Brake fluid leak is an issue that needs to be sorted. As are low pads and discs.

Air con compressor is up to you, it won't work if it's leaking but if it is the compressor that'll be easy to swap for a used one, it's 4 bolts and 2 pipes. You will need the system pressure tested for any further leaks and re-filled at cost of around £50 though.

Turbo leak needs to be much more specific, is it the turbo itself or just a pipe? Oil leak or air leak?

Well with regards to the seal, I really want to deal with the white smoke issue so I will probably get the top sump seal fixed anyway and will probably get the gaskets and belts changed at the same time.

With the Turbo, they never gave me specifics, just that it was leaking - so I need to get myself one of those ECU gadgets and find out what codes are coming up - the service center held their cards very close to their chest (presumably because if they gave me too many details they knew I would be able to get the work done much cheaper elsewhere) and only gave me very general information - they wouldn't even give me the codes despite me asking for them 5 times. I understand I can do a soapy water test on the Turbo to see if any bubbles are coming out to try and detect air leaks - so that will be my first task on the Turbo. I just need to find some good youtube videos on checking the Focus Turbo.

The brakes I will fix myself - it is trivial and should only take me a couple of hours max to do all four corners - even with my inexperienced hands.

[TomsFocus]

I think what you call the top sump is what I'd call the rocker/cam cover? It won't make any difference to smoke. All it'll do is dribble oil down the outside of the engine a bit.

If they read codes to determine the turbo being faulty, it's likely to be an air leak. Which is more often than not a split hose. You are correct in that using soapy water and revving the engine a bit should make bubbles but you'll probably see of hear the leak anyway. There is a common pipe that splits on the 1.8 so have a quick search on here for that.

Brakes are fairly easy, just make sure they're bled properly if you change the drum slave cylinder yourself.

[Paladine]

I think what you call the top sump is what I'd call the rocker/cam cover? It won't make any difference to smoke. All it'll do is dribble oil down the outside of the engine a bit.

If they read codes to determine the turbo being faulty, it's likely to be an air leak. Which is more often than not a split hose. You are correct in that using soapy water and revving the engine a bit should make bubbles but you'll probably see of hear the leak anyway. There is a common pipe that splits on the 1.8 so have a quick search on here for that.

Brakes are fairly easy, just make sure they're bled properly if you change the drum slave cylinder yourself.

I just watched a video on how to remove the turbo from the 1.6 TDCi (which is different to the 1.8 TDDI but I guess the principles will be the same) so if it is not an air leak I will remove the pipes and check for oil then have a look at the turbo itself. Refurbished/second hand turbos here are very cheap (I live in Poland despite being English) and I can pick one up from around 20-50 quid, so replacing it won't be a big cost.

So if the top sump leak is not responsible for the white smoke it may well still be the head gasket or the injectors/injector seals - I guess I will need to investigate that further.

Thanks for the advice.

[Paladine]

I have also read a lot about people inserting EGR blanking plates - is this something I should also consider doing?

Once I have finished with the mechanical niggles I am thinking of remapping to increase power - I understand I can improve performance by upto around 30% on the 1.8 TDDI with a remap? Is it possible to do this myself or do I need to take it to a specialist? I have seen a number of "plug n play" type modules but they seem quite expensive (around £300-£500) which would seem a little excessive for such an old car.

[TomsFocus]

You are mixing engines I'm afraid, the 1.8TDDi is a completely different engine to the 1.6TDCi. The turbo is down the back of the engine so not as easy to access. Injector seals are a 1.6 problem, don't think they're an issue on the 1.8.

EGR blank is a good idea on any diesel though.

As for tuning, don't get a cheap tuning box as they can cause engine damage. Best bet is a remap or something like Bluefin, but neither are cheap!