New car, few issues....

[Adam_v64]

Hi Folks, I hope you can help advise me

I've recently got me a new 2010 focus estate (1.8TDCi MK2.5 facelift), after my last Focus' timing chain went on the motorway at 184k. 

The new car is ex fire service, and has only 34k mileage, and overall great condition. Handling etc very tight, feels like new, clutch lovely.

Since ive had it I've noticed a few differences between this and my last Focus which had the same engine, which are concerning me.

1) After switch off, what sounded like a fan spinning was audible on my last car, you could hear it spinning down after the engine stopped (turbo fan?). When I switch this one off, nothing, engine stops with nothing else I can hear spinning down.


2) between 1500 and 2000 RPM when lightly accelerating, SOMETIMES it feels a bit....juddery. Like the acceleration isn't smooth. Put your foot down and it gets past it. Its more noticeable going up hill if anything and doesn't happen all the time. Its quite slight and my local garage said they couldn't find any fault on the test drive.


3) Aux power circuit shorted, cig lighter dead and blows fuse. I suspect wiring and will sort this myself, im guessing the old lights and siren weren't very well decommed - the siren amp is still under the passenger seat!


Anything you can advise I check for the first 2 points? Im trying some injector cleaner and might look at EGR cleaning.

Thanks
Adam

[TomsFocus]

The only fan spinning down would be the radiator fan if you had air con on all the time?

You certainly shouldn't be able to hear the turbo spinning down.

As for the slight judder, has it has a fuel filter change recently?

[Adam_v64]

That’s good to know. 

 

Yes it had a new fuel filter with the service after I bought it, along with the other filters.

 

it had the problem before it was changed, I’d hoped for it to go away. 

[Adam_v64]

Do these have an in-tank fuel pump or sender before the filter?

If not the fuel filter is there anything else I should consider?

It is specifically on lighter acceleration and lower revs. Any other kind of driving, motorway etc, it pulls very well. The judder is very slight, if anything maybe "hestitation" is a better word.

In the meantime Im trying a fuel treatment and might have a look at some EGR cleaner

[TomsFocus]

There's no in tank pump on these.   

This sort of hesitation is fairly common but often very difficult to locate unfortunately.  I'd suggest it is an injector fault but injector cleaner is unlikely to make any difference.  You could also try fitting an EGR blank briefly to rule out the EGR as the cause, it shouldn't throw any fault lights on this engine.

It would also be worth scanning for fault codes with Ford specific software such as ForScan, there's plenty of info about that on here, it's very cheap and useful for any Ford owner!

[Adam_v64]

Thanks Tom, I will look into the fault code software you mention.

Are replacement injectors expensive? I understand they aren't too bad to remove. I'll likely live with it for now and see if it gets any worse.

Regarding EGRs / blanking plates, is this the model where you need to remove many other parts to take the EGR off? And is fitting a blanking plate a difficult job?

I don't have a lot of experience with cars, just basic servicing. But I do lots of electro-mechanical work on other things

 

 

 

[Michaelbennett95]

How did you get on? I’m having the same issue with my 1.0 ecoboost

[Adam_v64]

Haven’t tried anything yet. The problem is still there but not as noticeable. Fuel treatment maybe - or wishful thinking 🙂

id say my MPG is definitely a bit less on this car compared with my last, and I doubt it’s because it’s the estate version 

I’ve ordered an adaptor to use the ForScan software and will report back what that tells me.

ive located where the blanking plate would be fitted, and it looks like an easy job - remove a firewall panel above, 2 bolts, then fit the plate and gasket. Just not sure if you have 2 gaskets, one either side or if 1 where that one goes. I haven’t ordered yet anyway as I’ll see what the software tells me first 

[Adam_v64]

UPDATE: On my 2nd attempt at buying a cheapo ELM327 I managed to get one that seems to work with Forscan - for the most part.

No DTC fault codes showing, diagnostics pass, but the OBD2 "engine on" test starts "EGR test", then says "Malfunction detected", but no elaboration. To be honest it seems to happen so quick im not sure it is even really running it, could be a quirk of the cheapo adaptor.

I streamed various bits of data and went on a drive, and got someone to hit print screen for me when the problem happened to log the time stamp. Looking back at the graph data, I see a dip in "Airflow per cylinder" at the time of the fault, and a smaller dip in air flow via MAF sensor (pretty negligible).

Could this drop in air flow per cylinder point to a problem with the EGR valve? I have a Haynes coming, and have ordered a blank plate and gasket (£5 ebay), once I've looked at the torque settings ill get a torque wrench and fit the plate

 

 

[Adam_v64]

Just thought Id update this. Ford had a look at the car Friday, and said the following:

 

"CARRY OUT CH CLEAER FAULT CODES, EGR VALVE CLEAN - EGR CLEAN FUNCTION - RESET, ROAD TEST AND ALL OK.

 ADVISE TO ADD FUEL CLEANER AND QUALITY FUEL. VERY SLIGHT KNOCK FROM INJECTOR AND STICK"

 

They updated the engine management software as well. The fault was still there, though a little better due to a better map I guess.

I always use V-Power diesel, but I got some more Wynns diesel clean extreme, and instead added it to half a tank (the max dose).It seems much better after 50 miles or so of driving. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

[TomsFocus]

Somehow missed the updates to this thread.  Easy fix if it just required an EGR clean!  

[Adam_v64]

The key difference seems to have been made by using Wynns diesel clean extreme at the higher dose meant for badly soiled engines.

I wonder if it got this way due to its very low mileage - 9 year old car, 34k on the clock. If its sat for a long time without being regularly driven maybe that was a factor, and cheap fuel of course.

Hoping that's it and if I keep using good fuel and redex etc it will maintain it

[TomsFocus]

I'm surprised Ford advised you to use fuel cleaner tbh, the handbooks usually advise against it!  

Low mileage is a sure fire way to coke up a diesel engine, particularly the EGR valve and turbo vanes.  It'll probably be alright now without the need for any more redex etc.

[Adam_v64]

OK, ill run what's left down low to get as much diesel clean through as possible and see how I go. I always use premium fuel and do plenty of motorway mileage so maybe that will be enough.

I never used any additives in my last car which had the same engine. I did 120k in that car and never had any problems with injectors