Focus 2.0 TDCi - Rough Start and Running

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, CALLUMLE said:

Morning all, big update if anybody is following...

After nearly a week of investigation at the garage we have managed to get to the bottom of the issue. It turns out that the car does have a DPF present but it was giving static information when the car was running or engine revving. Upon finding the DPF and opening it up, it turns out somebody has smashed up the internals of it and remapped the car's ECU to ignore the resulting codes and warnings. It also turns out a hose connected to this system was split and the inside absolutely full of soot. The glow plugs have also stopped working and may not have been working properly before.

Big mess which results in me needing a new DPF, new hose, remapping the car and new glow plugs. No idea how much this would cost (waiting on a price now) but I feel I'll probably do a big gulp when I see it land in my inbox!

DPF has no effect on tax cost btw, it's there to remove particulates, not CO2 which tax is based on.  

On a 2008 model it's likely to use the Eolys additive system which may or may not have been disabled when remapped.  Some mappers just leave them connected so it might now be empty and need refilling.  Others keep them connected but fill them with diesel - if this is the case you'll need it drained and filled with Eolys otherwise it won't regen.  Some just unplug them.  If it's been unplugged and unused for a while it might no longer function properly.

I really don't envy you in this situation as it'll cost several hundred to put it right and even then you won't know if everything works properly for a while...  

[CALLUMLE]

12 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

DPF has no effect on tax cost btw, it's there to remove particulates, not CO2 which tax is based on.  

On a 2008 model it's likely to use the Eolys additive system which may or may not have been disabled when remapped.  Some mappers just leave them connected so it might now be empty and need refilling.  Others keep them connected but fill them with diesel - if this is the case you'll need it drained and filled with Eolys otherwise it won't regen.  Some just unplug them.  If it's been unplugged and unused for a while it might no longer function properly.

I really don't envy you in this situation as it'll cost several hundred to put it right and even then you won't know if everything works properly for a while...  

Thanks -- initially I assumed soot contained  CO²  and would reduce your vehicle tax rate, but clear now!

It has been confirmed that mine does use Eolys fluid which is present but the tank disconnected. I think the garage is likely to recommend refilling this which I've been quoted at £35 a litre.

Why people remap production line Ford Focus Estates is beyond me, but then again I like keeping everything standard and original.

The rest of the car is in very good condition, runs fantastic when warm and I want it back on the road if this garage bill isn't too much of a shock. That said I am still within time to return the car under Section 78 of the Consumer Credit Act but hope it doesn't come to that 😞 

[TomsFocus]

1 minute ago, CALLUMLE said:

Thanks -- initially I assumed soot contained  CO²  and would reduce your vehicle tax rate, but clear now!

It has been confirmed that mine does use Eolys fluid which is present but the tank disconnected. I think the garage is likely to recommend refilling this which I've been quoted at £35 a litre.

Why people remap production line Ford Focus Estates is beyond me, but then again I like keeping everything standard and original.

The rest of the car is in very good condition, runs fantastic when warm and I want it back on the road if this garage bill isn't too much of a shock. That said I am still within time to return the car under Section 78 of the Consumer Credit Act but hope it doesn't come to that 😞 

The Eolys DPF system never did work properly, it will have been removed as it kept blocking up...  I did the same myself a few years ago...needed a 3rd DPF by 50k miles so it was cheaper and easier to remove and remap instead! 

 

[CALLUMLE]

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

The Eolys DPF system never did work properly, it will have been removed as it kept blocking up...  I did the same myself a few years ago...needed a 3rd DPF by 50k miles so it was cheaper and easier to remove and remap instead! 

 

Does it depend on driving style or are they - by design - prone to blocking up? Not good to hear you went through 3 after 50k on the clock!

[TomsFocus]

4 minutes ago, CALLUMLE said:

Does it depend on driving style or are they - by design - prone to blocking up? Not good to hear you went through 3 after 50k on the clock!

Bit of both really!  It's a poorly designed system, it's impossible to have any sort of accuracy when you're just dribbling a bit of Eolys fluid into 50 litres of diesel and hoping that mixes perfectly at the correct ratio.  Then short drives mean it blocks up quickly and doesn't burn off well when it finally gets the chances to regen because some of the soot is lacking in the additive.  The newer coated DPF is far more efficient which is why Ford switched to them in 2009.  

I was doing 12k a year when the 2nd DPF blocked so it's not like it was low mileage, but it was mostly B roads and very few constant steady stretches to complete the regen.  I have now owned a couple of cars with coated DPFs (Focus and Golf), do half as many miles now and a lot more short, cold journeys and they've coped much better! 

[south_bound]

You mentioned the EGR earlier in the thread - it would be worth checking this out as well now, as many blank it off and get it mapped out at the same time as doing the DPF.  If you get the car mapped back to original it might throw up a code if the EGR blanking plate is left in.  I am surprised that the lack of DPF is the cause of your problems, unless it was done badly which I guess you have no way of knowing at this stage.  I don't know how likely a new remap from a reputable mapper would work or even if they would be willing to do it, wouldn't that be better than taking it all back to original which is known to cause problems?

[CALLUMLE]

I've decided to return the car. The bill is going to be £700+ with labour, parts and recoding.

I can't afford that. The seller is not happy about takin git back so now starts a whole new process!

[TomsFocus]

35 minutes ago, CALLUMLE said:

I've decided to return the car. The bill is going to be £700+ with labour, parts and recoding.

I can't afford that. The seller is not happy about takin git back so now starts a whole new process!

I think you've made the right choice there!  Good luck...

[CALLUMLE]

Before I get stuck into the whole process of returning, does anybody know why I couldn't have the soot cleaned out to solve the smoke on start up?

The pressure reading the garage got from the exhaust was 15psi and he did say there was lots of soot in there and the split pipe.

I can't afford a new DPF and remap, so essentially -- can anything be done to improve the current situation with the DPF deleted but physically present?

Sorry for the questions this has been going around my head all day!