Hello all

Apologies to trouble you on this topic, which may of been discussed in the past, but I have discovered a sort of ticking noise on start up and when engine runs tick over! 1200rp

Its a constant tick pattern, comes from the area of timing belt (sort of top of engine side)

The Belt was replaced 40,000 miles ago with tensioner (ford original belt) - currently approx 112,000

Yes my car is 17 years old, but haven't thrashed it to bits, owned from new and fingers crossed it will last a bit longer!

A local garage did the belt - I do hope they did it right (sounds quite complex on the change of a ST170 timing belt , to get ot just right) and hope this is not damage cropping up!

Any advise would be much appreciated, Thanks :0)

11 hours ago, MrHmrC said:

Hello all

Apologies to trouble you on this topic, which may of been discussed in the past, but I have discovered a sort of ticking noise on start up and when engine runs tick over! 1200rp

Its a constant tick pattern, comes from the area of timing belt (sort of top of engine side)

The Belt was replaced 40,000 miles ago with tensioner (ford original belt) - currently approx 112,000

Yes my car is 17 years old, but haven't thrashed it to bits, owned from new and fingers crossed it will last a bit longer!

A local garage did the belt - I do hope they did it right (sounds quite complex on the change of a ST170 timing belt , to get ot just right) and hope this is not damage cropping up!

Any advise would be much appreciated, Thanks :0)

If you're able to share a video that may make it easier for us to tell 👍

Ford petrols from that era do tend to have ticky injectors and a bit of piston slap when cold but that's more of a trait than a fault. 

However I couldn't say for sure if it's normal without hearing it

9 hours ago, Focus_ said:

If you're able to share a video that may make it easier for us to tell 👍

Ford petrols from that era do tend to have ticky injectors and a bit of piston slap when cold but that's more of a trait than a fault. 

However I couldn't say for sure if it's normal without hearing it

Thanks for coming back to me, was trying to upload a video but doens't seem to let me, sorry new to this site, maybe I can do this via youtube

Just now, MrHmrC said:

Thanks for coming back to me, was trying to upload a video but doens't seem to let me, sorry new to this site, maybe I can do this via youtube

Yes upload to YouTube then grab the share link and it will auto embed 

1 hour ago, F0CUE said:

Yes upload to YouTube then grab the share link and it will auto embed 

hopefully this works, kind thanks:

 

10 hours ago, Focus_ said:

If you're able to share a video that may make it easier for us to tell 👍

Ford petrols from that era do tend to have ticky injectors and a bit of piston slap when cold but that's more of a trait than a fault. 

However I couldn't say for sure if it's normal without hearing it

https://vimeo.com/682023499

kind thanks :)

1 hour ago, MrHmrC said:

hopefully this works, kind thanks:

 

Hi, yes that works and I can watch it. 

Im assuming you are asking about the high pitched squeaking/chirping sound? 

If so - that sounds like it's on the Aux belt drive. You may have fluid on the belt (maybe something's leaking) or the belt is simply stretched and worn out so is slipping slightly. 

Does it get worse if you switch air-conditioning on, or put steering on full lock? I expect it should and that would confirm it's Aux belt related and thankfully not cambelt 😀👍

9 hours ago, Focus_ said:

Hi, yes that works and I can watch it. 

Im assuming you are asking about the high pitched squeaking/chirping sound? 

If so - that sounds like it's on the Aux belt drive. You may have fluid on the belt (maybe something's leaking) or the belt is simply stretched and worn out so is slipping slightly. 

Does it get worse if you switch air-conditioning on, or put steering on full lock? I expect it should and that would confirm it's Aux belt related and thankfully not cambelt 😀👍

Thank you, i shall have an investigate and update, kind thanks :0)

My ford Fusion 2010 had exact the same ticking sound noise when cold start, after a few minutes, the sound disappeared.

1 hour ago, ford2188 said:

My ford Fusion 2010 had exact the same ticking sound noise when cold start, after a few minutes, the sound disappeared.

Yep, if you mean chirping then that's probably also going to be the aux belt

1 hour ago, Focus_ said:

Yep, if you mean chirping then that's probably also going to be the aux belt

Thanks, i will try fluid on the belt to see if it helps and let you know when it happens again.

2 hours ago, ford2188 said:

Thanks, i will try fluid on the belt to see if it helps and let you know when it happens again.

No you don't want to put fluid on the belt, try candle wax 👍

17 hours ago, Focus_ said:

Hi, yes that works and I can watch it. 

Im assuming you are asking about the high pitched squeaking/chirping sound? 

If so - that sounds like it's on the Aux belt drive. You may have fluid on the belt (maybe something's leaking) or the belt is simply stretched and worn out so is slipping slightly. 

Does it get worse if you switch air-conditioning on, or put steering on full lock? I expect it should and that would confirm it's Aux belt related and thankfully not cambelt 😀👍

I shall show some pics of the belt, maybe looks a bit aged ? I have cleaned around and hovered up some ages debris, that has now become a little quieter but maybe coincidence and shall upload some vids soon

I also took of the mount as I wanted to check if any leaks from this, none, I also wanted to ask about the mount if it looks okay as I have some vibration - vid to follow, if this isn't something you specialise in I can always post it up, but you have been most helpful with your tips etc 😉

images today.pdf

5 minutes ago, MrHmrC said:

I shall show some pics of the belt, maybe looks a bit aged ? I have cleaned around and hovered up some ages debris, that has now become a little quieter but maybe coincidence and shall upload some vids soon

I also took of the mount as I wanted to check if any leaks from this, none, I also wanted to ask about the mount if it looks okay as I have some vibration - vid to follow, if this isn't something you specialise in I can always post it up, but you have been most helpful with your tips etc 😉

images today.pdf 3.11 MB · 1 download

None of that looks great to me I'm afraid! That AUX belt is knackered, you can see its fraying, and the white scoring in picture 1. It's not fouling anything is it?

That idler picture 7 looks like its been getting a bit warm, it maybe seized or tight. I'd be replacing the belt and checcking none of the pulleys are excessively tight or have play, if they do they or the component needs to be replaced. 

You say the cambelt was done 40,000 miles ago, how many years it that? I dont like the look of it either, it looks worn. Can you see or feel any tiny cracks? If so then the whole lot needs doing again. I doubt the previous garage have done anything wrong last time they did it, just looks like its all worn out through age. 

Are those 40000 miles mainly town or motorway driving?

11 minutes ago, MrHmrC said:

I shall show some pics of the belt, maybe looks a bit aged ? I have cleaned around and hovered up some ages debris, that has now become a little quieter but maybe coincidence and shall upload some vids soon

I also took of the mount as I wanted to check if any leaks from this, none, I also wanted to ask about the mount if it looks okay as I have some vibration - vid to follow, if this isn't something you specialise in I can always post it up, but you have been most helpful with your tips etc 😉

images today.pdf 3.11 MB · 1 download

Oh and to add, yes post up the mount and I will tell you 🙂 Also try to show the vibration under the engine bay and sitting inside the car so I can judge how bad it is 

2 hours ago, Focus_ said:

Oh and to add, yes post up the mount and I will tell you 🙂 Also try to show the vibration under the engine bay and sitting inside the car so I can judge how bad it is 

Well firsty I really appreciate your help - sadly Ford garages in the past have ripped me off and fogged me off, lefts bits of and not do a job that garages should do (sorry ford people reading this) I went to a local garage that I started to trust until, whole exhaust system put upside down, not tighted properly around the cat which left me in big trouble when it came loose and telling me cars on the ramp, needs few hours more work still, I turn up their 10 mins later as needed to grab milk nearby and told cars out being tested?? oh ???, many other things and so where I can I do what I can to sort my car out out, sadly no manual for the ST170 but over years have managed to collect info on stuff through great people like yourself and other car enthusiats... opps i'm going on, I shall upload more vids and pics and tomorrow see what othre things I can do as weather meant to be good.

I would love my car to carry on a few more years, sadly all things come to an end but trying to do my best to keep it going, its not a bad car really!

I guess the Aux belt its original

Worrying that 40,000 short journeys as I used to train to work too, but it did get me to cornwall and bad so had a long journey before covid

The bolt that holds the mount is completed stuck, probably looks like over tightened and can't remove! garage would of don that!

I also worry the garage didn't use correct torques, hence maybe things may not ne good re cam belt ???

 

Thanks again

3 hours ago, Focus_ said:

Oh and to add, yes post up the mount and I will tell you 🙂 Also try to show the vibration under the engine bay and sitting inside the car so I can judge how bad it is 

todays video with thanks 😉

 

 

9 minutes ago, MrHmrC said:

todays video with thanks 😉

 

 

 

1381432594_todaysotherimages.pdf

4 hours ago, Focus_ said:

Oh and to add, yes post up the mount and I will tell you 🙂 Also try to show the vibration under the engine bay and sitting inside the car so I can judge how bad it is 

Hi again, re: vibration that through the steering wheel and when down the motorway get vibrations, but finding out today that the rear bolt that holds mount to engine when I went to un do, literally just came away, no way the 80nm that it should of been!, this may change things - unfortunately I can't really drive the car much to test this as I believe I have front bearing issues, which is another job to be done!

1 hour ago, MrHmrC said:

Well firsty I really appreciate your help - sadly Ford garages in the past have ripped me off and fogged me off, lefts bits of and not do a job that garages should do (sorry ford people reading this) I went to a local garage that I started to trust until, whole exhaust system put upside down, not tighted properly around the cat which left me in big trouble when it came loose and telling me cars on the ramp, needs few hours more work still, I turn up their 10 mins later as needed to grab milk nearby and told cars out being tested?? oh ???, many other things and so where I can I do what I can to sort my car out out, sadly no manual for the ST170 but over years have managed to collect info on stuff through great people like yourself and other car enthusiats... opps i'm going on, I shall upload more vids and pics and tomorrow see what othre things I can do as weather meant to be good.

I would love my car to carry on a few more years, sadly all things come to an end but trying to do my best to keep it going, its not a bad car really!

I guess the Aux belt its original

Worrying that 40,000 short journeys as I used to train to work too, but it did get me to cornwall and bad so had a long journey before covid

The bolt that holds the mount is completed stuck, probably looks like over tightened and can't remove! garage would of don that!

I also worry the garage didn't use correct torques, hence maybe things may not ne good re cam belt ???

 

Thanks again

Ah it's a shame you've been messed about. I think you should speak to friends/family/neighbours to see if they can recommend a trusted local garage to go right through it. The car sounds like its got plenty of life left in it but will need a bit of spending I thin and some maintenance. 

So the AUX belt chirping seems to be better now, but I do hear two different ticking noises. The louder ticking/knocking at 1:17 sounds like a bit of lifter/follower noise. Have you checked the oil level and when was the oil last changed? I'm not certain but I think they might be adjustable on that engine so you may want to get a garage to adjust them if they think that would be necessary. The much quieter, softer ticking at 1:25 is just the fuel injectors and is perfectly normal. Ford petrol engines from that era are renowned for having noisy sounding injectors.

Short journeys themselves aren't a problem but its just the fact it takes you longer to do those miles so you reach the age interval instead of mileage interval. So what year was the cambelt work done?

Sorry which bolt are you referring to that is stuck? You seem to have removed the mount which is as far as the garage would have gone. There is excess movement in that mount and I would advise replacing it for comfort purposes. However the squishi-ness at 2:59 into the video is perfectly normal, just not the movement around 2:50

I'll be honest, in my opinion, torque settings on things like engine mounts are not important as long as they are done up tight.

The vibration at 80mph will most likely be the tyres needing balancing or perhaps one has gone out of shape or even worse has a bulge. 

My recommendation to you would be to find a trusted garage, give them a list of your concerns (i.e aux belt squeak, ticking noise from the top end, cambelt wear, vibration over 80mph) and ask them to give you their opinion and advice on what should need to be done. 

As I say, with some minor TLC you should have a pretty good car.

Something worth bearing in mind is the next MOT. When is it due? None of this (apart from the 80mph vibration possibly) should cause an MOT issue but it may be worth seeing if there are other problems you haven't noticed that will need to be sorted to pass the MOT. You wouldnt want to spend a few hundred £££ on the above just to find you need to spend a lot of money to pass an MOT, I'm sure you know what I mean. 

Cheers

1 hour ago, Focus_ said:

Ah it's a shame you've been messed about. I think you should speak to friends/family/neighbours to see if they can recommend a trusted local garage to go right through it. The car sounds like its got plenty of life left in it but will need a bit of spending I thin and some maintenance. 

So the AUX belt chirping seems to be better now, but I do hear two different ticking noises. The louder ticking/knocking at 1:17 sounds like a bit of lifter/follower noise. Have you checked the oil level and when was the oil last changed? I'm not certain but I think they might be adjustable on that engine so you may want to get a garage to adjust them if they think that would be necessary. The much quieter, softer ticking at 1:25 is just the fuel injectors and is perfectly normal. Ford petrol engines from that era are renowned for having noisy sounding injectors.

Short journeys themselves aren't a problem but its just the fact it takes you longer to do those miles so you reach the age interval instead of mileage interval. So what year was the cambelt work done?

Sorry which bolt are you referring to that is stuck? You seem to have removed the mount which is as far as the garage would have gone. There is excess movement in that mount and I would advise replacing it for comfort purposes. However the squishi-ness at 2:59 into the video is perfectly normal, just not the movement around 2:50

I'll be honest, in my opinion, torque settings on things like engine mounts are not important as long as they are done up tight.

The vibration at 80mph will most likely be the tyres needing balancing or perhaps one has gone out of shape or even worse has a bulge. 

My recommendation to you would be to find a trusted garage, give them a list of your concerns (i.e aux belt squeak, ticking noise from the top end, cambelt wear, vibration over 80mph) and ask them to give you their opinion and advice on what should need to be done. 

As I say, with some minor TLC you should have a pretty good car.

Something worth bearing in mind is the next MOT. When is it due? None of this (apart from the 80mph vibration possibly) should cause an MOT issue but it may be worth seeing if there are other problems you haven't noticed that will need to be sorted to pass the MOT. You wouldnt want to spend a few hundred £££ on the above just to find you need to spend a lot of money to pass an MOT, I'm sure you know what I mean. 

Cheers

Cheers for the reply. Appreciate the information:

Yes I will defo ask around and see if I can get a decent garage to look over raise points

80mph ahahaha, no 80nm newton meters

No I do drive quite sensible but will blow the cob webs out sometimes 😉

Oil change Dec 2021 (4 litres with oil filter change) 1 litre spare (5 litre purchased)

MOT passed Dec 2021

Cambelt - 2011, so nice one well spotted, thanks think this was meant to be - belt needs changing !

Injectors yes my dad also said may be a ford thing

Bolt, so where the mount bolts to the engine, two threaded bolts (star type tops) screw direct into the engine block first, mount block two holes (not threaded) slips over the two of them and then 2 x nuts over top tighten at 80nm, so removed one of the threaded bolts, just came off with 1/4 turn and the other just will not move at all, so tight the whole engine moves trying to remove, its either been forced in/overtightened - these have to come out to get to the cam belt area/release plastic cover plate (the plastic cover plate had been damaged lower down, maybe the garage broke this to get off the plastic) they were the only garage to do the work on cambelt -

this is all via fords disc information I have as a file stored cambelt, but wasn’t confident to do cambelt after seeing its technical complications compared to the other focus engines,  have some other information but the disc no longer plays, but was great at the time as no manual for ST170 just follow the ford TIS system, when somehow was available on ebay on a disc to buy

online shows ref, type TIE0031602 (mount) see 2 at the top and the sticking up bolt right side in my dodgy picture thats the stuck bolt (I’m hopefully making sense lol)

Mount (ford parts) sadly no longer available, will have to go third party - have been looking into recently and the Mk1 ST170 had a different type to the Mk1 Focus, but terrible reports about 3rd party as they are not based hydraulic

You have been most helpful, kind thanks :0)

 

9 minutes ago, MrHmrC said:

Cheers for the reply. Appreciate the information:

Yes I will defo ask around and see if I can get a decent garage to look over raise points

80mph ahahaha, no 80nm newton meters

No I do drive quite sensible but will blow the cob webs out sometimes 😉

Oil change Dec 2021 (4 litres with oil filter change) 1 litre spare (5 litre purchased)

MOT passed Dec 2021

Cambelt - 2011, so nice one well spotted, thanks think this was meant to be - belt needs changing !

Injectors yes my dad also said may be a ford thing

Bolt, so where the mount bolts to the engine, two threaded bolts (star type tops) screw direct into the engine block first, mount block two holes (not threaded) slips over the two of them and then 2 x nuts over top tighten at 80nm, so removed one of the threaded bolts, just came off with 1/4 turn and the other just will not move at all, so tight the whole engine moves trying to remove, its either been forced in/overtightened - these have to come out to get to the cam belt area/release plastic cover plate (the plastic cover plate had been damaged lower down, maybe the garage broke this to get off the plastic) they were the only garage to do the work on cambelt -

this is all via fords disc information I have as a file stored cambelt, but wasn’t confident to do cambelt after seeing its technical complications compared to the other focus engines,  have some other information but the disc no longer plays, but was great at the time as no manual for ST170 just follow the ford TIS system, when somehow was available on ebay on a disc to buy

online shows ref, type TIE0031602 (mount) see 2 at the top and the sticking up bolt right side in my dodgy picture thats the stuck bolt (I’m hopefully making sense lol)

Mount (ford parts) sadly no longer available, will have to go third party - have been looking into recently and the Mk1 ST170 had a different type to the Mk1 Focus, but terrible reports about 3rd party as they are not based hydraulic

You have been most helpful, kind thanks :0)

 

Omg lol I'm clearly just tired 😂 don't know why I thought you said 80mph 😂😂

Ok oil change and MOT that's all good, no concerns there. Have you checked the oil level on the dipstick? If it needs a small top-up that might help some of the noise. 

If the Cambelt is 2011 it definitely needs changing! Even though it's only done 40k miles it will have deteriorated through time as I could tell straight away by the picture. I believe the interval is 100k miles or 10 years, but I think even that is too much!

I understand about the bolt now. To be honest that's quite normal for them to get stuck as it's steel threaded into an alloy, so corrodes over time. That's quite a bit of corrosion on the threads. I'd try spraying it with WD40 but if it snaps that would be a lot of hassle and the car immobilised so best let the garage deal with that

When I replaced my upper engine mount and lower gearbox torque mount, I used aftermarket parts and they've been totally fine so don't worry about that 😁

you're more than welcome for the help, hope you get it all sorted. 👍

30 minutes ago, Focus_ said:

Omg lol I'm clearly just tired 😂 don't know why I thought you said 80mph 😂😂

Ok oil change and MOT that's all good, no concerns there. Have you checked the oil level on the dipstick? If it needs a small top-up that might help some of the noise. 

If the Cambelt is 2011 it definitely needs changing! Even though it's only done 40k miles it will have deteriorated through time as I could tell straight away by the picture. I believe the interval is 100k miles or 10 years, but I think even that is too much!

I understand about the bolt now. To be honest that's quite normal for them to get stuck as it's steel threaded into an alloy, so corrodes over time. That's quite a bit of corrosion on the threads. I'd try spraying it with WD40 but if it snaps that would be a lot of hassle and the car immobilised so best let the garage deal with that

When I replaced my upper engine mount and lower gearbox torque mount, I used aftermarket parts and they've been totally fine so don't worry about that 😁

you're more than welcome for the help, hope you get it all sorted. 👍

thank you :) 👍

On 2/25/2022 at 1:02 AM, MrHmrC said:

Hello all

Apologies to trouble you on this topic, which may of been discussed in the past, but I have discovered a sort of ticking noise on start up and when engine runs tick over! 1200rp

Its a constant tick pattern, comes from the area of timing belt (sort of top of engine side)

The Belt was replaced 40,000 miles ago with tensioner (ford original belt) - currently approx 112,000

Yes my car is 17 years old, but haven't thrashed it to bits, owned from new and fingers crossed it will last a bit longer!

A local garage did the belt - I do hope they did it right (sounds quite complex on the change of a ST170 timing belt , to get ot just right) and hope this is not damage cropping up!

Any advise would be much appreciated, Thanks :0)

When it is cold pure some water on the pulley and if it stops you do not have to worry about it...Your  belt tensioner may need to be changed or your pulley, or your belt itself...My E120 Corolla used to do that lots of times and with some water on the belt everything was getting ok...(I sold Corolla to a friend of mine and he still pures water on the belt...the reason is that we live in an industrial area of Attica/Greece and the sticky dust is everywere...) 

On 2/26/2022 at 2:13 PM, Focus_ said:

No you don't want to put fluid on the belt, try candle wax 👍

Thanks