Cracked Head?

[RayC333]

Well, as some of you may remember back in late 21/early 22, I undertook a big engine job on what was then my daughters car. A 2012 Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboom. 

(engine out, stripped pretty much completely, flushed and cleaned, replacement crankshaft, conrod and all bottom end bearings. New vacuum pump, turbocharger, oil pump, belts, gaskets, etc), 

Surprisingly the car went fine for a few months, albeit with a bit more head scratching over a split turbo vacuum pipe, until the car started to be come unreliable again - intermittent starting problems, needing coolant top-ups, but despite that running fine without any problems once started. In the end, it was too problematic having three children to get to school etc. so, with a little help from family members, she now has a different (reliable) car. A Honda HRV.

Anyway, I got the car back to my place and have just recently started to diagnose the problem and have begun to strip the top end - yes, I am a glutton for punishment!

Symptoms:

1. Progressively worse starting. Replaced the crankshaft position sensor some weeks ago (as previously has similar symptoms on a different car) and fitted new spark plugs - made little difference.

2. When fitting the new spark plugs, noticed the originals seemed to be oily/wet. With dry plugs in the car would start and run fine. Curious as the engine is not overheating, no white smoke or showing any bubbles in the expansion tank.

3. Starting problems getting worse. Took the spark plugs out one morning after a 20 mile journey the previous day, spun over the engine and water (coolant) shot out of all three cylinders!

4. Suspected the head gasket, but I wouldn't normally anticipate leakage into all three cylinders and no other common symptoms.

5. Today I removed the studs holding the Turbo to the Cylinder Head and was maybe not so surprised to see coolant coming out of the Exhaust Manifold (integral with the head on these engines). 

The car isn't needed now, is in my name, so I'll press on slowly out of interest to see what's happened. My bet is on a cracked cylinder head (not uncommon I'm told). Any club members think otherwise?

 

 

[unofix]

1 hour ago, RayC333 said:

yes, I am a glutton for punishment!

You need psychiatric help urgently !!! 🤣🤣

I warned you way back when, that it was a lost cause to try and save a 1.0 Ecoboom. Still I admire your determination (but still think you're crackers 🙄).

My diagnoses is cracked cylinder liner(s) near the cylinder head caused by overheating. repeated expansion and contraction of the liners eventually leading to failure.

I look forward to the weekly updates as the autopsy progresses. 👍

[Eric Bloodaxe]

I'd go with cracked head (the car, not yours) also. Gotta admire your persistence!

[Jimpster]

silly question is it wet linered ? had a 206 with unfathomable issues till the piston liner went thru the top of the engine.

[TomsFocus]

Definitely need your head examined! 😉

[JW1982]

17 minutes ago, Jimpster said:

silly question is it wet linered ? had a 206 with unfathomable issues till the piston liner went thru the top of the engine.

The 1.0 ECOboost has no liners at all. It has a cast iron engine block. The cylinders are machined (bored and honed) into the cast iron.

The bottom end is basically quite strong.

[RayC333]

2 hours ago, Jimpster said:

silly question is it wet linered ? had a 206 with unfathomable issues till the piston liner went thru the top of the engine.

No, no liners on this engine. 

[RayC333]

Coolant was sloshing around nicely in the cylinders today. No.1 was filled up so much it overflowed the plug hole when I turned the engine to TDC. 

Pistons, rings and bores must be ok to seal like that 😁

[RayC333]

1 hour ago, JW1982 said:

The bottom end is basically quite strong.

Bottom end is great until it gets starved of engine oil 
 

[RayC333]

I now have the cylinder head off. Scratching my head at the moment as expected to find an obvious cause of failure but haven't.

Bearing in mind coolant was freely getting into the cylinders, even when cold, I thought a couple of simple static water leak tests would suffice. Not so.

The block and head faces look ok visually to me as does the head gasket.

What I did find that shocked me is that some coolant passages were blocked or choked with some strange substance. This almost certainly caused local overheating in the cylinder head. I believe the material is from Holt's Radweld which I put in last year to stop a minor radiator leak.

Have taken some photos. Options/ideas appreciated. The last photo is what Found in the expansion tank!

Currently waiting delivery of an engineers straight edge to check the mating faces for distortion.

[Jimpster]

If you intend going the whole hog i'd clean out all the routes and skim it anyway.

[unofix]

I know you're not going to listen because you're having too much fun, but it is time to call in a priest and give the poor engine the last rites.

In the words of Scotty "she just can't take anymore more captain" 🤣

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, RayC333 said:

What I did find that shocked me is that some coolant passages were blocked or choked with some strange substance. This almost certainly caused local overheating in the cylinder head. I believe the material is from Holt's Radweld which I put in last year to stop a minor radiator leak.

This is exactly why I never recommend radweld or similar nowadays.  It forms solids when in contact with air.  If you don't bleed the cooling system perfectly (virtually impossible without vacuum filling) you will end up with air bubbles in the system where the radweld will create solids and block the waterways. 

[RayC333]

A short update: Head required re-surfacing to remove minor distortions, pitting and material deformation around the cylinder areas (caused by head gasket cylinder seals). Took hours and some expletives getting all the sealer debris out of the numerous coolant passages (debris only found on the exhaust side). Took the opportunity to remove all the valves, check and lightly lap the sealing faces, clean the ports and fit new new valve stem seals. Although not checked professionally, I couldn't find any sign of a crack in the head or block so fingers crossed. Currently waiting on parts,

[RayC333]

Probably the end of the road. No sign of leakage after re-assembly a couple of days ago, but re-checked again today prior to completing the job and found that a small amount of water has got into all three cylinders again.

The crack must be the typical one between the head coolant channel and the integrated exhaust manifold. Ford are aware of the problem but that's no consolation and of course don't want to know. All my hard work and hopes come to nought - gutted.

Should have gone with Unofixes advice in the first place but just had to try before throwing in the towel 😞

 

[unofix]

3 hours ago, RayC333 said:

Should have gone with Unofixes advice in the first place but just had to try before throwing in the towel

I won't say it, as I'm sure you're already feeling down. 😞

You have won my admiration for sheer dogged hard work. It may be of help to others in the future who think they can save an Ecoboom with a spanner and a few parts form the local parts shop. I'm sure that it has been a learning experience and much of what you have discovered will be of great use on future projects. 👍

 

[RayC333]

So, it irked me that my prep for leaks didn't find a crack or other problem before I re-fitted the cylinder head. Out of interest I thought I'd try and find out why.

I found that the static water leak test I previously dreamed up was and is far too slow to notice a leak into a much larger coolant passage volume. I can now see a slight drop in water volume after waiting 24hrs but even then it's not as conclusive as I would like.

Using bits and pieces from around my home I have now rigged up a better test, albeit still Heath Robinson. Nevertheless, take a look at the pics and video I've just taken with a bit of mains water pressure.

Took a while to decide whether to post here or in Have  a Laugh 😁

[unofix]

3 hours ago, RayC333 said:

Out of interest I thought I'd try and find out why.

Do you not have a television in your house ? 🤣🤣

Ray you never cease to amaze me with your involvement with the 1.0 Ecoboom. I love the test rig and surprised at how apparently easily the water is leaking.

So now you just need to work out how to repair the crack. Maybe you could get a guest appearance on Car SOS 👍   

[tomo2001]

Hope that's not your toothbrush? 

 

[Jimpster]

Makes you wonder if Ford EVER went to this trouble or just said s0d it.

[TomsFocus]

10 hours ago, tomo2001 said:

Hope that's not your toothbrush? 

 

It's his wife's.  She told him no more car parts in the kitchen sink! 😮 

[RayC333]

13 hours ago, unofix said:

Do you not have a television in your house ? 🤣🤣 now you just need to work out how to repair the crack.  

Funny you say that, I indeed do not have a TV 😀

A repair is technically possible with the right machining facilities, advanced welding and metal addition techniques, heat treatment, NDT etc but unfortunately it's a little expensive and wouldn't fit in my flat 😁

[RayC333]

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

It's his wife's.  She told him no more car parts in the kitchen sink! 😮 

That toothbrush has been in lots of little spaces but not recently around my teeth 😬🪥😁

[RayC333]

Thought I'd give an update on my Ecoboom. I sourced a replacement cylinder head assembly off eBay (I know, glutton for punishment) and was fairly pleased with what I received.

I decided to refurbish it (stripped, fitted a new core plug, pressure tested, resurfaced to remove distortion, cleaned ports, cleaned and lapped all the valves, fitted new valve seals).

Checked and adjusted some of the bucket shims to achieve the right valve clearances (exhaust ones were way out). Back on the engine now with new gasket and bolts. Fitted another new timing belt as the one I fitted previously had already stated to deteriorate. Decided to use a non-Ford/Dayco belt this time. Cleaned out the bottom end, sump and pump again.

Engine is running very well and have done quite a few short trips (just under 400 miles so far). Early days but no bad indications with either oil or coolant - yet.

Couple of initial teething problems. Had the fault code for cat efficiency come on soon after the fix but deleted it and not seen it since. Had a later issue with lack of/poor turbo boost pressure, causing poor acceleration at higher speeds and struggling on long hills. Found that vacuum was being lost by air leaking where the vacuum pump to solenoid pipe meets the solenoid. Cured with a 50p pipe clip.

Fingers crossed 🙂

 

 

[Phil3747]

Good work Ray....think you could teach Ford a thing or two about the Ecoboom engine 👍