Hello everyone, I just wanted to let people know that most to all mk4 1.0 focus’ will be a chain driven and not wet belt driven engine. With that being said the oil pump is still driven by a rubber wet belt which is connected to the crankshaft.

To preface this I have always serviced my own vehicles with genuine parts at Fords recommended intervals. Also the car is automatic which I have been told can put further strain on the oil pump and belt assembly.

I had an oil pressure low warning on the dash with diagnostics showing a P0251 code. I changed the oil and oil filter with the recommended  5w-20 oil and genuine Ford filter…. Still P0251. A new genuine oil pressure sensor was fitted… Still P0251. 
 

After dropping the sump off I could see that all the teeth on the oil pump belt were missing and were lodged inside the oil pump strainer. Of course this means the likelihood is some parts have made their way into the turbo and engine itself rendering the engine useless. 
 

I’m struggling to understand what could have caused this issue and understandably Ford will not make any goodwills as it has not been serviced by them. This isn’t a moan or a rant it’s just to make people aware that there is still an issue with the belt system albeit not the same as the older turbo fronted 1.0 ecoboosts.

How many miles have you covered, mine has only done 18000, lower than average.

1 hour ago, Nimrodmk8 said:

How many miles have you covered, mine has only done 18000, lower than average.

Probably should have mentioned this in the original post but it’s done 32500 miles. 

You mention servicing it yourself. How often was it serviced? Did you use exactly the correct spec oil? The wet belts are very sensitive to oil. Did you use any engine flushes/cleaner?

Since it is an automatic, I believe your problem is similar to what the US recall is describing: the belt is tensioned and it is driving both the oil pump and the balancing shaft. Even with the correct oil spec, it seems the original belt could not handle the job. I don't remember exactly but in the US recall document the part number for the new belt is given. 

Not sure if you will try to repair it, but if you do maybe you should install the updated belt.

The low pressure is because the oil pump was clogged. Hopefully, you were lucky enough that the bits of belt which passed through the pump strainer were caught in the oil filter, and the oil filter never clogged. If it didn't, then the oil filter valve never opened so the rest of the engine should be saved (unless of course it was ran with low oil pressure).

Do you still have the old oil filters? If you check then, can you find any belt material stuck in there? Maybe even in the last oil filter?

1 hour ago, RaduF86 said:

Since it is an automatic, I believe your problem is similar to what the US recall is describing: the belt is tensioned and it is driving both the oil pump and the balancing shaft. Even with the correct oil spec, it seems the original belt could not handle the job. I don't remember exactly but in the US recall document the part number for the new belt is given. 

That recall doesn't apply to the Mk4 Focus.  They use a different automatic gearbox to the Mk3, so don't use the same balance shaft in the engine as far as I'm aware.

33 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

They use a different automatic gearbox to the Mk3, so don't use the same balance shaft in the engine as far as I'm aware.

I don't think it is you know.

8F40 is a refresh of 6F35 with 2 gears added, I bet it still has a balancer

@DUNNY92 I would get the car put back together and recovered to Ford, they may pay, they should pay, that engine is shot

I have the focus 2019 st line x 1.5 l 182 hp  engine, manual gearbox, with currently 160k km on the clock with servicing intervals at 15k km. Recently I've noticed when pressing the gas pedal to quickly accelarate the engine stutters a bit. No codes or lights and it just happens for a couple of seconds. Otherwise the engine is great and I've had no problems whatsoever.

Is this maybe the first clue to the clogged oil pump and time to change the famous oil pump belt? The problem in EU is having the mechanic you trust to do a proper job while not taking your kidney as a paycheck.

7 hours ago, nadkos said:

I have the focus 2019 st line x 1.5 l 182 hp  engine, manual gearbox, with currently 160k km on the clock with servicing intervals at 15k km. Recently I've noticed when pressing the gas pedal to quickly accelarate the engine stutters a bit. No codes or lights and it just happens for a couple of seconds. Otherwise the engine is great and I've had no problems whatsoever.

Is this maybe the first clue to the clogged oil pump and time to change the famous oil pump belt? The problem in EU is having the mechanic you trust to do a proper job while not taking your kidney as a paycheck.

If the Oil Pressure was low it would log a Fault Code or Check Engine Light. 

You can monitor the Oil Pressure on that Engine with FORScan. It should be between about 25 and 30 psi when the Engine is hot with a Duty Cycle of around 95%, the Duty Cycle and Pressure will be different with a cold Engine and when accelerating.

I would not expect an Oil Pressure problem to cause a stutter, FORScan may show some Codes that don't trigger a Fault Light and also with FORScan you can check for Misfires with Mode 6 Tests.

When were the spark plugs last changed?

Thanks for the fast replies. Will check with the forscan (do you guys use windows or phone version? I have the bluetooth obd elm27) and try to figure that out, thank you!

So the spark plugs were always genuine before and lasted to 150k no problems. Then they were changed at 154k km but since I'm taking my car to a local shop I think that they've put something generic inside. I've come across some information that Fords are very sensitive to spark plugs and that only genuine ones provide the best output, also a friend that drives racecars said that turbos are in general sensitive. I've ordered some genuine spark plugs, air filter, oil filter and castrol oil and will do the job on my own because I don't quite trust people anymore. I do hope that stutter will go away with that change (also my fuel economy is poorer than before so maybe the reason hopefully is the spark plugs?).

All in all people around are scaring me and telling me that I should just sell the car while it still goes, with the ecoboom and stuff and just wanted to know if anyone had problems with the oil belt debris on the 1.5 engines? At what time do you think it would be best to change the oil pump belt and chain with waterpump?  

As I've said before this is such a sweet ride, superb handling and has everything for an everyday use with great fuel economy so I'd like to keep the car as long as possible.

48 minutes ago, nadkos said:

Will check with the forscan (do you guys use windows or phone version? I have the bluetooth obd elm327)

Either the Windows version or the phone version will work for diagnostics, there is no difference.

Only the Windows version can make actual programme changes, but the phone versions can still clear DTC's and reset service indicators like oil.

I very much doubt a generic Bluetooth OBD ELM327 will work with FORScan. You need to use the recommended vLinker device.

On 4/7/2024 at 8:59 PM, unofix said:

FORScan (for use with Windows Laptop) : https://forscan.org/download.html

It's what many Ford owners use including some Ford technicians.

• vLinker FS, cable for laptop: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-vLinker-Adapter-FORScan-MS-CAN/dp/B0952P4MLP

OR

• OBDLINK EX, cable for laptop: https://www.amazon.co.uk/OBDLINK-EX-FORScan-OBD-Adapter/dp/B081VQVD3F/ref=sr_1_5

For diagnostic use only:

• vLinker FD, for android phone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-Bluetooth-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic/dp/B08H82WC8L
• vLinker FD+, for iPhone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-Bluetooth-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic/dp/B08H8JHWP2

 

If you are worried about your Wet Belt strain the old Oil through one of these like I did and was pleasantly surprised at the results.

9 hours ago, unofix said:

Either the Windows version or the phone version will work for diagnostics, there is no difference.

Only the Windows version can make actual programme changes, but the phone versions can still clear DTC's and reset service indicators like oil.

I very much doubt a generic Bluetooth OBD ELM327 will work with FORScan. You need to use the recommended vLinker device.

 

Didn't knew that, thanks for the update. Will look for those plug ins..

8 hours ago, Tizer said:

If you are worried about your Wet Belt strain the old Oil through one of these like I did and was pleasantly surprised at the results.

Sooo glad to see no debris! I hope my oil is as clean as yours and just wish to see the strain like this and no rubber parts. Have you ever looked at the oil pump (ie took the sump down?).

33 minutes ago, nadkos said:

Have you ever looked at the oil pump (ie took the sump down?).

No, I have never felt the need to. If my Strainer was getting partially blocked I think my measured Oil Pressure would drop or the Pump Duty Cycle would not be the same as it usually is.

One strange thing about the oil pressure control solenoid Duty Cycle is that it increases up to 95% while the oil is warming up. Once the oil reached the operating temperature (around 100 deg C for the 1.0 ecoboost) the Duty Cyle stays at 95% while oil pressure varies quite a lot. For example at idle I get something like 0.9-1.0 bar, at 2000 rpm I get around 2.0 bars. No change in the duty cyle until I press the accelerator quite a lot. The DutyCycle is then decreased (I will take abother log to get the actual values) and oil pressure jumps to around 4 bars.

So pretty much the DutyCYcle is either 95% or much lower. I have never seen any adjustment in between. So I am wondering if a blocked strainer would in fact cause the PCM to adjust the DutyCycle, or it will simply keep it at 95% and the pressure would drop drop drop until the oil lamp pops up in the dash?

1 hour ago, RaduF86 said:

One strange thing about the oil pressure control solenoid Duty Cycle is that it increases up to 95% while the oil is warming up. Once the oil reached the operating temperature (around 100 deg C for the 1.0 ecoboost) the Duty Cyle stays at 95% while oil pressure varies quite a lot. For example at idle I get something like 0.9-1.0 bar, at 2000 rpm I get around 2.0 bars. No change in the duty cyle until I press the accelerator quite a lot. The DutyCycle is then decreased (I will take abother log to get the actual values) and oil pressure jumps to around 4 bars.

So pretty much the DutyCYcle is either 95% or much lower. I have never seen any adjustment in between. So I am wondering if a blocked strainer would in fact cause the PCM to adjust the DutyCycle, or it will simply keep it at 95% and the pressure would drop drop drop until the oil lamp pops up in the dash?

The 1.5 Dragon Engine does not work like that. Once warmed up the Pressure even at Idle is the same as at speed and the Duty Cycle mostly sits at 95%. The Duty Cycle is a lot lower when cold and the Pressure is higher.

I believe that there is more than one way of controlling the Pressure. One is a Two Stage Control and another one is Continuously Variable, our Engines may have different systems.

So guys just want to let you know I've probably found the reason for the engine stutter and its not the oil pump or the belt - see below the spark plugs that were inside marked by numbered cylinders. I have faulty spark plug seals which led to oil getting to spark plugs and also a bit of corrosion on insulation on 1 and 2 but the coil packs seemed ok.

Will go on Monday to my friend to see if there are any other leeks. This was probably there before 10k km but I guess the local garage don't care.

Who can we really trust with our engine care but ourselves? 

Those are rather dirty. What I don't understand is which seal are you talking about? The only seal I know about is the one which gets crushed when tightening a new spark plug to the specified torque. But I can't figure out how would oil get to the spark plug from the top of the engine?

Ford cam cover seals struggle to keep oil in.  Those leaking can contaminate spark plugs from the top.

From memory there was a problem with the Crankcase Breather Oil Seperator that sits on the top of the Engine splitting and causing leaks that were fixed under warranty at that time. It did not affect my car though.

Will know more after Monday or the upcoming week after we disassemble and will keep you updated.

I bought this car from the Ford dealership as it was a "test car" (1 year old, 12k km on the clock) so maybe if it was under recal than, they maybe already switched it - I haven't received any information about any recals. The car ran perfectly fine until 150k km, even towing my bikes or loaded trailer was no problem.

Thanks for your information and help.