My 2012 1.0 Ecoboost engine has died, with what seems to the be the (well) known issue where the coolant leaks in to the engine due to a cracked cylinder head etc. I've only just discovered it's a well known issue after researching today 😞 

I've been quoted either £1,800 for a replacement used engine or £2,400 for a full reconditioned engine inc. supply and fit - i.e. https://northwestengines.co.uk/shop/ols/products/334159841-ford-focus-mk3-fiesta-1-0-ecoboost-used-engine-supplied-and-fitted-with-warranty

As the car is only worth approx. £4,000 it's not worth it I don't think, even if the car still drives beautifully before it died. It's top spec too, heated leather seats, camera, sync 3 upgraded etc.

So frustrated right now as it's been with me for 8 years with zero issues. 

Any other options? I've thought about a few other possibilities:

- Buy a "damaged" Focus MK3 car at auction that still drives fine but has bodywork/exterior damage that I could replace all from my car. replace the seats with mine, sync 3 etc.

or

- Sell for parts/salvage or list items on ebay etc.

Just seems a shame to "scrap". What can be done?

Thanks so much

 

22 minutes ago, JPW said:

I've been quoted either £1,800 for a replacement used engine

Personally I would be going with that option. You say that you've had the car 8 years with no problems, and that before the engine failed it drove "beautifully" so it would seem logical to repair a car that you know rather than replace it with something unknown.

9 hours ago, unofix said:

Personally I would be going with that option. You say that you've had the car 8 years with no problems, and that before the engine failed it drove "beautifully" so it would seem logical to repair a car that you know rather than replace it with something unknown.

Totally valid and fair point. I guess my risk (as is with any car is that I spend £1,800 on a used engine that could develop the same fault again? And that repair cost is almost half the cars current worth if sold privately.

A decision I'll need to take.

If I don't proceed, any idea what options I have to get rid of the car with it's known dead engine? Is the rest of the car worth anything?

9 minutes ago, JPW said:

And that repair cost is almost half the cars current worth if sold privately.

The car may have been worth £4000 when it was working, but now it is worth less than £1000. 

You could sell it "spares or repair" but you will probably end up selling it for scrap and getting only a few hundred pounds. 

4 minutes ago, unofix said:

The car may have been worth £4000 when it was working, but now it is worth less than £1000. 

You could sell it "spares or repair" but you will probably end up selling it for scrap and getting only a few hundred pounds. 

Yeah, understood. I just hope it hasn't taken anything else with it like the turbo and ancillaries.

Does the used engine have a new cambelt fitted within that price?  There's no way I'd be fitting a used 1.0EB to a car I wanted to keep without a new belt.  Only to get it sold as 'working' rather that spares or repair.  Same goes for buying a crashed car at auction, without any belt history that's a terrible idea.

Can't really believe the prices of these now though.  I sold a 2013 1.0EB Titanium for around £4000 in 2018! 😮

On 10/26/2024 at 12:15 AM, JPW said:

cracked cylinder head

This issue is about all ford focus mk3? Is it about mk3 facelift also?

On 10/26/2024 at 12:15 AM, JPW said:

£1,800 for a replacement used engine

If it is indeed alright and with a new belt or at least not older than 5 years i would consider that as the best option.

On 10/26/2024 at 9:11 AM, TomsFocus said:

Does the used engine have a new cambelt fitted within that price?  There's no way I'd be fitting a used 1.0EB to a car I wanted to keep without a new belt.  Only to get it sold as 'working' rather that spares or repair.  Same goes for buying a crashed car at auction, without any belt history that's a terrible idea.

Can't really believe the prices of these now though.  I sold a 2013 1.0EB Titanium for around £4000 in 2018! 😮

This is what is quoted. The cost is £1,500 not £1,800 all in.

Engine Block

Replacement crankshaft

Piston oil valve (check & replace)

Turbo oil feed (check & replace)

All cylinders honed

New pistons (if required)

Polished crankshaft

New bearings

Fully cleaned and decarbonized

Cylinder Head (if required )

Cylinder head skimmed and pressure tested

New head set

New steam seals

All valves grounded

Both vanos reconditioned ( change if required)

Both camshafts polished ( change if required)

New cylinder head gasket

New timing belt and oil pump belt

New oil pump

New seals and gaskets

New water pump and coolant.

Ford approved 5w-20 engine oil and oil filter.

Engine internally cleaned

 

Full vehicle health check report

 

Of course, until they break the engine down they don't know how much damage/what needs replacing.

12 hours ago, Bol said:

This issue is about all ford focus mk3? Is it about mk3 facelift also?

Yes, its any Ford with an ecoboost engine and is not specific to Focus MK3. It affects Fiesta, Kuga etc too.

13 minutes ago, JPW said:

This is what is quoted. The cost is £1,500 not £1,800 all in.

Engine Block

Replacement crankshaft

Piston oil valve (check & replace)

Turbo oil feed (check & replace)

All cylinders honed

New pistons (if required)

Polished crankshaft

New bearings

Fully cleaned and decarbonized

Cylinder Head (if required )

Cylinder head skimmed and pressure tested

New head set

New steam seals

All valves grounded

Both vanos reconditioned ( change if required)

Both camshafts polished ( change if required)

New cylinder head gasket

New timing belt and oil pump belt

New oil pump

New seals and gaskets

New water pump and coolant.

Ford approved 5w-20 engine oil and oil filter.

Engine internally cleaned

 

Full vehicle health check report

 

Of course, until they break the engine down they don't know how much damage/what needs replacing.

That list isn't for a used engine.  That's a refurbished engine.  If you're getting all that for £1500 then go for it.  It's cheaper than having the cambelt replaced...

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

That list isn't for a used engine.  That's a refurbished engine.  If you're getting all that for £1500 then go for it.  It's cheaper than having the cambelt replaced...

Is the cam belt the "wet belt" in the ecoboost?

21 minutes ago, JPW said:

Is the cam belt the "wet belt" in the ecoboost?

Yes it is. In your 1.0 ecoboost engine the Cambelt is what is known as the wet belt.

Note the oil pump belt is also a ''wet belt'' but is generally known by its correct name.

I assume the quote you have doesn't include removing and refitting the engine in the car so you need to factor that into your decision.

23 minutes ago, RayC333 said:

Yes it is. In your 1.0 ecoboost engine the Cambelt is what is known as the wet belt.

Note the oil pump belt is also a ''wet belt'' but is generally known by its correct name.

I assume the quote you have doesn't include removing and refitting the engine in the car so you need to factor that into your decision.

This is the advert. I've spoken with with them a couple of times, they sound confident and advise they do 6-7 of these jobs per week at present and it's to get the car fully working with a 3 month warranty on their work. Of course, it's still an ecoboost so it could happen again in the future...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204946359594

23 minutes ago, JPW said:

This is the advert. I've spoken with with them a couple of times, they sound confident and advise they do 6-7 of these jobs per week at present and it's to get the car fully working with a 3 month warranty on their work. Of course, it's still an ecoboost so it could happen again in the future...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204946359594

That does look like a very good price for all that work.

Has JPW posted to say what the outcome was?