Hi

 

I am going to have a try to use Forscan,  via the vgate vlinker fs usb...in a week or so time, if I can get it all working.......but I am wondering if anyone can look at my symptoms and suggest what can be ruled in based on them, to help me focus, as there may well be no DTC's to point a finger.

- engine is stuttering when it is driven and warming up, but doesn't do it every day

- Engine management light has not come on.

- tick over at first start and standing not obviously uneven. No stutter when pulling off from idle revs.

- the stutter is mainly at even moderate revs/easing off a bit. not so obvious when accelerate above that....or through mid  revs.

- once the car is warm doesn't seem to happen ( so far)...but takes ages to warm up.

- seems to be better on warmer days.  either less or no stutter. Thought it was only on wet/ humid days.....but not so, happens on dry low humidity days as well.

- Stutter didn't happen last winter, just the last 6 weeks or so. (Have had no work done on the car that ties up with the onset of symptoms)

- I do very few short trips. Most of my mileage is between 50 and 65mph at 1800-2000 revs circa 10000 miles per year. I am very light on the accelerator.....focused on the MPG!

- I have had the ECU remapped back to the official software.  Last summer it occasionally had a single dip in power when cruising on motorways. Didn't happen often, but it did once trigger limp mode ( after a bigger dip)  Garage found no DTC and suggested checking whether it had the correct mapping. However this cruising single dip in power has happened twice since the remap, whereas the stutter is new.

 

To me the stutter symptoms remind me of what used to happen on old carb/distributer cars with a vacuum leak... If I recall correctly!.......but with an ECU and so many sensors !!!!  I'm hoping I can put in some time with Forscan to present evidence to my garage........as on the previous car they had replaced 'half the car' before they solved it ( differing symptoms)

So if anyone can point me at likley candidates for my symptoms.... it would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

When you say a single dip in power, is that like a sudden jolt, as if you'd hit an expansion gap on a bridge for example?  If so, that happens when the DPF regen starts on this engine.  Just a bit of poor quality fuel mapping by Ford.

As for the stutter, it's likely to be the injectors, chances are you'll see 'injector learning limit reached' fault codes.  Though it could be VNT vanes or EGR or throttle body.  Being light on the throttle all the time isn't good for engines.  They're designed to be driven, not tickled.  You won't lose much MPG over a tankful by giving it a harder drive now and then to get everything moving to it's full potential.

Thanks Tom

RE: the single dip in power ......I guess yes it is a bit like you say. less car/suspension vibration than when hitting an expansion joint, just momentary slowing of the car then straight back as if it's misfire once, then fine.