Hi There,

I was out driving this afternoon and suddenly found the car to be lacking power and the EML light flashing on/off. I managed to get home and plugged in my code reader and found a misfire on cylinder 1, after removing the ignition lead and spark plug to find them being okay I had a look in the bore and found that the piston has a hole in the centre of it. Ive also noticed the air filter is saturated in oil also which is strange. The car was perfect yesterday as just came back from a long run and today was only to the shops and back.

I understand I need a replacement engine now but cant understand why the hole in the piston since she was firing fine the day before. Ive attached a photo of all the cylinders in hopes someone could shine some light into what could of happened?

Thanks

Josh

9 hours ago, joshuafalls said:

cant understand why the hole in the piston since she was firing fine the day before.

That's exactly what the guy who dropped dead with a heart attack would have said, "it was firing fine yesterday" 🤣

Those photos have taken a bit of time to get uploaded 🤔

19 minutes ago, unofix said:

That's exactly what the guy who dropped dead with a heart attack would have said, "it was firing fine yesterday" 🤣

Those photos have taken a bit of time to get uploaded 🤔

Its always the same... it was fine yesterday haha 👌

What has caused that?

Spark plug tip?

That's really weird.

The oily air filter is an easy one - all of the compression that would usually be kept inside the cylinder has been forced down through the crankcase instead.  That's also the reason the other cylinders are full of oil...and that means the cat has probably been ruined as well.

Can't really tell from the photo but I wonder if the piston came away from the con rod on an upstroke and kept going upwards to hit the spark plug?  I can't think of any other reason for a piston to meet a plug.  A broken off tip couldn't cause that sort of damage.

The only other option is pre-detonation (pinking), which is where the fuel ignites before the spark plug fires, and the piston is still on an upstroke.  That's effectively like taking a pin hammer to the top of the piston and can easily blow through it, but the hole looks too clean and central in this case.  (Plus a lot of engines pink occasionally without blowing pistons!)

Faulty injector spray pattern could and does burn holes in top of pistons, DAMHIK

16 minutes ago, Delboy777 said:

Faulty injector spray pattern could and does burn holes in top of pistons, DAMHIK

This is an indirect injection petrol engine so fuel not injected into the cylinder in this case.

Just now, TomsFocus said:

This is an indirect injection petrol engine so fuel not injected into the cylinder in this case.

I need to stop posting about stuff i know nothing about ffs. Making me look like a right arsehole lol.

2 minutes ago, Delboy777 said:

I need to stop posting about stuff i know nothing about ffs. Making me look like a right arsehole lol.

Not at all, it was a good suggestion.  I don't expect everyone to know the intricacies of each Ford engine!  

4 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Not at all, it was a good suggestion.  I don't expect everyone to know the intricacies of each Ford engine!  

Tbh, im better with the older stuff, Cortina/Escort types lol

1 hour ago, Delboy777 said:

Tbh, im better with the older stuff, Cortina/Escort types lol

Lol, I think that applies to quite a few of us!

13 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That's really weird.

The oily air filter is an easy one - all of the compression that would usually be kept inside the cylinder has been forced down through the crankcase instead.  That's also the reason the other cylinders are full of oil...and that means the cat has probably been ruined as well.

Can't really tell from the photo but I wonder if the piston came away from the con rod on an upstroke and kept going upwards to hit the spark plug?  I can't think of any other reason for a piston to meet a plug.  A broken off tip couldn't cause that sort of damage.

The only other option is pre-detonation (pinking), which is where the fuel ignites before the spark plug fires, and the piston is still on an upstroke.  That's effectively like taking a pin hammer to the top of the piston and can easily blow through it, but the hole looks too clean and central in this case.  (Plus a lot of engines pink occasionally without blowing pistons!)

Thank you for shedding a bit more light, I was also told it could be a faulty injector but as you mentioned they dont directly inject into the cylinder. I really hope the cat isnt ruined as it was replaced in December for the MOT, she definitely wasnt chuffing smoke or anything out the exhaust (maybe a good sign?)

Ive just ordered a replacement engine with 62k on it, with warranty and up to date service history. Im guessing the only way to find out about my engine would be to strip it down and look for anything untoward? I can see the piston on cyl 1 still goes up/down unless as you said there is play between the con rod/piston.

Thanks

Josh

If the small end had gone it would have rattled like a good un and you would have heard it. More likely that a chunk broke off the edge of a valve and holed it. Its not an uncommon thing to happen.

10 hours ago, joshuafalls said:

Thank you for shedding a bit more light, I was also told it could be a faulty injector but as you mentioned they dont directly inject into the cylinder. I really hope the cat isnt ruined as it was replaced in December for the MOT, she definitely wasnt chuffing smoke or anything out the exhaust (maybe a good sign?)

Ive just ordered a replacement engine with 62k on it, with warranty and up to date service history. Im guessing the only way to find out about my engine would be to strip it down and look for anything untoward? I can see the piston on cyl 1 still goes up/down unless as you said there is play between the con rod/piston.

Thanks

Josh

Once oil goes through the cat it usually does ruin it.  All you can really do is wait and see whether it passes MOT or not.  If it's really bad it'll bring the EML on.

Yes, definitely strip the head off when you get the chance, I'd be very interested to see exactly what's happened here.

6 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Once oil goes through the cat it usually does ruin it.  All you can really do is wait and see whether it passes MOT or not.  If it's really bad it'll bring the EML on.

Yes, definitely strip the head off when you get the chance, I'd be very interested to see exactly what's happened here.

Im really interested in as well, didnt think that would be how the engine ended itself haha! Just awaiting the replacement engine now and ill get to work... just what I wanted on a week off ha!