Hi everyone,

I'm reaching out because I'm a bit lost with my 2009 Ford Focus Mk2 1.8 TDCI (facelift), currently at 225,000 km (~140,000 miles).
I’ve owned the car for just under two years and I always do oil changes every 10,000 to 12,000 km using Castrol MAGNATEC 5W30 A5.

Here are the symptoms:
While driving on the highway at around 130 km/h (80 mph), I suddenly started hearing a strange noise coming from the engine, along with light vibrations — almost like the car wanted to stall.
The vibrations mostly happen when I press lightly on the accelerator, but not when I press more firmly.

When I got home, I first suspected the accessory belt (which was changed a few weeks ago), but that wasn’t the issue.
Then I thought it could be the injectors, so I went to a diesel specialist — he confirmed the injectors are fine.

I lifted the car and located the noise — it clearly comes from the top of the engine, so I ruled out a rod bearing issue.
I also had the timing checked — no misalignment.
We removed the valve cover and checked the hydraulic lifters; the mechanic pressed them and said nothing alarming. The cam lobes are also clean and show no signs of wear.

One more thing: when starting cold, the car vibrates for about 5 minutes, then it settles down once the engine warms up.

I’ve seen two different mechanics, and both told me the same thing:

“It’s the engine, better to swap it.”

But that feels a bit extreme without knowing the exact cause.

I’m attaching a video so you can hear the noise.
The car still starts instantly, no check engine light, no real loss of power... just this weird noise and those low-RPM vibrations.

Any ideas? Has anyone experienced something similar?
Thanks in advance for any help or advice 😕 

 

 

How was the timing checked?  Did they check the lower wetbelt or just the dry belt at the top?

Thanks for your reply @TomsFocus !

They only checked the upper dry timing belt — they didn’t open the lower part to check the wetbelt.
I wasn’t there when they checked it, but they told me the upper timing belt wasn’t off, so that shouldn’t be the cause of the noise.

What really pisses me off is that, at least here in the south of France, I can’t find a mechanic who doesn’t just say “Change the engine” before even doing proper checks...
And the price for a used KKDA-type engine is already around 1300 euros without labor.

They told me the lower belt is hard to access, and since the noise seems to be coming from the top of the engine, they didn’t think it was worth checking...
They charge 500 euros for labor only just to replace the lower one.

1 minute ago, BABIBORIS said:

Thanks for your reply @TomsFocus !

They only checked the upper dry timing belt — they didn’t open the lower part to check the wetbelt.
I wasn’t there when they checked it, but they told me the upper timing belt wasn’t off, so that shouldn’t be the cause of the noise.

What really pisses me off is that, at least here in the south of France, I can’t find a mechanic who doesn’t just say “Change the engine” before even doing proper checks...
And the price for a used KKDA-type engine is already around 1300 euros without labor.

They told me the lower belt is hard to access, and since the noise seems to be coming from the top of the engine, they didn’t think it was worth checking...
They charge 500 euros for labor only just to replace the lower one.

Yes, the lower belt is difficult to access, it's an expensive job over here as well.  But at that age and mileage I would be concerned that it is starting to disintegrate, and small fragments of it are floating around in the oil and blocking up the oil pump.  That would reduce the amount of oil getting to the top of the engine, and cause it to rattle in that way, even though there might still be 'just' enough pressure to turn off the oil pressure warning light.

It's a difficult decision.  I don't think it's worth just replacing with a used engine of around the same age and mileage.  But equally I wouldn't want you to go through the cost of wetbelt replacement if the engine is already worn.  The fact you say the cams don't look worn sounds like top end hasn't suffered from lack of lubrication yet.  But if that's the case, I'm not entirely sure what is causing the noise.

The vacuum pump is strange on this engine, that is driven by a plunger which gets pressed by a cam lobe, so it might be worth checking that if not done already.

Thanks for your insights @TomsFocus!
I’ll definitely check the vacuum pump ASAP. I totally agree with you — replacing the engine with an equivalent one doesn’t seem like a good solution, and the same goes for replacing the wetbelt if the engine is already worn out. It’s a tricky situation, and I really want to make sure I’m making the right call.

I did think (even though I don’t believe it’ll help) about doing an oil change with Motul Engine Flush beforehand, just to see if it might help clear up any potential blockages or sludge. But, I’m not really expecting a miracle with that!

I’ll keep you posted on any progress and check the vacuum pump too. Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated!

7 minutes ago, BABIBORIS said:

Thanks for your insights @TomsFocus!
I’ll definitely check the vacuum pump ASAP. I totally agree with you — replacing the engine with an equivalent one doesn’t seem like a good solution, and the same goes for replacing the wetbelt if the engine is already worn out. It’s a tricky situation, and I really want to make sure I’m making the right call.

I did think (even though I don’t believe it’ll help) about doing an oil change with Motul Engine Flush beforehand, just to see if it might help clear up any potential blockages or sludge. But, I’m not really expecting a miracle with that!

I’ll keep you posted on any progress and check the vacuum pump too. Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated!

You're welcome.

Don't use an engine flush on this engine though.  They contain detergents that can attack the wetbelt.