Has anyone had the experience of a change of aux belt on focus MK2 ti-vct.

They easy to do, wheel off, arch lining off.

Does it look ok from the pic below.

Thanks guys

New belts don't come with cracks in them. But that one certainly isn't the worst I've seen.

These use stretch belts which can be awkward to get on. Also a fairly long belt run due to hydraulic PAS. It's doable on a driveway but I wouldn't say it was easy. 1.6 TDCI belt is much easier.

Just a heads up I gave it a go and it did my self. Had a garage quote and said 140 so thought I'll try it.

Was ok all went well I got a conti tech belt for 15 quid and changed the aux belt that feeds crankshaft pulley, water pump, pas, and alternator, but I left the other one if that snaps it's only feeds air con and u can still drive the car.

The auxiliary belts have the exact same replacement intervals as the timing belt. For the 1.4/1.6 Duratec (including the TI-VCT) the prescribed interval is every 8 Years / 100.000 Miles (whichever comes first). On this type of engine,, the interval was officially reduced from 10 to 8 Years about 16 Years ago.

Considering the condition of this belt you should also be worried about the condition of the timing belt. Based on age both the timing belt and auxiliary belts should be replaced for a 2nd time in 2023. The condition of this auxiliary belt does not suggest that it has been replaced which indicates that it is highly doubtful that the timing belt has been replaced.

The timing belt has been replaced it's done 56,000 on new belt but coming up to the 10 year cycle this year.

Then it is almost 2 Years overdue.

As I already mentioned this engine has the reduced 8 Year replacement interval. The interval has been reduced for a reason since many belts failed before being 10 Years old regardless of mileage.


It does not really make sense to replace the auxiliary belt right now if the timing belt needs to be replaced within a short period. Stretch belts can only be installed once. Once stretched, they should never be re-used.

I'm thinking about new timing belt and water pump replacement.

Local mechanic said timing belt kit and water pump and coolant is 3hrs job and he said £350.

I called another garage and they said 550 and u need timing kit, water pump, coolant, new rocker cover gasket and 2 aux belts and lifespan 100,000 miles or 96 months.

Good or bad prices?

What u guys think

£350 sounds too cheap for London prices. Maybe out in the stix. £550 sounds more like it.

U wouldn't believe it now got two fault codes come up car stuttering.

What's PO133 and P0153 where do I find these.

Thanks guys

Lambda sensors. But it's saying the front sensor on both cats. I suspect it just doesn't like the hot weather, I wouldn't replace anything yet.

How many sensors it got.

Is it the two sensors on back engine which u can see sitting under scuttle panel in line with windscreen bolts.

I've picked some heat sensors on ford scan 2 sensor voltages are going crazy with voltages going up and down and 2 are just settling on 0.65/0.64

The Ti-VCT has 2 cats. So 4 sensors.

Yes it's the ones near the scuttle panel.

The front ones do change a lot based on how well the fuel burns in the engine.

The rear ones don't change much as they are only testing whether the cats are working.

I think your problem is a running fault, that's tricking the sensors. If you can leave it for tonight and try again when it's cooler that might be worth doing.

Is this front 2 under scuttle panel

12 hours ago, madman said:

Is this front 2 under scuttle panel

Yes. Sensor 1 is pre-cat. And those are codes are for both Bank 1 and Bank 2. Meaning that either two totally separate sensors have randomly failed at exactly the same time. Or the fault isn't actually the sensors themselves.

Sensor 2 sensors are after the cat, those ones are right underneath the car if you ever need to access them.

Leave it few days see if goes away, or replace them or try cleaning them.

Just hesitating on pull away. I have heard like plinking noise. Any ideas where to get a couple, any links?. the plug on colour coded connectors either side engine are dirty.

The pinking noise is likely because the fuel is burning before the spark plug fires. It's most likely just cheap fuel and excessive outdoor temp.

I wouldn't normally say to wait, only because of the extreme heat we've got right now.

Those plugs shouldn't be dirty inside. They're pretty tight. But you can open them and clean them if you like.

Genuine Lambda sensors are best. But expensive. I can get part numbers later today or tomorrow for those.

Yeah they are pretty tight and nothing going in it.

Just looking for quality pattern part, fords going be expensive.

How the hell u access the upper 2, I got socket set and spanners.

Can't get a socket over a lambda sensor because of the cable on top. You'll have to use the spanner one way or another. I haven't done it on one of these myself so can't offer any tips.

Part numbers:

1346366 - Lucas branded - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/336541417887

1327547 - Lucas Branded - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236770345307

Special sockets are available to remove and install O2 sensors. Depending on the position and accessibility of the O2 sensors these can be indispensable.

At the moment no engine management light is on. The car was hesitating hence forscan results and torque app.

Don't know to try and clear the code and see if it comes back again or not. Can pick up 2 good sensors thanks for links for like 70 quid. I've got Lucas battery on and they pretty good.

A local garage that did my clutch for 420 I contacted him again and he said do timing belt kit and water pump approx 300 for me.

Don't u think it's bit odds both lamba sensors going at once.

Could it maybe be a exhaust hole some along the line.

11 hours ago, madman said:

Don't u think it's bit odds both lamba sensors going at once.

Could it maybe be a exhaust hole some along the line.

Yes... I've said several times in this thread I don't think it is the sensors. 😀

Have to hope it's not a hole in the exhaust though. The twin cats are very expensive to replace and ridiculously awkward to remove and refit. Also virtually impossible in this case because the two cats are totally separate, so you would need two separate holes in roughly the same place along each cat.

Cheap fuel or knackered coil pack leading to over-fuelling covering the sensor in unburnt petrol seems more likely to me. We really need some cooler weather to confirm those things though.

I've just checked the coil pack its Bosch and it's got date of 5th may 2013 stamped on it I've not had car that long but looking at mileage I say it's done 60-70 thousand approx. I've never changed coil pack, I've done plugs, leads, oil oil filter, air, pollen.

I've put new Bosch coil pack on it and cleared the error codes, see how it goes now.

Just little update had the new Bosch coil pack on there now for few days and no oxygen sensor errors and feels better driving it, no hesitation.

Another update had my timing belt kit and water pump replaced charged me 300 quid for the job. The old belt still ok not really any signs of wear for it's age and the water pump was the original but was little rusty, had both replaced.

He did say that there was a new aux belt on it which I put on and he said he used it again, but I said it's stretch belt one time use, he then said it was fine as he gets on and off a different way. But he did also replace the air con belt at no extra price .

Looking at parts timing belt kit and water pump both drayco and air con belt Mitsubishi, for 300 quid seems good job for price.