Ford Focus Tdci Loss Of Power In All Gears

[segana]

Hi All,

I'm having a few problems with my Focus TDCI 1.8 and all the searches I've done come up with similar but perhaps not exact issues, so I thought I'd ask the people that would know.

Whilst my GF was out and about in my Focus, she began to lose power in 5th gear, so she stopped, called the AA and a guy came out and said it was the EGR valve so he fitted a blanking plate. He apparently told my GF that he was "supposed to inform her" to get it looked at as soon as possible, however she should have no problems running with the plate fitted.

This initially solved the loss of power issue and the car ran great for a while. Due to incredibly limited funds (new baby just been born), I've not been able to get the car to a garage to take a look.

However on Saturday, the curse of the GF struck again. On her way back home, the car started to lose power again, however this time in all gears.

I've managed to take the car out for a short run this morning to see what she was on about and there is an incredibly noticeable loss of power in all gears. It takes much much longer to get up to speed (I can get up to 60-70, but it takes a good 10 seconds longer than normal maybe to get there). The engine sounds fine (I'm no mechanic though lol although it's revving much higher to get up to speed). Plus there's NO black smoke coming from the rear, no warning lights on the dash and no knocking or other abnormal sounds, just a real loss of power. I also asked the GF, her dad & brother, who had been in the car at the time, if there had been a bang at all before the powerloss and they all said no.

Before this happened, a friend suggested removing the blanking plate and using something like Wynn's EGR cleaner or 10k Boost to clean through the intake system as he said the EGR had likely just got clogged and stuck.

What I'm asking is if anyone has a good idea as to what the issue could be? And also if they think that giving the car a good blast with a cleaner might at least be worth a shot before taking it to a possibly costly garage?

Everything I've read so far suggests that the Turbo could to be ok due to no bang/black smoke and that the issue could possibly now be poor air flow or a split pipe to the turbo?

Any help and suggestions are greatly appreciated :)

Matt

[Lenny]

sounds like a leaking boost pipe or a loose pipe mate,

check all the joints on the hoses leading from the intercooler to the turbo and back to the intercooler again,

and the little pipes too,

if you dont see any obvious leaks or a pipe not connected,

then run the engine and get someone to rev is to 2,000

carefully feel around the hoses for any sign of air leaks in the pipes from the turbo,

[segana]

Hi Lenny,

Thanks for the quick reply. I was hoping someone might suggest something like this.

I'll check all the above when I get home from work later, however I'm not a mechanic and have very limited experience with the insides of cars (computers and electronics, now they I understand lol), so do you think this is something I'll be able to easily check?

Again, thanks for the quick reply it's greatly appreciated :)

[Lenny]

Hi Lenny,

Thanks for the quick reply. I was hoping someone might suggest something like this.

I'll check all the above when I get home from work later, however I'm not a mechanic and have very limited experience with the insides of cars (computers and electronics, now they I understand lol), so do you think this is something I'll be able to easily check?

Again, thanks for the quick reply it's greatly appreciated :)

no prob mate,

im in work at the momment myself too, but il be online around 7 or 8 pm and i can guide you through it,

its very simple mate im not a mechanice either but i know a few bits about the engine, and if you spend enough time on here yourself you will know as much as i do lol

its only air that is in these pipes so no worry of anything leaking other than air,

probably a loose connection causing the car to loose preissure from the turbo,

[segana]

no prob mate,

im in work at the momment myself too, but il be online around 7 or 8 pm and i can guide you through it,

its very simple mate im not a mechanice either but i know a few bits about the engine, and if you spend enough time on here yourself you will know as much as i do lol

its only air that is in these pipes so no worry of anything leaking other than air,

probably a loose connection causing the car to loose preissure from the turbo,

Cheers again. Me and a friend went out at lunch and ran the car and I couldn't see any lose pipes, but I don't know what I'm feeling for, so would appreciate any help later on.

Couple of updated points though now that I've been able to have someone else sit and rev the car a bit. There is a very small amount of black smoke coming from the exhaust when accelerating. It wasn't visible when driving as it's not enough to notice, however stood behind the car, there is a tiny amount that you can see each time the accelerator is pushed.

Also, there is a strange smell being produced, it's quite faint, but my friend said he thought it smelt a bit like anti-freeze, but I don't know what that smells like so can't be sure.

Beginning to worry that this is more than just a lose or split pipe :(

[segana]

Realised I had AA cover with my bank account, so decided to call them out and see if they could diagnose...the smell turns out to be being caused by the clutch having gone!!!!

So thankfully not a Turbo problem, but not as simple as a spilt hose either. Oh well, could of been a lot lot worse.

Cheers again Lenny

[Lenny]

Realised I had AA cover with my bank account, so decided to call them out and see if they could diagnose...the smell turns out to be being caused by the clutch having gone!!!!

So thankfully not a Turbo problem, but not as simple as a spilt hose either. Oh well, could of been a lot lot worse.

Cheers again Lenny

ok mate,

sorry i was late getting back to you this evening, i ended up taking advantage of the good weather instead, pitty its your clutch but a leaking boost pipe is also a common problem but not the case this time around.