Focus slow 1st gear

[tolmie]

I just got a 2011 plate focus around 6 weeks ago. My car is 125bhp version and was expecting it to have a little bit of oomph but I find the low end of 1st gear is extremely slow and 2nd gear can be the same, once the car is up to 50mph it seems to get going and alot smoother. Does anyone else experience this. Joining the motorway on a slight incline is not fun, people right up your back side.

[TomsFocus]

Are you used to driving diesels?  Probably need to stay in gear a bit longer before changing up.  Also if you've got the air con on that'll be taking a lot of power.

[Tdci-Peter]

Use the rev counter. See what revs the power starts to kick in. Should be more or less the same revs regardless of gear. Maybe you are expecting too much torque at low revs, as Tom suggests. Have a look at the vehicle spec. to find rpm for max torque & max power, though it should run quite well way below the max torque rpm.

If it needs silly high rpm (Say >2000) before it runs smooth & starts to pull, then there could be a problem somewhere. Anything that affects compression (valve seats etc), mixture (MAF, MAP sensors), or ignition (Crank sensor, coil etc) could cause poor & rough running at low revs.

Maybe some diagnostic codes could be present in it if it is running bad. The warning light does not always light on occasional minor DTCs. See my, or other people's posts on this site about diagnostic code readers. I recommend EVERY car owner should have one.

Peter.

 

[tolmie]

I did have a diesel insignia before, I dont think its going from diesel to petrol is the prob, I had a hyundai i20 and it as was much nippier, it seems to be in the focus at times there is just no power in 1st 2nd gear. When Im over 45,50 it seems alot better. I hate joining a motorway with an incline, I dont understand torque etc but I guess if it doesnt have much that would explain my issue.

[ippy]

Take it back to dealer tell them the problem cos that don't seem right for a petrol

[Tandem]

Hi

Just got a 200 MK1 1.6 (100BHP) and knew when I bought it that there were engine issues as the idle was rough.  Reading on here, thought that the problem was ISCV Valve on the front of the block.  After doing an oil and filter change fired it up and noticed that with the bonnet open, I could hear a hiss.  The vacuum tube was only touching the ISCV valve and after pushing it all the way in, the idle problems cleared themselves and the car went like sh*t off a shovel.  Should only be moments to check under the bonnet for a vacuum leak in this pipe and as this feeds into the electronic timing, should be worth checking.

[Incontro]

Well I have 25 BHP less than you, and an auto to go with it too, but it's easy for me to join motorways, even easier if I give it the beans (only time it's not easy is if it's uphill ramp, and the AC is on).

Might be something wrong with your car...

[Tdci-Peter]

On 08/06/2016 at 0:34 PM, tolmie said:

I just got a 2011 plate focus around 6 weeks ago. My car is 125bhp version and was expecting it to have a little bit of oomph but I find the low end of 1st gear is extremely slow and 2nd gear can be the same, once the car is up to 50mph it seems to get going and alot smoother

If your engine is: petrol 1.6L Duratec DOHC Ti-VCT petrol engine with 5-speed manual transmission.
Then spec is 92kW (125PS) @ 6300rpm and 160Nm @ 4100rpm

The 4100rpm will be the maximum torque rpm, that is when the engine is putting out the greatest force to the wheels (Torque is just a measure of rotational force: Think of someone twisting your arm, if it hurts its quite a bit of torque, if it snaps, then its too much torque! That's kind of the way I think of it!). 4100 is pretty high revs, will sound quite buzzy.

I have read other reports that this engine feels underpowered, & that there was a Ford software update dated around 2013 that improved it. See

http://www.talkford.com/community/topic/208977-help-please-focus-16l-ti-vct-seriously-underpowered/

Before my current Ford, I had a Vectra 2l petrol, and it would chug around town or in traffic quite amiably at low revs, but if I wanted any oomph out of it, I had to drop two cogs and give it full welly, then it perked up a lot.

By contrast, my current 1.8TDCI (diesel) has max torque at 1900rpm, and when you put your foot down at any rpm over about 1600, it just goes like a small rocket.

Try driving using the rev counter, and be prepared to really rev it up to go.

If possible, check for any diagnostic codes, or look for fault symptoms, but try using the high end of the rev range first.

See if a Ford software download is available (I can't really help much there).

If all else fails, try another Focus. I am very pleased with my 1.8TDCI.

Please report any feedback or results here.

Peter.

PS: Technical note:

The Vectra had variable inlet tract length, long at low rpm, optimised for economy, short at high revs, optimised for power. The 1.6 VCT has variable valve timing, probably with similar purpose.