Focus 1.8 tdci choking

[Billyygibson]

Hi,

In the last couple of days my Focus has been choking seemingly randomly. Its normally after turning down a road or accelerating after a roundabout - I brake for a corner/roundabout in neutral or in gear then afterward I depress the clutch, select a gear appropriate to the speed and i'm going and then as I raise the clutch and depress the accelerator (as you do) the car chokes. This has happened fairly regularly anyway since I bought the car in May, but before it has choked for a second then sorted itself out and I just assumed it was the way I was driving it and it wasn't used to me.

Now when it does this it doesn't sort itself out and engine management light comes on. The car just sputters and jumps like a kangaroo even with the accelerator depressed fully, until it either comes to a stalling stop or I restart the engine. This also happened yesterday when I was cruising at about 55mph for 10-15 minutes, i noticed the light come on and then the car started to stutter a bit but before I lost too much speed I restarted the engine and it was fine, the light went away. 

I've also noticed that I'm having to put a lot more revs into pulling away. Normally I would pull away pretty slowly due to the car but now I'm having to plant the accelerator. If I don't then the car loses power again. 

I've had a look through various forums and seen things like egr valve, dpf filter, etc but I just wanted to see what your opinions are. We did clean what we could of the egr valve yesterday and had a quick look under the bonnet but can't see anything obvious. I've called RAC this morning to see if they can find any error codes but I'm not sure because the light goes away. 

Thanks

[Billyygibson]

Update: 

RAC guy put it on the scanner and came up with two EGR valve fault codes. We cleaned it yesterday so I guess it's going to be a case of a completely new one? 
Shame because I think they cost about £100 :( 

[Damien]

Hi mate I had this issue with my focus mk2 1.8 tdci titianium engine light came on booted car reset code it stayed off for bit then came on again.

ford told me egr was seized up needed new one. £800 WTF when can buy new for £120 on eBay.

any way cutting long story short my friend works in garage he asked me where I fuel up I said Sainsburys.

he advised me to do this.

oil and filter change

run car on decent oil

run tank til empty then start using normal BP diesel not supermarket fuel.

so I done this also blanked the egr valve off with blanking plate approx £1.20 eBay 10-15 min job to do.

ever since no warning lights n car runs sweet and never had to replace egr.

just ford wanting money

[Tdci-Peter]

13 hours ago, Billyygibson said:

engine management light comes on. The car just sputters and jumps like a kangaroo

You really should get a scanner. Being able to check the codes yourself is a Massive advantage. Two choices:

1) Get a generic OBD2 scanner. From about £10.00. I got a U480 off eBay, worked fine. Very easy to use, self contained, but limited capabilities.

2) Get a powerful Ford specific system. Cost £15.00 for the interface. Needs a computer of some sort. (COM port, USB, bluetooth or WiFi interfaces available). Not as simple as the self contained OBD2 scanner.

You will find a lot about ELM327 & Forscan on this site, which together provide a very comprehensive diagnosis & maintenance tool. Post here if you want more info.

Note: Simply reading the codes can do no harm, and does not change anything. Just do not reset the codes (and you would have to ask the scanner to do this) if you are going to take the car to a garage.

I do not think a 2006 1.8 has a DPF, mine certainly does not.

It sounds a bit like EGR, but it must be pretty bad. Simply blanking it will not make the light go away, and the light can be an MoT fail, so if it is EGR, it will have to be sorted. On these cars you can blank the EGR, but it must physically work, the PCM tests it every drive cycle.

I fixed an EGR problem myself. Also the actuator is now available separately, Much, Much cheaper & easier than the entire inlet manifold including the valve.

But you need the codes (Each time, not just when the RAC or garage tests them) to verify the problem.

For EGR repair, see:http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=38763

Please post feedback/questions here!

Peter.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2016 by Tdci-Peter
Wrong PDF link given! Corrected.

[Billyygibson]

Thanks for the help guys. The exact codes that came up were -

P0489-exhaust gas recirculation control unit low

P0490-exhaust Gas recirculation control unit high.

Ive have a look on eBay and cheapest I can find the entire egr valve is £85, and that's before a garage fits it for me. I already use normal Shell diesel and don't really have any BP's easily accessible so probably will stick with Shell unless you think it will make a big difference? 

I think I will try a blanking plate because as you say it's like £2.50 from eBay and if it doesn't work then it's only £2.50 and 15 minutes wasted but if it does then great. Could just blanking the egr fix the problem? Along with an oil and filter change? 

[Damien]

Hi sorry for late reply mate.

well ford insisted to me last sept I needed a new egr as seized up. I am still on the existing one now pal.

bit of a coisidence my mate said to try that n I did and it has stopped it all.

i reset code myself blasted down motorway was fine soon as back in town engine light back on.

so I done all the above filter change ect n works a treat no light since sept 2015.

cant remember what code I got though tbh but was on the proper scanner check in ford n just came back egr.

if you do this please let me know how you get on.

make sure you get s/steel blanking plate n it's solid

regards

[Tdci-Peter]

4 hours ago, Billyygibson said:

entire egr valve is £85

If the item looks like the photo below, it is Not the entire EGR valve, only the actuator. And it is really quite easy to replace that part.

The actuator seems to be the most likely bit to fail, but if the valve itself is sticking badly, then the whole inlet manifold has to be replaced: a very big, expensive job. However, blanking will cure valve sticking problems, but blanking will not cure actuator problems, you will still get the light on.

My PDF (now corrected link!) in my previous post has more information, with photos.

(Oops, mouse problems, the wrong pdf link was is the 1st post, now edited. Apologies for any confusion!).

Peter.

[Billyygibson]

The item I've found for £85 is labelled as the entire EGR valve with inlet manifold but the photo looks more like just the actuator. I think I am going to blank it and see what happens. I'll report back!

Just as a side note - I recently bought a TDI tuning box and fitted it a couple days ago, since then its been choking a lot less. Not sure if its because its chucking a lot more fuel in or because I'm driving differently to compensate for the dodgy behaviour or what, but just an observation.

[martyntdci]

blank of the egr valve. give it a full service, upgrade the air filter. use premium oil and filter. change your fuel filter, chuck in a can of bg 244. and run on Shell....  remember the engine will run hotter now the egr valve has been blanked. so more frequently change the oil and filter.

i do mine twice a year, with fuel filter once a year...  and clean my upgraded filter.....   and if you wish spray a can of turbo cleaner up the air flow pipe behind the afm....   and always give the diesel a hard thrash....

[Billyygibson]

Apologies for not updating this - just wanted to say that since my last post my car slowly started to stop choking. Now it hasn't done it in atleast 2 weeks. 

I didnt do anything except fit the tuning kit so not sure whats happened but Im not complaining!