Servicing - What next? Also, Timing belt Question.

[Albert27]

Hi guys,

I started as a complete newbie with car maintenance in July.  So far I've done the oil & Filter, Air filter, pollen filter, changed the brake fluid & replaced the air intake breather hose as it was broken.  My question is - what's left to do in regards to servicing the car?  It's a 1.6tdci.

My second question considering my experience with cars - How hard is it to replace the timing belt?  I ask because in 6 months it will have been 60,000 miles since i last had it done and I do lots of short journeys (20k per year), constant stop start driving so figure it would be good to get it changed.  Is this a job i could do?  I'm willing to invest time over the next few months reading and learning but don't want to risk messing up the car.  I'm keen to have a go as it will save a decent amount of money. 

[Tdci-Peter]

3 hours ago, Albert27 said:

How hard is it to replace the timing belt?

It is not easy.

It needs a few bits of special equipment. Engine has to be supported to remove an engine mount, puller to remove pulley, some pins to fix the crankshaft & camshaft in position. It rates 4 spanners in Haynes (suitable for experience DIY mechanic).

I recommend getting the Haynes, and reading the relevant sections. In this weather, it will ideally need a warm, dry, well lit garage to work in, and plenty of time. It is not a job to be rushed. So it is not impossible for a newcomer to DIY, but it is several stages on from the jobs you have done.

[Albert27]

Thanks Peter, very helpful.

[Albert27]

18 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

It is not easy.

It needs a few bits of special equipment. Engine has to be supported to remove an engine mount, puller to remove pulley, some pins to fix the crankshaft & camshaft in position. It rates 4 spanners in Haynes (suitable for experience DIY mechanic).

I recommend getting the Haynes, and reading the relevant sections. In this weather, it will ideally need a warm, dry, well lit garage to work in, and plenty of time. It is not a job to be rushed. So it is not impossible for a newcomer to DIY, but it is several stages on from the jobs you have done.

Thanks Peter, very helpful.

[Tdci-Peter]

The biggest benefit of DIY car work, as I see it, is that you can do jobs no garage will ever do.

When I have the wheels off to service the brakes, I look around all those usually hidden suspension members for rust, salty mud in the spring bases, and anything else that looks wrong. If see it, or feel it, I try to fix it. Plus jobs like oiling, greasing or waxoyling bleed plugs and those suspension bolts that one day might need to be undone.

A garage mechanic being charged to the customer at £50 per hour or more, can't do this, they just do the defined job.

When working under the bonnet, I keep a look out for damaged wiring, wet or dirty connectors, or other hidden nasties. As well as rust in difficult to get at places.

It does mean that simple jobs can take a lot longer than would otherwise be the case, but maybe it can avoid an unpleasant or expensive breakdown in the future. Doesn't always work out like that in practice, as they say: always expect the unexpected! But I am sure it does work sometimes.

The Focus is rather prone to rust around the back suspension area, I find. The main bodyshell seem quite well rustproofed, but not so for a lot of the bolted on bits.

 

[Albert27]

11 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

The biggest benefit of DIY car work, as I see it, is that you can do jobs no garage will ever do.

When I have the wheels off to service the brakes, I look around all those usually hidden suspension members for rust, salty mud in the spring bases, and anything else that looks wrong. If see it, or feel it, I try to fix it. Plus jobs like oiling, greasing or waxoyling bleed plugs and those suspension bolts that one day might need to be undone.

A garage mechanic being charged to the customer at £50 per hour or more, can't do this, they just do the defined job.

When working under the bonnet, I keep a look out for damaged wiring, wet or dirty connectors, or other hidden nasties. As well as rust in difficult to get at places.

It does mean that simple jobs can take a lot longer than would otherwise be the case, but maybe it can avoid an unpleasant or expensive breakdown in the future. Doesn't always work out like that in practice, as they say: always expect the unexpected! But I am sure it does work sometimes.

The Focus is rather prone to rust around the back suspension area, I find. The main bodyshell seem quite well rustproofed, but not so for a lot of the bolted on bits.

 

Would it be a good thing for me to change the fuel filter - it was last done 20k ago?  I also have an issue on cold starts where the car will give off a huge puff of blue smoke followed by rough idle for 20 seconds and then runs smoothly.  The glow plugs were changed 3 years ago and i actually had a fault appear on the dash when that happened and it went into limp mode.  Could it be the fuel filter causing this? I'm not losing any oil either, plenty in there and doens't seem to be going down.  Would it also be sensible to put some cleaner stuff in the fuel tank?  I've been told by mechanics that it's a can of worms but if i can rule stuff out myself it costs little money and might narrow down the problem.......

[Tdci-Peter]

23 hours ago, Albert27 said:

I also have an issue on cold starts where the car will give off a huge puff of blue smoke followed by rough idle for 20 seconds and then runs smoothly.

A clogged fuel filter, especially if combined with a slight air leakage in to the fuel filter or pipes somewhere, could cause rough running after a start. But I have difficulty in seeing how it might lead to blue or black smoke. That must surely be either engine oil or excess fuel. oil level too high (above max) could cause it, or leaking valve guide oil seals.

On these engines it is possible for fuel to get into the oil, dilute it, and cause the level to rise. Frequent failed or aborted DPF regens are the usual culprit. I think it is possible to have an oil quality check done. This could mask a problem like valve seals, or make the oil level too high.

If the smoke is fuel, then glowplugs or the glowplug fuse are possible suspects. These engines will start without the plugs, but may take more fuel to fire up, and run rough until warmed up a bit. As you say, many glowplug faults are detected and light the EML, but it is not guaranteed. I would use a scanner to check for codes even if the EML is not lit. It often takes two occurrences of an error to light the EML. Testing glowpugs without some equipment like a clamp on current probe or a variable voltage, high current power supply, is not easy. You could disconnect the wires, and check with a multi-meter, but a working plug will register as a short circuit (under 1 ohm) on a multimeter.

I am not a fan of snake oil additives. If you know exactly what the problems is, and have some confidence that the additive is capable of helping with that problem, or assisting a diagnosis, then yes, use it. But otherwise it is money down the drain, or up in smoke, and could even cause additional problems.

I am a bit surprised that a huge amount of smoke can get through the DPF.

 

 

[Albert27]

39 minutes ago, Tdci-Peter said:

A clogged fuel filter, especially if combined with a slight air leakage in to the fuel filter or pipes somewhere, could cause rough running after a start. But I have difficulty in seeing how it might lead to blue or black smoke. That must surely be either engine oil or excess fuel. Oil level too high (above max) could cause it, or leaking valve guide oil seals.

On these engines it is possible for fuel to get into the oil, dilute it, and cause the level to rise. Frequent failed or aborted DPF regens are the usual culprit. I think it is possible to have an oil quality check done. This could mask a problem like valve seals, or make the oil level too high.

If the smoke is fuel, then glowplugs or the glowplug fuse are possible suspects. These engines will start without the plugs, but may take more fuel to fire up, and run rough until warmed up a bit. As you say, many glowplug faults are detected and light the EML, but it is not guaranteed. I would use a scanner to check for codes even if the EML is not lit. It often takes two occurrences of an error to light the EML. Testing glowpugs without some equipment like a clamp on current probe or a variable voltage, high current power supply, is not easy. You could disconnect the wires, and check with a multi-meter, but a working plug will register as a short circuit (under 1 ohm) on a multimeter.

I am not a fan of snake oil additives. If you know exactly what the problems is, and have some confidence that the additive is capable of helping with that problem, or assisting a diagnosis, then yes, use it. But otherwise it is money down the drain, or up in smoke, and could even cause additional problems.

I am a bit surprised that a huge amount of smoke can get through the DPF.

 

 

Thanks Peter.

Mine has no DPF.  When you say valve guide oil seals is that the same as valve seals that Tom as mentioned in the other thread?  Forscan has been mentioned - am i right in thinking you just buy the cable and 'box' and plug it in to a smartphone?

[Tdci-Peter]

3 hours ago, Albert27 said:

When you say valve guide oil seals is that the same as valve seals that Tom as mentioned in the other thread?  Forscan has been mentioned - am i right in thinking you just buy the cable and 'box' and plug it in to a smartphone?

Yeah, I have just read Tom's replies. He has more experience than me, especially on this engine. Fairly certain he meant the guide seals. oil remaining in the CH after the engine stops can find its way past leaky seals, and onto the valves, or into the cylinders. Then on starting, it will burn off, with blue, smelly, smoke.

Forscan can monitor EGR position & probably also the egr command signal (It can on my 1.8). It can use bluetooth ELM237 adapter and a phone that can take IoS or Android Apps. But it works most reliably (& with more facilities) via usb, on a Windows computer.

Changing valve seals is a cylinder head off job, as far as I can tell. So it is a major operation.

A good diagnostic system like Forscan is always useful. My standard intro to Forscan is this:

Forscan is a powerful Ford specific system, Cost £15.00 for the interface, or a bit more for wireless options. Needs a computer of some sort. (COM port, USB, bluetooth or WiFi interfaces available). You will find a lot about ELM327 & Forscan on this site, which together provide a very comprehensive diagnosis & maintenance tool. James (jeebowhite) has done a nice guide: http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=21196

Forscan works best on a Windows laptop, with a USB ELM. The Tunnelrat one (below) has been reported to work well by several people. Forscan is also available for iOS & Android for some tablets & phones.

For a USB ELM327 adapter, see
http://www.spanglefish.com/TunnelratElectronics/index.asp?pageid=516992

Wireless ELMs are also available (bluetooth & WiFi), but are often not as reliable as the wired ones. Also they are rare in the "modified" form which is needed to access the 2nd Ford bus system. This 2nd bus is the MS-CAN bus, and links all the car interior electronics like door modules, and the BCM (aka GEM). But a standard ELM will still work with all the Underbonnet Modules (PCM, ABS etc) and with the IC (Instrument Cluster).

For an bluetooth wireless ELM, which one user at least says works with Forscan, see the KW902: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELM327-KW902-Bluetooth-Scaner-OBD-Link-OBD2-Diagnose-Interface-Tester-white-UK-/281631334205

The Forscan programme is free (in Windows format) and you can get it from:
http://forscan.org/download.html

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.