Hello everyone well I've put 200 miles on the focus since sorted out the crack in the head. The car hasn't missed a beat!! I'm really surprised with the engine really smooth with plenty of power. 

Only problem is the stop start system it's intermittent does anyone else have the same problem?

Thanks Steve 

Hi, don't know about the stop/start. I remember your previous posts when everyone said give up it needs a new engine. was it a crack in the head? I thought you said it was crack in inlet manifold?  have I remembered it wrongly. did it need a new head?   was the crack repaired ? welded? 

Please let us have a recap of what was wrong and how it was fixed as it may help someone else in the same boat, as owners of 1litre ecoboost need all the help they can get when these engines go wrong with regard to coolant/overheating

Sorry guys let me explain. 

First port of call was to remove the plugs and turn the engine over result water in all three cylinders. Next I dropped the coolant. Removed and replaced the thermostat housing turned over the engine again until the cylinders were clear. Next I broke out my compression tester 180 psi in all three cylinders repeated with plugs removed same result. Dryed plugs out put them in and the car started first time. Dropped the engine used some chains you attach it to my engine crane made up a flywheel locking tool and removed the pully bolt. Stripped the engine down and removed the head. Head gasket looked fine had the head pressure tested which revealed a crack about 20mm in from where the turbo bolts onto the Manifold /head. Then it was welded and dressed and pressure tested again. Put the engine back together with a new headgasket  head bolts wet belt and tensioner 

As for the timing I've a couple of different ford timeing pins I think I used a 1.6 zetec pin for the crankshaft a 5mm drill bit for the bottom pulley. As for the cams as long as you haven't removed the VVT pulleys and make sure that the flats are in line on the cams I used a two foot straight edge reassembled everything keep the timing pins in place AND THE FLYWHEEL LOCKING TOOL!!! And tighting the bottom pulley. 

Hope this helps someone out and never give up on an engine until you have all the evidence. 

Yours sincerely Steve Evans 

 

 

 

Good work mate, nice one.

out of interest did you pay someone else to do the head pressure test and welding?  how much did that cost? was it easy to find someone to do it?  many years ago there were engineering workshops around where I could take things like cylinders heads to be welded, have broken studs removed, helicoiled etc but they seem to have all closed down over the years as people tend not to try to repair stuff in the way you have tackled this problem and in the way I did in my younger days. Good persistence in getting to the root of the problem

There are still engineering shops about, I know of quite a few locally, pressure test and heavy skim after major HGF was about £50 last year.  Can't remember the last time I saw someone weld a head on a modern car though! 

Wow I am impressed any pictures of the rebuild???

Thanks for all the replys guy's. I used a place called south Wales pistons in Cardiff  to do the pressure test and skim I paid £200 all in. Pressure test to find the crack in the Manifold. Welding to repair and finally a skim. Please remember the head and Manifold are one casting. I was getting the same amount of water in each cylinder which took me in the direction of Manifold if you remember I drained the coolant first then started the car make sure it runs ok good compression etc. If the bottom end of the engine has a problem crankshaft pistons bores it's game over 

Thanks Steve Evans 

 

years ago I had a head welded. Volvo 244 1977 approx year.  2.1litre (I think) 4 cyl with alloy head. Bought it cheap with blown head gasket. Took head off, the head had corroded away between cylinder 2 & 3 so the compression was going through the gap linking the cylinders together. Had it welded and skimmed (plus a couple of other dodgy corroded areas done at same time).  No idea how much it cost but I don't think it seemed a lot. used the car for a year after that and it was fine. 

It's cost me less than £450 to get the car up and running again. New headgasket and bolts timing belt and tensioner. Oil and filter plugs antifreeze and gearbox oil. 

Steve 

Looks a nice car fella good work.

That engine bay looks immaculate. Did you clean it all up while you had the engine out?

impressive job all round , good work fella.

i shudder just at the thought of all the expense and hassle from relying on a dealership to diagnose and repair that engine fault

Thanks guys. I use autuglym engine and machine cleaner spray it on and use a paint brush to agitate it's safe to spray on everything plastic rubber etc. Then hose off with plenty of cold water. When everything is still wet spary some autuglym vinyl and rubber care shut the bonnet and leave to dry. 

Just make sure the engine is cold before you start 

Steve 

I mean the engine bay is nice...

But that garage...  So much space and everything neat and tidy!

 

I used the same method for the engine bay give it a try guys it's great!! The most important thing in my garage believe it or not are freezer bags when I was working on the focus every part I removed from the engine goes straight into the freezer bag the part bolts etc. That way when I was time to reassemble your only concern is the parts in the bag. What I have noticed on the engine is the amount of bolts that are the same size but are slightly different lengths allso make sure you use a toruqe everything up correctly. 

Steve 

The start stop issue,

Its very much battery and condition reliant on the focus. Mine works some days and others it doesn’t. If I take it for a good run on the motorway then start stop works for a while. If I do little trips it tends not to unless it’s had a few good runs earlier in the week. 

Different on my girlfriend’s Fiesta, start stop works every time. Same year as my focus. The focus doesn’t seem to do it as well for some reason. 

Quick update guys just got in from a 20mile run in the focus and the start stop is working fine!!!

The only issue now is idle isn't as stable as I would like. The Rev counter goes up and down not much but it's there is this normal with the 1.0 ecoboost engine??

Thanks Steve 

Mine doesn’t do it. It sits just fine at idle. 

37,000 miles 62 plate 13 registered 6 speed ecoboost.

Doesn’t do it on the girlfriend’s 13 plate ecoboost Fiesta either. But I’ve found that both are quite different engines in how they act despite being the same sort of design. 

I'll have a good dig around in my lunch break tomorrow and see what's going on 

I'll keep you posted guys 

Steve